report: Abstract [10h]

[mewmew]

Abstract: howto

If a person is going to remember only one idea about my work, what do I want that idea to be?

• Summary of the entire report.
• Must be 150-300 words
• Puts your work in context, how it was carried out and what its major successes/conclusions were
  • Not a contents list
  • Don't use acronyms unless well-understood
• Must be able to stand entirely on its own

Keywords

Use key phrases and words (make the report search-able).

Notes

• Contains no information not included in the paper
• Is intelligible to a wide audience.
  • The same type and style of language found in the original, including technical language.
• Clear, concise, and powerful language.
• Do not define terms.
• Introduction-body-conclusion structure.
• Follows strictly the chronology of the report.
• Often just one paragraph.
• Provides logical connections between material included.

Parts

Background and purpose

• Why do this study?
• What you set out to do and why
• Why is this interesting?
• Return to your research question and ensure you have re-stated it concisely, coherently and clearly.

  "The report examines ..."

• (You can sometimes combine the problem with your motivation, but it is best to be clear and separate the two.)

Problem

• What are you trying to solve?
• What is the scope of your study (a general problem, or something specific)?
• What is the main argument/thesis/claim?

Methodology

• Design
• What was done and how did you do it? Be specific.

Results

• Was your hypothesis or argument supported?
• What did you find?

Conclusion/Discussion

• How does this work add to the body of knowledge on the topic?
• What are the implications of your work?
• Future work
• (recommendations)

Howto

• Try grouping the main ideas of each section of the paper into a single sentence.
  • First re-read your paper/report for an overview. Then read each section and condense the information in each down to 1-2 sentences.
  • Next read these sentences again to ensure that they cover the major points in your paper.
  • Check the word length and further reduce your words if necessary by cutting out unnecessary words or rewriting some of the sentences into a single, more succinct sentence.
  • covers all areas: background, purpose, focus, methods, results and conclusions
  • Each of these parts might consist of 1-2 sentences
    • background
    • aim or purpose of research (focus)
    • method used
    • findings/results
    • conclusion

Steps

Step 1

Without looking at your dissertation, write, for each of the bulleted points, a concise but information-rich sentence stating:

• What the study set out to do
• What method(s) you adopted
• What results were achieved
• What conclusions can be drawn
• (What recommendations your research leads you to make.)

Step 2

Add further sentences as required (as word count permits) first to results and conclusions and then to methodology – in that order.

Step 3

Edit and revise your sentences for greater precision, clarity and conciseness.

Step 4

Add further content but do not exceed 200 words.

Step 5

Return to your abstract after a gap of at least a day. Read it as a stand-alone document and revise as necessary. If possible do this several times and over a period of time.

Passive vs. active

Use the active voice in general although it is perfectly acceptable to use the passive voice if this enhances brevity and clarity. However, avoid the use of the personal pronouns "I" and "We".

Active voice

• The study investigated the incidence of .....
• Many researchers recognise the influence of culture on the therapeutic process.
• Health professionals need to provide balanced information ...

Passive voice

• The incidence of ... was studied.
• The influence of culture on the therapeutic process has been recognised by many researchers.
• Balanced information ... needs to be provided by health professionals.

Tense

It is not possible to state a hard and fast rule. You would normally expect to use the present tense to describe results and conclusions that are still applicable.

"Horse riding is perceived by individuals working in the field to improve the psychosocial well being ..."

You would use the past tense to describe what was done and found.

"The study adopted a quantitative methodology using a postal questionnaire ..."

[mewmew]

Actual time spent: 20h.