The document provides guidance on how to prepare effective titles and abstracts for research articles. It discusses that the title should summarize the main idea of the research in the fewest words possible and attract readers. The abstract should summarize the overall purpose, design, major findings, and conclusions in about 300 words. It provides strategies for titles such as using keywords prominently and avoiding ambiguity. Characteristics of good titles and abstracts include being concise yet informative and following prescribed sequences.

1. HOW TO PREPARE TITLE
AND ABSTRACT FOR
RESEARCH ARTICLES
M.K.H. GUNASEKARA
AS2010377
CSC 364 1.5 Seminar 2
Department of Computer Science and Statistics , USJP

2. Overview
2
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Title
Characteristics of Good title
Abstract
Characteristics of Good abstract
Summary

3. Title
3
The title summarizes the main idea or ideas of
your study. A good title contains the fewest
possible words that adequately describe the
contents and purpose of your research paper.

4. Importance of Title
4
The title forms an important part of your
communication with your readers, both with the
editor and referees who will evaluate the
paper, and with the members of your discipline
community whom you want to read the paper
after its publication.

5. Strategies
5
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Provide as much relevant information as
possible, but be concise
Use keywords prominently
Choose noun phrase, statement, or question?
Avoid ambiguity in noun phrases

6. 6
Trick 01:Provide as much relevant
information as possible, but be
concise
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To attract busy readers
Potential readers can judge your article easily
E.g.: Hybrid Approach to Optimize Cut Order
Plan Solutions in Apparel Manufacturing[1]

7. Trick 01 - Example
7

8. 8
Trick 02:Use keywords
prominently
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effective way to ensure your keyword(s) are at
the front of your title is to use a colon (:) or a
dash (–) to separate the first, keywordcontaining part of the title from a
second, explanatory section.
E.g.:
1. Clustering: A neural network approach[2]
2. Wireless mesh network security: A traffic
engineering management approach[3]

9. Trick 02 – Example1
9

10. Trick 02 - Example 2
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11. 11
Trick 03:Choose strategically:
noun phrase, statement, or
question?
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Statement titles are only suitable for papers
that address a specific question and present a
non-complex answer.
When there is no simple answer better to write
title as question.
E.g. : Computer games created by middle school
girls: Can they be used to measure
understanding of computer science concepts?[4]

12. Trick 03 - Example
12

13. Trick 04:Avoid ambiguity in noun
phrases
13
Use prepositions to avoid ambiguity
E.g.: soybean seedling growth suppression
suppression of soybean seedling growth
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When nouns are used as adjectives in
extended noun phrases, they are always used
in the singular
E.g.: nodules on soybean roots soybean root
nodules
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14. Several characteristics of Effective
titles
14
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Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.
Avoid using abbreviations.
Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate
reader interest.
Use current nomenclature from the field of study.
Identify key variables, both dependent and independent.
May reveal how the paper will be organized.
Suggest a relationship between variables which supports
the major hypothesis.
Is limited to 10 to 15 substantive words.
Do not include "study of," "analysis of" or similar
constructions.
Titles are usually in the form of a phrase, but can also be in
the form of a question.

15. Tip !
15
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Write down a few possible titles, and then
select the best to refine further. Ask your
colleagues their opinion. Spending the time
needed to do this will result in a better title.

16. Abstract
16
An abstract summarizes, usually in one
paragraph of 300 words or less, the major
aspects of the entire paper in a prescribed
sequence that includes:
1) the overall purpose of the study and the
research problem(s) you investigated;
2) the basic design of the study;
3) major findings or trends found as a result of
your analysis; and,
4) a brief summary of your interpretations and
conclusions.

17. Importance of Abstract
17
For busy readers the Abstract, sometimes called
the Summary, may be the only part of the paper
they read, unless it succeeds in convincing them
to take the time to read the whole paper.

18. Abstract Types[5]
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Critical Abstract
Descriptive Abstract
Informative Abstract
Highlight Abstract

19. Abstract Models (BPMRC)
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Some background information B
The principal activity (or purpose) of the study
and its scope P
Some information about the methods used in
the study M
The most important results of the study R
A statement of conclusion or recommendation
C

20. 20
Characteristics of Effective
Abstract
1.Problem: What is the problem your paper addresses?
Avoid describing the solution here.
E.g. We address the problem of robot navigation across unmapped
rough terrain.
2. Importance: How would a solution to this problem
change the world? Remember that it’s not obvious to
everyone else how important this problem is.
E.g. A solution to this problem will enable more rapid validation of the
efficacy of sleep medication.
3. New capability: What can we do now that we
couldn’t do before? Quantify if possible.
E.g. Our approach enables robots to climb trees five times more quickly than
was possible before.

21. 21
Characteristics of Effective
Abstract
4. Challenge: Why is this problem hard? and/or
What difficulty do other solutions face?
E.g. In order to solve this problem a robot must know its location to
within 1mm.
5. Insight: What did you discover? or How did you
approach the problem differently?
E.g. By framing the problem as an optimization task, we are able to
leverage a linear time algorithm.
6. Solution: Provide some specific detail about the
solution.
E.g. Our algorithm measures the standard deviation of the quantitative
features in each dimension, then sorts the result, providing an optimal
solution.

22. 22
Characteristics of Effective
Abstract
7. Evidence: Summarize the evidence you have
for your approach: A proof, an
implementation, or quantitative results.
E.g. The algorithm was implemented on a monkey-based robot
and shown to perform 17% faster than a dog of similar mass.

23. Example
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[1]

24. Example
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[7]

25. Summary
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Title and Abstract are very important when we
writing research articles
There are many strategies to make title and
abstract.
There is no fixed model

26. References
26
[1] R P Abeysooriya, T G I Fernando,”Hybrid Approach to Optimize Cut Order Plan
Solutions in
Apparel Manufacturing”, International Journal of Information and Communication
Technology Research, volume 2,2012, pp.: 348-353
[2] K.-L. Du ,” Clustering: A neural network approach”, Neural Networks, Volume
23, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 89–107
[3] Okechukwu E. Muogilima, Kok-Keong Loob, Richard Comleyb, “Wireless mesh
network security: A traffic engineering management approach”, Journal of Network
and Computer Applications , Volume 34, Issue 2, March 2011, Pages 478–491
[4] Jill Denner , Linda Werner, Eloy Ortiz,” Computer games created by middle
school girls: Can they be used to measure understanding of computer science
concepts?” , Computers & Education , Volume 58, Issue 1, January 2012, Pages
240–249
[5] Dr. Robert V. Labaree, “Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper”, Oct
18, 2013, http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide ,( Oct 28,2013)
[6] Birger Andersson, Maria Bergholtz, Ananda Edirisuriya, Tharaka
Ilayperuma, Prasad Jayaweera, Paul Johannesson, Jelena
Zdravkovic, “, Enterprise Sustainability through the Alignment of Goal Models and
Business Models ”, Proceedings of BUSITAL 2008

27. Question & Answers
27

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