User:Lynnberry/What is an abstract?

Writing an abstract
What is it?


 * summary of the information (usually an article or report) which is to follow
 * usually printed below the title and above (or before) the article
 * either a summary of the introduction and the main conclusions, or a summary of all the sections of the paper: the introduction, key issues, solutions, conclusion
 * a mini version of the paper (often the only section read)

What is its purpose?


 * give the reader a concise overview of the whole article
 * useful way to find out what an article is about without having to read all of it

Conventions


 * typically between 150 and 250 words
 * no referencing; it should make sense on its own
 * don’t need to refer to anything in the article, such as tables and figures
 * abbreviations should be avoided

Tips:
 * avoid unnecessary detail; write only what is needed to understand your point or meaning
 * keep sentences clear, and check the flow of writing by reading aloud to hear how it sounds.

Before you start writing you need to be clear on the aspect under discussion: what you will discuss and why. The strength of your article depends on the depth of your discussion, that is, considering a range of questions about the aspect, eg who is saying what, why, what are the reactions, what attracting the most/least attention and why, what is being ignored, among others.

Examples from www.latrobe.edu.au/learning/assets/downloads/abstract.doc