       
Write an abstract
Neil Stamper
You have finished your work and are now submitting it for
publication or assessment. The abstract is crucial - many readers will go no further.
Often, only the abstract of your work will be available online. It
must be excellent and it must make sense alone, without the full document. If you don't
write one, someone else - who will know less about your work - may end up writing an
abstract for you.
Remember, too, that many readers of your abstract will not share
your mother tongue (or even your academic discipline): avoid fancy phrasing and excessive
jargon.
How many words?
Limit yourself to - at most - the number of words (usually about
200) specified by the journal or academic regulation.
What should it say?
Condense the substance of your work and say why it is significant.
Briefly describe what you did and how you did it. Be specific about numbers, rather than
just saying many. Mention when and where the work was carried out.
If your results can be generalised, say so. For example,
"Although our experiments used hedgehogs, the results apply to all four-legged
beasts."
Although you must be factual, you are under no obligation to be
boring. Try to avoid passive language.
Encourage the reader into the full version - no one else will. Until
you're a bit famous, no other author will quote your work - and thus heighten your
academic credibility - without reading the full version first.
Please contact neil at wordpower.org.uk
if you find this guide useful. |