The Importance of Abstracts in Research Papers: A Quick Guide

A research abstract, which provides a page-long summary of your research paper, is a very important part of your paper. The abstract is often the first thing that readers see about your research paper. Readers use the abstract to determine whether it’s relevant to their own research and understand the key findings. Let’s find out the purpose of a research paper abstract, how to write a good one, and why they’re so important for ensuring your publication success.

What is a Research Paper Abstract?

A research paper abstract provides readers with a short summary of your research paper. You can think of your research paper abstract as a kind of “elevator pitch” for your paper. Why did you write this research paper? What was your methodology? What did you find? Why are your findings important? If your research paper abstract is well written, readers will easily be able to understand what your paper is about and how it fits into the overall trend of research on your topic. Other researchers investigating your topic will be able to read your research paper abstract and learn whether your work is relevant to their own. This is why it is important to include the main keywords from your paper in the abstract. In addition, databases will use these keywords when they index your paper, so choose carefully!

A research paper abstract should always be short. The typical length is no more than 300 words; some journals demand shorter paper abstracts. The information contained in your abstract might vary a little bit depending on your field of research or the requirements of the journal (if you write a journal paper abstract). For example, the abstract for a research paper written in the social sciences might focus on providing a clear summary of the topic. In contrast, a scientific abstract is likely to heavily feature data, such as numbers and figures. The key to writing a good research paper abstract is to know what is common in your field of research so you can write what your readers are looking for.

What Kind of Research Paper Abstract Should I Write?

Unsurprisingly, given the variation in styles of research between different fields, there are different types of abstracts. The type of abstract you should write for your research paper will depend on the journal requirements, your field of research, or, if you’re a student, your professor’s or school’s requests. Let’s take a look at the different types of abstracts so you can figure out which one is right for your paper.

• Structured Abstracts
  A structured abstract is divided into distinct sections: objectives, methodology, results, and conclusion. Scientific abstracts are usually structured; so are research paper abstracts for papers in the medical field.
• Unstructured Abstracts
  Unstructured abstracts contain the same information that structured abstracts contain. The difference is in the presentation: unstructured abstracts are written as one long paragraph rather than being divided into clear sections.
• Informative Abstracts
  Informative abstracts are increasing in popularity. In an informative abstract, the author includes the key arguments, research outcomes, study population and methodology, and conclusions. Informative abstracts are written with more of a narrative flow compared to traditional unstructured abstracts and tend to be longer.
• Descriptive Abstracts
  Descriptive abstracts describe the information in a research paper. It does not provide a clear research outcome or conclusion or offer definitive arguments. Instead, descriptive abstracts talk about key concepts that are explored and explain the objective of the paper and the scope of the study. This type of abstract doesn’t provide too much detail and is often short.

No matter what kind of abstract you write, remember that your goal is to help readers understand what your paper is about in a snapshot. Whether your abstract is structured or unstructured, descriptive or informative, you should keep it brief, include keywords, and highlight the most important parts of your article including the objective and any conclusions or key arguments made.

Tips for Writing a Great Abstract

Now that you know the importance of writing a great research paper abstract, it’s time to figure out how to do it! There are a couple of tips you can keep in mind when writing a research paper abstract to make sure your abstract is effective. First, even though the abstract is the first thing most readers will encounter about your paper, it should be the last thing you write. Many researchers make the error of writing their abstract early on in the writing process. But as any experienced researcher knows, papers often change as you write them. Results are surprising, data gets reinterpreted, and the key arguments change as new information comes to light. If you write your abstract before you have finished your paper, you will end up rewriting it multiple times.

Second, don’t make your abstract too long or too short. Again, most journals have requirements that you should follow. Make sure you include all of the important information and keywords in your abstract so that nothing is left out. Ask a friend to read your abstract and tell you what they think the paper is about. Having another set of eyes is always helpful.

Finally, if you’re struggling, seek out an abstract writing service like the one offered by Enago. It’s not plagiarism or cheating to have someone else write your abstract—it can offer you a great advantage as they help you identify the main ideas and arguments. Like using an editing service, an abstract writing service can give your research paper the extra boost it needs to make it to the next level and get published.

Whether you write your own research paper abstract or use a service, one thing is for sure - your research paper needs a good abstract! So don’t delay: use these tips to make sure you have a fantastic research paper abstract.