There are millions of research articles being published every year, which makes finding and reading the right literature even more challenging and time-consuming. When it comes to research reading, most academics rely on the research paper abstract to get a sense of the article and evaluate whether it is worth reading. Research paper abstracts are also used by researchers in their journal selection journey, by journal editors to assess submitted manuscripts, and by funding agencies to evaluate the validity of your grant application. This is why knowing how to write an effective abstract for a research paper is an important skill for every researcher to master.
Just like the trailer of a movie, research paper abstracts offer a preview of your research. Abstracts make it easy for readers to quickly grasp the key points of your study and, if it is of interest, persuade them to read or access the whole paper. Most research paper abstracts are indexed alongside keywords on academic databases in order to make the article easier to find, which makes it important for authors to know how to write an effective abstract for a research paper. However, many authors struggle with condensing years of detailed research into an engaging 150-to-500-word abstract format for research papers. While early career researchers stumble due to their lack of experience with academic writing, abstract writing can be challenging even for seasoned academics. Here are some practical guidelines to help you write a compelling research paper abstract.
How to write an effective abstract for a research paper
- Structure your research paper abstract
An abstract should have a distinct beginning, middle, and end as it is intended to be fully self-contained, allowing readers to grasp the gist of your work without reading it in its entirety. However, before deciding the abstract format for your research paper, check if your target journal has provided any specific guidelines or sample abstracts for research as these requirements differ across academic disciplines and journals. Most abstracts share several common features – they highlight key content areas like the purpose and context of your research, its relevance, important techniques, outcomes, and the importance of your findings.
- Avoid complex terminology and jargon
As open access publishing becomes more popular, the online search and exchange of scientific and academic papers has gone up substantially. An impactful research paper abstract that conveys the message without unnecessary jargon can attract more readers and consequently get you more attention and citations. Remember to identify and use specific keywords and phrases that are linked to your work. This makes indexing and retrieval from search engines and scientific databases easier, quicker, and more efficient. It is best to avoid abbreviations or complicated terminology as it will help readers easily understand the rationale behind the study and the conclusions drawn. Keeping your research paper abstract simple but compelling will help your work reach a wider, more interdisciplinary audience
- Focus on being concise, engaging, and accurate
A good research paper abstract is short but powerful, so it’s important to make sure every word counts as this is often the only part of your paper immediately available to readers. Use clear, simple sentences and avoid long detailed explanations. When writing, try and use the active voice as it will help keep sentences short. Avoid repetitions and filler words and try and replace nouns with pronouns, if possible, for better readability. Since many readers may only read your research paper abstract, accuracy is crucial. Any differences between the material presented in the abstract and the text of your research paper can prove problematic.
- Write for an inter-disciplinary audience
The past few decades have seen an increase in interdisciplinary scientific study and research today has a higher degree of overlap across other subject areas than it did even a few years ago. This is a key fact to keep in mind when thinking of how to write an abstract for your research paper. Since abstracts are often more readily available and visible to a larger audience than research papers, it is important to ensure that it is understood by people from across various disciplines. This is also particularly important if you intend to attract the attention and interest of editors from interdisciplinary journals.
- Write the research paper abstract last
Given just how important a research paper abstract is, many researchers are often tempted to write it first, even before they complete their research because it appears as the very first part of your manuscript. However, experienced academics and authors suggest that it is always better to wait and write the research paper abstract until after you have completed your research paper. This makes it easier to summarize your work more effectively. A good strategy to follow would be to extract key phrases from each section of your paper and then add connectives to make the narrative flow clearly and smoothly. This helps to ensure that the main points and ideas of your research are well presented in the research paper abstract.
- Read, edit and proofread your work
Ensuring that your research paper abstract is error-free and engaging is crucial. So once you have written a draft, it is a good idea to read it aloud to yourself to see if it is easy to understand. Repeatedly check and revise the manuscript, verify the validity of data, and edit until you are confident that you have utilized the word limit to its fullest potential. Asking your peers or mentors to read your abstract and offer their feedback is an excellent way to improve the effectiveness of your research paper abstract.
