The Contents of an Abstract
Your abstract should cover the following key components:
1. Context or Background Information
- The general topic under study and the specific focus of your research.
2. Central Research Questions or Problem Statement
- Clearly define the central question or statement your research addresses.
3. Review of Previous Research
- Summarize what is already known about the question and the work that previous research has done.
4. Rationale and Goals for the Research
- Explain why the research is important.
- Address the goals of your study: Are you filling a gap, exploring a new topic, resolving a dispute, etc.?
5. Research and Analytical Methods
- Briefly describe the methods you used in your study.
6. Main Findings or Results
- Summarize the main findings or arguments of your research.
7. Significance or Implications of the Findings
- Discuss the significance or implications of your findings and arguments.
8. General Guidelines for Writing an Abstract
- Ensure the abstract is intelligible on its own without needing to read the full paper.
- Avoid citing references in the abstract. This section focuses on summarizing your research and findings.