Every time you have an academic thesis paper to write, the first thing you have to deal with is the abstract of that paper. An abstract is the shortest brief of your lengthy dissertation.
The reason to write an abstract is to provide the readers the main aim of your paper. Your abstract for the thesis gives clarity about your research paper to the readers.
An abstract must not be more than 350 words otherwise, it will become monotonous for the readers.
Why to Write an Abstract.
If you review some of the quality abstract samples, you will notice that the purpose of writing them is one. And the sole reason is to help readers by giving a broad overview after comprehending the entire research work.
An abstract for the thesis is of much need because not all or probably very few readers will read your long work. So, it’s the smartest way of attracting readers’ attention to your hard research work.
Based on your composed abstract, those who will read your research paper will present their opinion about the research.
Tips to Write an Abstract for Dissertation
As shared earlier, your abstract for the dissertation bases readers’ opinions about your whole research work. Therefore, there is no scope for you to write a research paper casually. You have to at least apply some wise ways to make it look near to perfect. For you, we have noted some tips below:
1. Outline and revise it.
It’s a challenging task for curtailing pages of a long thesis paper into hardly 300 words. While you can’t write everything at the same time you even can’t miss the important parts. So, if you outline the main points from each section of your research paper, then it will work for you. After finding out the main points, start clubbing the points into sentences, wherever it is possible. Once done, revise your abstract again and again. It will give you a good idea about your research work.
2. Keep it short.
You can write an abstract in short paragraph only when you understand the value of each word. Yes, you can’t waste a word in an abstract. Start focusing on those words which merge two to three words in one. Never miss updating your readers about the incidental findings you own while performing your research work. And most importantly, don’t add anything extra. Write in your abstracts only those points which are included in the main thesis paper.
3. Bring something new in each line.
Just look at other abstract samples and prepare your best abstract. You must aim to write the abstract in a manner so that each line gives useful information to the readers. So, readers enjoy reading your abstract and you cover the paper holistically in the abstract. Also, try to write in shorter lines and don’t exceed more than 25 words in a line. Never include any references in your piece of the abstract.
4. Deal with the research question.
When you write an abstract, you should always try to address the main question your paper is dealing with. In a line or two, touch upon the possible solution to the raised questions of your research. Based on your skill on how properly you see addressing the main questions, readers will get interested in your work.
5. Don’t keep too much opinion in the abstract.
Since the abstract is a concise piece of work, therefore by every means, make the abstract factual for the readers. Don’t put too much of your opinion on this front page. In your opinion, you can use the main dissertation work.
All these tips will help your abstract to look more academic-oriented and highly skilled.
Main Components of an Abstract
Mainly there are three components that every abstract must include and those are:
● The aim
An effective abstract of the thesis paper always consists of some goals which the paper tries to achieve. Clearly define the practical as well as theoretical problems your paper will respond to. That is, try to include the relevance of your paper in the field of your research. But never provide extra background facts here.
● Method/Approach
After clearing out the aim of the paper, try to briefly explain the method you have chosen to solve those problems. In this section, describe what you have done in the paper. This part of the write-up is also known as completed actions. Don’t write about the problems you have faced in writing the dissertation. It will make the paper unnecessarily detailed.
● Concluding the abstract
Here only summarize the main results of your complete research process. Try to write this part in the present tense. Only highlight the main points of your result and not mention every ending observation in this part. It is because you can freely write about your observation and analysis in the main conclusion of the thesis paper.
In case of ending with a practical answer to problems, try to include the suggestions and present-day implementation here. If you intend to carry further research in the field, you can mention that also in the form of suggestions.
What makes an abstract good and bad?
When you go through some abstract examples, you will find that some are superficial and loosely constructed. And at the same time, some you will notice are of good qualities because of the high skilled comprehensive work. Now, let’s see how a bad abstract differs from a good abstract:
I) Bad Abstract
Those abstract works that have a halfway introduction without any proper definition or explanation are considered in bad abstracts. Without proper explanation, you will find in an abstract sample lack of knowledge. In a bad abstract work, you will find no mention of the scholar’s key and it will end in an unstructured way. Any empty statement without proper justification for that claim will also be counted as a bad abstract example.
For example, if the author claims that – “this research has examined that the elimination of difference in gender discrimination will enhance gross enrollment ratio in schools.” without explaining how? , then it can be considered as a statement in a vacuum.
II) Good abstract
Whatever qualifications we have mentioned above make an abstract look good. That is, a good abstract should maintain conciseness and fill the existing gap of knowledge in the field. The abstract must clearly explain the method the writer has used to solve the concerned research-oriented problems. And the conclusion of the abstract must reflect the writer’s analytical skills and his ideas for solving problems.
Thus, an abstract for the dissertation must be within three to four paragraphs. And in its structure must include an introduction, proper aim, problem-solving method used in the long work. And in the last few lines of the abstract, the writer should use his analytical skills and suggestions.
Abstract examples-
The first is a bad abstract example:
My research on the title – “education and social upliftment” worked on the relation between education and society. Girls enroll themselves lesser in schools as compared to boys. This research has examined that the elimination of gender differences will enhance the gross enrollment ratio in schools.
Now, let’s look into a good abstract sample:
Education plays a sufficient role in uplifting initially a family and then the society at large. It is so, because people through education, learn to arrange food for their stomachs, and helps society to flourish. It’s only through the widening the span of education that people’s minds will broaden and be free of all social restrictions like gender play.
The primary aim of this long thesis work is to prove how society from time and again has prospered because of a stable education system. To strengthen the purpose of the paper further logical reasons are given. Like how erasing discrimination of any sort can ensure a just society with the support of education. The paper further proceeds with explaining how a mother I a family molds the mind of the rest of the family members. This convinces them to provide priority to their education.
The paper proceeds by stating facts about how the government’s gross enrollment ratio has not improved much with passing years. And at last, a detailed analysis given on how equal sex education grows interested in a child’s mind to get educated. It will also uplift society and increase the government’s record of total enrollment each year.
