An abstract is a concise summary of a research paper or thesis, usually about a paragraph long. It should be fully self-contained and make sense by itself, without further reference to outside sources or to the actual paper. The purpose of an abstract is to describe, not to evaluate or defend, the paper. The format of an abstract will depend on the discipline in which you are working, but all abstracts generally cover the following five sections:
- Reason for writing: Identify the problem or issue you are addressing.
- Background: Explain the context and background of your research.
- Methodology: Describe the research method and design.
- Results: Summarize the major findings of your research.
- Conclusion: State the conclusions reached and the implications or applications of your research.
In addition to these five sections, an abstract should also include a brief introduction to the topic being investigated, an explanation of why the topic is important in your field, a statement about what the gap is in the research, an indication of your research methods and approach, your key message, and an explanation of why your findings and key message contribute to the field. An abstract should be written after the full paper has been drafted, so that you know what to summarize. Finally, it is important to edit the abstract carefully to ensure that it is concise, clear, and accurately reflects the content of the paper.
