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AN ABSTRACT IN DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH
Ebissa Bekele Abate
1
; Professor K. Durga Bhavani
2
Dept of English, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India
Email: barnabas_bekele@yahoo.com
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to present relevant concepts on one of the most important part of
research paper, an abstract. The article summarizes what an abstract is, the elements an
abstract contains and its peculiar relevance in research. Moreover, the article explicates the
layout and formats to be followed in compiling an abstract irrespective of the research kind
being conducted. Thus, the intention of the article is to help graduate and novice researchers
to know the values, formats and components of an abstract. The work is also valuable for
other concerned readers as well.
1. INTRODUCTION: An abstract can be defined as a major component of dissertations,
thesis and other scientific writings that concisely summarizes the core contents of the
research paper. It is part of a piece of research written at the end, but stands first in
dissertations and theses reports. The purpose of an abstract is thus to give preliminary
information and guidance to readers to go for, or skip reading the body of the research.
Writing an abstracts do have a number of significance. It is written as part of the paper not
just for the sake of formality, but to meet specific purposes. As mentioned earlier one of its
purpose is to give directions to readers regarding what the thesis is all about. If readers found
relevance and significance of the thesis in the abstract, certainly they could go deep in to the
remaining part of the thesis; otherwise they may return the thesis back to its shelf. Abstracts
do have fragrance and repulsive nature in hosting readers. An abstract with good aroma has
the quality to invite readers to read the whole body of the thesis, while the others hold the
readers back.

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2. CONSTITUENTS OF AN ABSTRACT
Thus, to serve its purpose well, an abstract is expected to have fundamental components.
Explanations and illustrations of each of the components will be presented next:
2.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: It is obvious that researches do have goals and purpose
to accomplish in conducting research. No scientific investigation can be imagined without
having well designed vivid objectives. It is impossible to detach research from society as far
as research is done to solve certain socio economic and political problems of the society.
Therefore, clear statement of research objective in the research and the corresponding
abstract is the priceless task of researchers. Whichever research we are conducting, call it
exploratory, explanatory, experimental, and descriptive, we are expected to clearly explain
the objectives as smart as possible. Thus, the objectives should be briefly restated in the
abstract of the study.
2.2 MOTIVATION: Why do we care about the problem and the results? If the problem isn't
obviously "interesting" it might be better to put motivation first; but if your work is
incremental progress on a problem that is widely recognized as important, then it is probably
better to put the problem statement first to indicate which piece of larger problem you are
breaking off to work on. This section should include the importance of the work, the
difficulty of the area, and the impact it might have if successful.
2.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT: The major section of an abstract/ thesis is the problem or the
topic under investigation. This is the key point that brings the thesis itself in to existence.
Without having meaningful research problem, no research can be done; for research is aimed
at alleviating some concrete and empirical problems. Thus, clear statement of research
problem is the most salient step in research processing, and the same should be restated
within the body of the abstract section of the research.

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2.4 RESEARCH DESIGN: Is a framework or a conceptual structure with in which research
would be conducted. Thus, one of the most important components of an abstract is the
statement of research design. One has to state whether the study is experimental, descriptive,
and exploratory and explanatory in kind, based on the nature of the problem, expertise of the
researcher and financial resource available.
2.5 PARTICIPANTS INVOLVED: This part contains the participants who took part in the
investigation (settings and respondents). Whether humans, animals, in animates or what is so
ever must be clearly stated in the abstract sections. The total population, the sample size and
sampling techniques used must be sated clearly in abstract section.
2.6 THE METHODS: Methods are the most important component of a research work, for no
research attains its destiny without having methods and the philosophy that underpins the
data collocation and analysis procedures. Thus the ways in which the research work could be
done must be clearly explicated in the abstract section. Moreover, if the research is
hypothesis testing, the methods in which research’s tentative assumptions were tested should
also be written well in the abstract section. So for research problems to be answered the
methods used must be clearly stated.
2.7 INSTRUMENTS: Concerned with the tools in which the researcher obtained the data that
allow him to process in to his investigation. The instruments could be surveys, observations,
interviews, content analysis, focus group interviews, schedules, case studies, ethnographies,
experimentations, tests, experimentations and others. Therefore, the method (s) preferred by
the researcher on the bases of the nature of the scrutiny being held, researcher’s competence
in statistical and package processing, needs and interests, availability of resources; needs be
meticulously stated it in the abstract section of the investigation.
2.8 FINDINGS: The final destiny for which a research must be done is to find solution for a
pre stated theoretical and practical problems. The problems could be experimentation or
exploration. Whichever way we take, we must state the findings obtained clearly and

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objectively in the way none experts readers can understand without much effort via cutting
off technical and expert languages. It is awful to write an abstract without the findings. But if
the finding is complex and may be difficult to understand for the average readers, researchers
must summarize the findings in brief explicit and way.
2.9 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: This constitutes the final section of the
thesis. On the bases of the findings obtained, it is possible for the researcher to draw
conclusions. Conclusions and recommendations take the final tip of a certain thesis, but this
does not mean that they are less significant. Following conclusions, researchers are expected
to make recommendation, measures to be taken by the concerned authorities to alleviate the
problem identified. Therefore, making conclusions and recommendation is most important in
compiling an abstract in a thesis.
2.10 IMPLICATION OF THE STUDY: Implication is the inference researchers could make
from the findings obtained through the study. Implications open ways for the next question
which can serve as the base ground for the other researchers to start afresh. Research is
naturally cyclical and has no end; for the alleviation of a problem results in the start of the
new one. Thus, Implications services motivational and directive purpose. It states the
limitations and areas which were not covered in the study at hand, and shows others to take
other best trucks to arrive at sound solutions.
2.11 INDEX TERMS: key words that recur frequently within the study with intentional
purpose. Index terms commonly written in bold preceded by the title ‘index terms’ or ‘key
terms’.
3. LAYOUTS AND SIZE OF AN ABSTRACT
An abstract is written in independent page with the title “abstract” written on the head having
central position written with bold. In most cases an abstract is written in unified paragraph,
but in more comprehensive studies it can be presented in multiple paragraphs broken down as

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their genres. The size of an abstract in some under graduate and postgraduate level studies
should not exceed 300 words. But in some complex project works like dissertations, it is
much more. In most instances abstracts must be written in italics without havening any
paragraph break. Abstracts are often written for different purposes in different conditions.
Some of the conditions may be: (1) when we submit an article for publications; (2) when we
submit proposals for financial grant; (3) when we design a paper for seminar and symposium;
and (4) when we write research reports.
4. CONCLUSIONS: Concisely, abstract is the major component of a dissertations/ thesis
which contains condensed themes of the whole dissertations and thesis. In the absence of an
abstract, any scientific writing is sheer incomplete. Thus, to make readers conceive what the
project is all about, researchers are expected to meticulously compile an abstract. Thus it
includes: objectives, motivations, problems, designs, participants, methods, instruments,
findings, conclusions, implications and index terms. Here what one has to be aware is that, all
the different disciplines agree up on the significance of an abstract but may require different
contents of an abstract. Accordingly, researchers must abide the rules to the best success of
their study.
5. REFERENCES
Kothari, C. (2004). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. New Delhi: New Age
Internationl (P) Ltd.
Koul, L. (2006). Methodology of educational Research. Shimla: VIKAS Publishing House
PVT LTD.
Kapoor, & P. S. (2013). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. New Delhi: Regal
Publications.
Saigal, K. A. (2013). Research Methodology:Methods and Techniques. New Delhi: Regal
Publications.
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/presentations_abstracts.html. Retrieved on 13.03.15
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Ebissa Bekele Abate received his MA in [TEFL] in 2012 from Adama Science and
Technology University [ASTU], Ethiopia. He taught EFL at Nekemte Poly Technique
College, Wollega, Ethiopia from 2004-2010. He also worked as senior Media monitoring and
analysis expert in Ethiopian Federal Government Communication Affairs Office from 2012-

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2014. At the moment, he is doing his PhD in English (ELT) at Osmania University,
Hyderabad, India, with a research focusing on teaching practices.