Abstract Writing
An abstract is a very important part of your research project that comes after the title page and gives a general view of your entire research. In other words, it lays the foundation of your study. The following are some crucial points to consider in order to develop an effective abstract based on APA Style.
Keep in mind that although abstract appears after the title page, you must write it when you are done with your project because it summarizes your research project.
- In the abstract, use digits for all numbers except when the numbers are placed at the outset of a sentence.
- The abstract page is Page 2.
- Center the word ‘Abstract’ on this page, then begin typing on the very next double-spaced line (i.e., do not insert any extra blank lines there).
- Type this section as a single (double spaced) paragraph in block format (i.e. do not use indentation).
- The purpose of this section is to provide a brief and comprehensive summary of the study.
- It is very important because it is all that many people will read.
- It should include a brief description of the problem being investigated, the methods used, the results, and their implications.
- It should be accurate (do not include information here that is not in the body of the manuscript), self-contained (spell out abbreviations).
- It should be concise. The length of your abstract may range from 100 to 250 words, but not more than this.
- Specific: Begin this section with the most important concepts, findings or implications of the study.
- Avoid citing references in this section.
- Do not use quotations. Instead, try to paraphrase.
- Use active rather than passive voice.
- Do not use personal pronouns.
- Use past tense for procedures and present tense for results and implications.
- Write this section after having written all the other sections of your study.
