1. Abstract Overview:
• An abstract serves as a concise summary of a research paper, thesis, or dissertation.
• It is an original and self-contained passage, not excerpted from the main text.
• Presents key findings and research outline in a precise manner.
• Typically consists of a single paragraph containing 250-300 words.
• Outlines the main areas of the research paper or thesis without detailed analysis.
• Usually written after the completion of the entire paper to ensure the inclusion of all
key areas.
Purposes of Abstract:
• Provides information on key points, purpose, and arguments presented in the research.
• Offers concise guidance to readers about the research.
• Presents the core idea of research, helping readers decide its relevance to their study.
• Aids in understanding and remembering the main parts of research.
Significance of Abstract:
• Enables readers to understand the essence of the research paper quickly.
• Allows readers to determine the relevance and importance of the research to their
interests.
• Helps interested parties grasp key findings, research designs, and departures from
existing knowledge fields.
• Plays a significant role in the indexing of papers by bibliographic databases and
search engines.
Structure of Abstract:
1. Introduction: Presents the main idea of the research in the initial sentences.
2. Purpose of Study: Follows the introduction and presents the purpose of the study.
3. Methodology: Briefly outlines the methodology adopted to answer research
questions.
4. Results: Provides a brief summary, including important research results.
5. Conclusion: States the implications of the research.
Considerations in Abstract Writing:
• Ensure brevity and precision while connecting different parts of the abstract.
• Maintain coherence and flow in articulating arguments and designs.
• Include keywords relevant to the research paper to facilitate indexing by databases
and search engines.
Conclusion:
2. • Abstracts play a crucial role in summarizing and highlighting the essence of research
papers.
• Properly structured and written abstracts aid readers in quickly understanding the
research's key aspects and deciding its relevance to their interests.
Significance of Abstracts:
• Required for submission of research articles to academic journals for publication.
• Essential for theses or dissertations.
• Necessary for applying for research grants to provide a key idea of the research.
• Required for submission of conference paper proposals to assess relevance to
conference themes.
• Needed for submission of research project proposals to showcase research objectives
and methods.
Components of Abstracts:
1. Purpose of Writing:
• States the purpose of the study and explains its importance and relevance.
• Highlights the uniqueness of the research and its broader significance.
2. Problem Statement:
• Presents the main argument of the thesis and outlines the scope of the study.
• Describes identified problems and proposes solutions or research objectives.
3. Methodology:
• Briefly outlines the approaches used to answer research questions.
• Describes research tools, devices, and evidence supporting the main argument.
4. Results:
• Specifies the findings of the research, presented tentatively in proposal
abstracts.
• Clearly states the results in completed research abstracts.
5. Conclusion:
• States the contribution of the research to existing knowledge.
• Discusses the implications of the findings for future research.
Contents of an Abstract:
• Provides background and context of the study in a brief and concise manner.
• Specifies the topic and central idea or main argument of the study.
• States the rationale and goals of the study, addressing identified research gaps.
• Mentions the methods adopted to conduct the research, emphasizing clarity.
• Offers a brief discussion of the implications of the findings.
Structuring Abstract Components:
• There is a logical order to the construction of different sections in the abstract.
• Purpose, problem statement, methodology, results, and conclusion form a coherent
sequence.
• Each component should be concise and focused on key points and findings.
3. Conclusion:
• Abstracts play a crucial role in summarizing the significance, purpose, and findings of
academic research.
• Properly structured abstracts help readers quickly grasp the essence of a study and its
relevance to their interests or funding agencies.
• Careful consideration and arrangement of abstract components ensure clarity and
effectiveness in communicating research objectives and outcomes.
There are three main types of abstracts: critical, descriptive, and informative, each with
specific characteristics and lengths.
Types of Abstracts:
1. Critical Abstracts:
• Provide critical evaluation of a study.
• Include rationale and reliability of research.
• May have 400-500 words, offering basic information and critical
interpretation.
2. Descriptive Abstracts:
• Indicate the type of information found in the research.
• Do not evaluate the research or include results.
• Short, often 100 words or less, presenting a brief outline of the research.
3. Informative Abstracts:
• Common in academic reports, providing basic information on research.
• Present main arguments, evidence, research results, conclusions, and
recommendations.
• Usually no more than 300 words in length, offering a concise overview.
Language Used in Abstracts:
• Pronouns: Use gender-neutral pronouns like "s/he" or "she/he," preferring "they" as a
singular pronoun.
• Voice: Active voice is common, though passive voice may also be used.
• Tense: Past tense for background, purpose, methods, and results; present tense for
facts and general truths.
• Modality: Modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, should) strengthen claims,
indicating certainty.
• Reporting Verbs: Words like "describe," "demonstrate," "study," "observe,"
"provide," "mention," "discuss," and "focus" are commonly used.
• Specific Words or Phrases: Include concepts and keywords from the main text.
• Clarity: Write in a clear, precise, and descriptive manner to avoid ambiguity.
• Point of View: Maintain an objective point of view, avoiding personal pronouns like
"my" or "our."
• Sentence Structure: Write complete sentences that are concise but complex.
• Jargon and Acronyms: Avoid using without explanation to ensure clarity.
• Important Points to Remember:
• Include every keyword from the title in the abstract.
• Edit carefully to meet word count requirements.
4. • Avoid providing extensive background information.
• Refrain from using excessive adverbs, adjectives, or redundant information.
• Avoid ellipsis or incomplete sentences.
• Do not include images, illustrations, figures, tables, or references in abstracts.
Conclusion: Writing an abstract requires attention to detail, clarity, and conciseness. It
should effectively summarize the research paper's main points without unnecessary detail or
ambiguity. By following these guidelines, researchers can create informative and compelling
abstracts for their academic reports.
In this video, we're exploring how to write an abstract for the computer
science discipline. Abstracts in science and engineering fields, including
computer science, set the context for introducing new technologies or
methodologies. They should attract readers by highlighting the innovation
brought to the field and succinctly explain the scientific problem being
addressed, along with why existing research or technology doesn't
adequately solve it. When presenting interdisciplinary research, abstracts
should logically link various domains to show how they connect and
contribute to the existing knowledge.
Here's an example abstract for a computer science paper:
"People interact with online systems constantly, providing consent for data
collection to use the services being provided. However, this approach
requires significant human effort and isn't practical for systems like the
Internet of Things (IoT), where human-device interactions are numerous.
Privacy assistants have the potential to assist humans in making privacy
decisions collaboratively. Our work focuses on identifying and representing
privacy requirements in IoT to enhance privacy assistants' understanding of
their environment."
Key Points to Keep in Mind:
1. Word Limit: Abstracts typically have a word limit specified by
journals or publications, so adhere to it.
2. Conciseness: Keep the abstract short, concise, and simple to attract
readers who may not be familiar with the domain.
3. Exact Names: Mention the exact names of software or technology
used, following the spelling, capitalization, and punctuation given in
official documentation or websites.
4. Jargon: Use domain-specific vocabulary only if it's well-known within
the field to avoid confusion.
5. By following these guidelines, you can effectively structure your abstract for
a computer science research paper, ensuring clarity and relevance to your
intended audience.