About finished with your doctoral PhD or other type of thesis or dissertation? Then the abstract is the next thing you should consider. Too many forget the importance of this step. This presentation by DoctoralNet.com was presented on Bigmarker on 17th of Nov 2013 and includes examples from different award winning dissertations.

1. All About Abstracts
Thank You for
coming
We will start in just a moment
Webinar on DoctoralNet.com /
Bigmarker room – 17 Nov 2013

2. Let’s Start with the Purpose
Why is an abstract
important?
What must it do?
• First thing you see
• For many the only thing
they will ever see
• Entice the reader
• Outline the importance
of your work
What are you goals?
• A great abstract helps
you reach those goals
• If it’s great it can help
your work “go viral”

3. What an Abstract Should Contain
Requirements
• Engages the reader at
the beginning
• Methodology is clear
• Abstract is concise – no
unnecessary words or
phrases
• Usually 1 page max and
sometimes 300-450
words
• Title provides insight into
study
Includes all elements of
research design + golden thread
• Readers easily able to judge
applicability of work if in
similar situation
• Organized for ease of reader
– follows standard pattern of
research or tells its story
• Written in third person and
uses appropriate tense
• Less than one page
• Theoretical foundation is
clear

4. Samples for Consideration - Qualitative
Few are more interested in the full-time nontenure-track (FTNT) faculty trend than
those in English, a discipline substantially affected by the new landscape of faculty
employment. This study asked: What are the essential features of the experience of
being FTNT faculty in English?
Literature about FTNT faculty, academic and faculty culture, and the discipline of
English informed the study, as did dual labor market theory. In the
phenomenological qualitative study with critical and postmodern underpinnings, 18
FTNT English faculty from three public institutions participated in semi-structured
interviews. All engaged with their English departments’ composition programs in
varying degrees.
The participants were broadly positive about the nature of their work as FTNT
faculty in English, but struggled with the day-to-day realities of being nontenuretrack. The participants sought balance between positive and negative aspects of the
work, a process necessitating ongoing adjustment and reorientation.

5. Samples for Consideration - Qualitative
Conclusions include:
(1) The FTNT faculty followed nontraditional academic career paths, often situating
personal priorities first; they planned to continue working in higher education.
(2) The FTNT faculty struggled with heavy workloads, salary structures out of
balance with their contributions, and often underdeveloped reappointment and
promotion policies.
(3) Workplace environmental attitudes, while generally positive, were best in the
composition program, slightly more middling departmentally, and at times
negativeinstitutionally.
(4) The FTNT experience in English was deeply and damagingly impacted by
composition’s position in the discipline.
(5) Although most participants professed stronger disciplinary than institutional
loyalties, their close connections to their students, workplaces, and communities
were repeatedly demonstrated.
(6) The FTNT participants’ secondary status, due to the nontenure categoration, was
amplified by connections to composition and by lingering and outdated
stereotypes about “the faculty” and professorial work.
(7) Despite undesirable aspects of FTNT work-life, the faculty chose to continue in
these appointments because they loved their work; they opted to manage
difficult components of their professional lives, rather than surrender their
faculty positions.
Shaker, G. (2008). Off the track: The full-time nontenure-track faculty experience in
English. Doctor of Philosophy, Indiana University, Ann Arbor, MI USA.

6. Samples for Consideration - Quantitative
Few studies have quantified the effects on academic performance; none has
investigated, as this study does, the effects of immigration, home language, and
school mobility on academic development over time. What makes this study unique is
its melding of sociological and psychometric perspectives – an approach that is still
quite new. Logistic regression was used to analyze data from Ontario‘s 2007-2008
Junior (Grade 6) Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics, with linked
assessment results from three years earlier, to investigate students‘ academic
achievement. The focus of this study is on whether the students maintained
proficiency between Grades 3 and 6 or achieved proficiency in Grade 6 if they were
not proficient in Grade 3. The results indicate that Grade 3 proficiency is the strongest
predictor of Grade 6 proficiency and that home language or interactions with home
language are also significant in most cases. In addition, students who speak a language
other than or in addition to English at home are, in general, a little more likely to be
proficient at Grade 6. Most students who were born outside of Canada were
significantly more likely than students born in Canada to stay or become proficient in
Reading, Writing, and Mathematics by Grade 6. These results highlight the importance
of considering the enormous heterogeneity of immigrants‘ experiences when studying
the effects of immigration on academic performance.
Broomes, O. (2010). More than a new country: Effects of immigration, home
language, and school mobility on Elementary students'academic development.
Doctor of Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, CA.

7. Samples for Consideration – Mixed Methods
This study aimed to inform the redesign of sex education policy in Chiang Mai
(Thailand) by exploring the knowledge and attitudes of teenagers, parents, teachers,
and policy makers and placing these in the wider social, cultural, educational, and
economic context of modern-day Thailand. Six selected secondary schools with
diverse characteristics in socioeconomic and religious backgrounds and locations were
studied. This mixed method study included: semi-structured interviews and narrative
interviews with 18 key stakeholders; analysis of 2 key policy documents; a survey of
2301 teenagers; 20 focus groups of 185 teenagers; a survey of 351 parents; one focus
group of 8 teachers; and two focus groups of 23 parents. Qualitative and quantitative
data were assessed separately with thematic and statistical analysis, respectively, and
outcomes were compared, combined and discussed. Results suggested: school-based
sex education was biologically focused and inconsistently delivered. Chiang Mai
teenagers showed a reasonable knowledge of biological issues around reproduction but
were confused and uncertain about how to obtain or use contraception, avoid
pregnancy and transmission of STIs, negotiate personal and intimate relationships and
find sources of support and advice. Many parents and teachers lacked the knowledge,
confidence, and skills to offer meaningful support to their children. Five important
influences on Chiang Mai teenagers‟ sexual attitudes and behaviors were noted in this
research: ambiguous social roles leading to confused identity, heightened sexual
awareness and curiosity, critical gaps in knowledge and life skills, limited parental
input, and an impulsive and volatile approach to intimate encounters. Results of this
study suggest several possibility approaches that could be developed to improve sex
education.
Vuttanont, U. (2010). "Smart boys" and "sweet girls" - sex education needs in Thai teenagers: A mixed method study. Doctor of
Philosophy, Royal Free and University College Medical School, University College London, London, UK.

8. What are your thoughts?/ Questions regarding
Abstract for your study?

9. Other Resources
• How to write abstract for dissertation
• Polishing your proposal
• Five things to do after your defense of
proposal
• Final Abstracts

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