By continuing to use this website, you consent to the usage of cookies. Learn more about our Privacy Statement and Cookie Policy. As of August 11, , George Mason University will require all individuals on our campus to wear masks indoors , including classrooms and laboratories, regardless of vaccination status. An abstract is a to word paragraph that provides readers with a quick overview of your essay or report and its organization.
It should express your thesis or central idea and your key points; it should also suggest any implications or applications of the research you discuss in the paper. The abstract should begin with a brief but precise statement of the problem or issue, followed by a description of the research method and design, the major findings, and the conclusions reached.
The abstract should contain the most important key words referring to method and content: these facilitate access to the abstract by computer search and enable a reader to decide whether to read the entire dissertation. Note: Your abstract should read like an overview of your paper, not a proposal for what you intended to study or accomplish.
This paper will look at the human genome project and its goals. I will prove that scientists have ethical and moral questions about genetic engineering because of this project. If it feels like you've essentially written your paper twice now, go through and weed out what you don't need. The abstract is essentially useless if it's too long.
While there technically isn't an MLA length requirement, most abstracts are somewhere between words. Organize the ideas by placing them in the same order you have them in your paper. Add transitions as necessary to make sure the sentences flow together and don't come off piecemeal and choppy. It should make sense to an audience that hasn't read your paper and can't fill in gaps on their own. If there are any leaps you have to make between sentences or any assumptions your audience would have to make to understand your abstract, take it as a cue that you missed a main point from your paper and fill it in as necessary.
Read through the summary you've just constructed. Take a step back from your abstract for a second, finish another task or two, and then come back and read your summary. If it bulks up your abstract and it doesn't lead to a greater end, cut it. You don't need it. Add transitions in places if it still seems jarring. View it as a whole. Does it make sense overall? Does it answer the main questions your paper sets out to ask? Part 3. Get your indentations and spacing correct.
An abstract in MLA style is not that different from any other style. Here's what you should keep in mind when adding the final finishing formatting touches: Only use one space after end punctuation, like periods. Use paragraph indentations by tabbing over once at the beginning of each paragraph.
Use 1-inch margins. Always use the serial or Oxford comma. In the second sentence, we saw two things: two elephants with the names William and Kate. For this reason, the Oxford comma is very important! Spell out acronyms the first time you use them. Below are two abstracts. The first one, A , was written by a student for a lab report, and the other one B was a revision written by someone with more experience in writing abstracts. Read both versions and try to figure out why the changes were made in B.
We studied the flow characteristics of meters, valves, and pipes that constitute a flow network. The meter coefficients for orifice and venture meters were determined. The orifice and venture coefficients were, on the average, 0. Fanning friction factors for pipes of different sizes and for gate and globe valves were also determined. It should be a completely independent, self-contained text, not an excerpt copied from your paper or dissertation. The easiest approach to writing an abstract is to imitate the structure of the larger work — think of it as a miniature version of your dissertation or research paper.
In most cases, this means the abstract should contain four key elements. Scribbr Plagiarism Checker. Start by clearly defining the purpose of your research.
What practical or theoretical problem does the research respond to, or what research question did you aim to answer? After identifying the problem, state the objective of your research. Use verbs like investigate , test , analyze or evaluate to describe exactly what you set out to do. This part of the abstract can be written in the present or past simple tense , but should never refer to the future, as the research is already complete.
Next, indicate the research methods that you used to answer your question. This part should be a straightforward description of what you did in one or two sentences. It is usually written in the past simple tense as it refers to completed actions. Next, summarize the main research results. This part of the abstract can be in the present or past simple tense.
Depending on how long and complex your research is, you may not be able to include all results here. Try to highlight only the most important findings that will allow the reader to understand your conclusions. Finally, state the main conclusions of your research : what is your answer to the problem or question? The reader should finish with a clear understanding of the central point that your research has proved or argued.
Conclusions are usually written in the present simple tense. If there are important limitations to your research for example, related to your sample size or methods , you should mention them briefly in the abstract. This allows the reader to accurately assess the credibility and generalizability of your research. If your aim was to solve a practical problem, the conclusions might include recommendations for implementation.
If relevant, you can briefly make suggestions for further research. If your paper will be published, you might have to add a list of keywords at the end of the abstract. These keywords should reference the most important elements of the research to help potential readers find your paper during their own literature searches.
Be aware that some publication manuals, such as APA Style , have specific formatting requirements for these keywords. These strategies can help you get started.
0コメント