Writing for university students is very different from writing a high school paper. Quite often, your assignments will be much more detailed and informative than the single page papers you turned in before. In most cases, whether it’s a research paper, thesis, or some other form of formal writing, you’ll have to prepare an abstract as a preview of a larger paper you’re expected to complete. The abstract can be viewed as a preview of what is to come and help the professor decide if he or she actually wants to read the full book. This is why your abstract needs to be clear, concise, and well prepared. Here are a few suggestions to help you to master this skill.
Identify the Problem And the Solution
Your abstract needs to have a clearly defined opening that helps the reader to identify your topic, your research, and your solution. This information must be easily understood from the very first two sentences of your paper so that the reader knows exactly what to expect.
Don’t be Too Wordy
Your professor will more than likely give you a specific word count for your abstract but if not, know that abstracts rarely go over 250 words of summary for the entire dissertation. Since abstracts are usually a summary of your entire paper and are done in one paragraph, a 1,000-word essay could very easily discourage someone from reading further. Make sure that your summarization stays within the 250-word range and it will keep you from getting too detailed or descriptive in your wording.
Go Beyond Reporting Results
While your paper needs to cover the topic, research, and solution avoid the tendency to limit yourself to just reporting your research findings. Your abstract needs to also outline the methods of your research. It should have a few lines that outline the type of research you did and the type of resources you used. Still, keep in mind that your goal is to entice the reader to read your full paper so keep this section brief but to the point.
The Closing
A good abstract will close by creating some anticipation for what is to come in the final paper. This could include some suggestion of what your findings could mean in resolving the problem you raised in the opening of your paper. How will those findings have an impact on the future in your particular area of study?
Once all of that is completed, always review your work and make whatever suggestions are necessary to fine tune it to meet your assignment requirements. Remember, college papers can be quite lengthy and detailed so you may start with one view but as you conduct your research, your opinion may change as you learn more about the intricacies of your topic. This kind of revealing information can intrigue the reader and build up anticipation for the development of your ideas throughout your research process.
It takes a certain amount of skill and finesse to create an abstract that can be developed into something that will capture the attention of your readers. Before you start writing this all important paper, it is recommended that you spend some time reading over previously written abstracts to give you an idea of how to go about it. There are plenty of good examples as well as bad ones that can help you to determine how best to proceed with your abstract. Finally, follow your professor’s style guide to make sure that you incorporate all of the technical features required in creating your abstract. These can be most helpful when you’re laying the groundwork for a good abstract.