Writing abstracts becomes no longer proceeded heedlessly as it needs plenty of points or tips to mind. A lot might think that abstracts are only formal pieces of writing that any academic paper should have, but in fact, they are the focal point, which can heighten interest and thus invite reading. Although it is one of the last elements to write, the abstract is the first element to be read or reviewed by peers. Accordingly, it is vital to know how to structure this piece of writing and what elements writers should include in their abstracts.
Abstracts are Crucial
Actually, it is a good habit to treat abstracts as a shop window, which can entice buyers to explore what is inside and so does the abstract. This piece of writing encourages readers to scroll through the pages of articles. It is all about the details and the way writers can arrange in their abstracts that reviewers decide to read, to accept for publication or simply reject it. So, if it lacks vital information; if it is dull or poorly written, the reviewer may decline to review your article.
“The value of the abstract is the difference between your article being read or not”.
Articles or academic papers are not written in the same way we read them: the sequence of writing is demonstrably different. Let’s see the steps writers generally apply when constructing the abstracts of their papers.
How to Structure your Abstracts?
Before writing anything down, it is needed to review what guiding lines writers should follow. These are often listed in the section of “Guides for Authors”. In this section, writers usually find instructions, the components to address and even the length of the abstract. If no guiding hints are provided, then it will be a brief summary that should be more than 200 words and less than 300 words. In fact, the abstract is meant to sum up the article: it should be concise and carefully contracted.
Some components are very important to include in the abstract. This includes the final objective or rather the concern of the research. It should explain why readers should care about this piece of writing. Readers will want to know how this work did progress, how you decided to solve the problem. Questions like, “did you interview a cross section of people?” or “what analytical models or data sets did you use?” are very helpful. Writers should not provide vague judgments, but they need to be direct and exact instead.
Another concern to mind when writing the abstract is the style. Writers should avoid being general and vague. Words as “may”, “might” and “it is possible that” should be used only when necessary. Instead, bullet points are advisable and active voice is preferable. It is again vital to peer-review BEFORE peer review. Look at the feedback openly, critically and objectively. Ask trusted colleagues to read it and don’t be afraid of criticism.
Your abstract should be strong enough to stand out from the crowd and entice your readers to download or cite your work.