What is an Abstract?
An abstract is a short summary of your (published or unpublished) research paper, usually about a paragraph (or up to 300 words). It provides the key points of your paper and usually contains the paper’s scope, purpose, results, and conclusions. It allows readers to quickly understand what the paper is about and decide whether they want to read the full paper.
Why Include an Abstract?
The abstract is located at the beginning of the research paper after the title page. There are a few key reasons to include an abstract:
Help readers quickly understand the main points and purpose of the paper without having to read the entire paper. This allows readers to determine relevance.
Help readers decide if they want to read the entire paper. It tells them if the research matches their interests or needs.
Help search engines properly classify the content of the paper. Keywords and phrases from the abstract help scholars and researchers find the paper and determine if it is useful to them.
Summarize the paper for various reference databases and scholarly repositories. An abstract is included when the full-text of the paper is not available.
Help with reader expectations about the structure and findings of the paper. The abstract previews the methodology, scope, and conclusions.
Greatly aid indexing services and search engines to properly categorize the content of the paper.
Standard component for most published research papers – readers expect an abstract to be present.
What to Include in an Abstract
A good abstract follows the IMRAD structure of the full paper, summarizing the key aspects in the following order:
I) Introduction – Briefly introduce the research topic or problem and provide context. State the overall purpose and research questions or hypotheses.
M) Methodology – Summarize the study design and methods used, including subjects studied and procedures. Keep the level of detail concise.
R) Results – State the key results found without providing extensive detail. Quantify findings whenever possible using stats and percentages.
A) Analysis/Discussion – Briefly analyze and interpret the results. Discuss how results relate to the overall purpose and hypotheses. Point out major trends and significant findings.
D) Conclusion – 1-2 sentences stating the primary conclusions and takeaway from the study. May imply areas for future research.
Formatting and Style Tips for Abstracts:
Written in past tense (as research has already been completed)
Third person point of view
100-300 words is typical length (approximately 1 paragraph)
Include keywords related to the research for indexing
Write in a clear, concise, and objective style without unnecessary elaboration
Do not include references, citations, graphs, charts, or lengthy quotes
May include the research question or goal stated upfront
Check journal instructions – formats can differ across publications
Proofread carefully for clarity, grammar, spelling errors
Sample Abstracts
To demonstrate proper abstract structure and style, here are two sample research paper abstracts:
Sample Abstract #1
Title: Effectiveness of Mindfulness Meditation on Test Anxiety in College Students
Objective: To investigate the impact of an 8-week guided mindfulness meditation program on reducing test anxiety levels in first-year college students.
Methods: Seventy undergraduate students reporting moderate to high test anxiety were randomly assigned to either the experimental meditation group (n=35) or a wait-list control group (n=35). The meditation group completed a daily 15-minute guided mindfulness meditation session for 8 consecutive weeks using a smartphone app. Test anxiety was assessed pre and post-intervention using the Test Anxiety Inventory.
Results: Independent samples t-tests revealed significantly lower post-test anxiety scores in the meditation group (M=36.5, SD=7.2) compared to controls (M=48.1, SD=5.4), t(68)=6.38, p < .001, with a large effect size (d=1.56). Conclusion: An 8-week mindfulness meditation program significantly reduced test anxiety in college freshmen. Mindfulness training shows promise as an effective non-pharmacological anxiety intervention for students.
Sample Abstract #2 Title: The Relationship Between Social Media Engagement and Body Image Concerns in Adolescent Females Purpose: This study examined whether time spent on social networking sites negatively impacts body image in adolescent girls ages 13-17 years old. Methodology: An online survey was completed by 210 females assessing daily social media use, appearance comparison behaviors, body satisfaction, internalization of societal ideals, and social comparison tendencies. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to determine relationships between variables. Findings: Time spent on Instagram and Snapchat each day significantly predicted higher levels of appearance comparison, drive for thinness, and lower body appreciation after controlling for BMI and ethnicity. Direct social comparisons on sites also exacerbated body dissatisfaction. Practical Implications: Frequent use of appearance-focused social platforms, especially those emphasizing photos, increases risk of body image struggles for adolescent girls. Education on healthy media consumption and promoting self-worth beyond physicality is recommended. Limitations: Causality cannot be determined due to cross-sectional design. Additional research with longitudinal methods is needed. These sample abstracts provide the key components of the IMRAD structure while keeping details concise and focused on the most important aspects of the research. They serve to inform readers on the purpose, methodology, results, and conclusion at a high level.
Andrew Stroud