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Writing an effective Research Paper Abstract

A research paper abstract is the first introduction of the research paper to the audience. It entirely depends upon the abstract of a paper whether the reader got hooked and hence will the reader proceed reading the entire paper or not. In any research paper format, you will see the mention of the abstract. Research paper abstract are also a part of the research proposal; though much shorter in length than that of the research paper.

What Does the Research Paper Abstract Consist Of?

A research paper abstract can be compared to the trailer of a movie. The trailer has to be very interesting to the audience, and then only the audience will go for the movie. Similarly, a research paper abstract has to be equally alluring to reach out to the target audience. The abstract is a gist of the entire research paper and consists of the major facets of the research in a particular sequence which is also mentioned in the research paper outline examples in detail. They are:

• The overall purpose of this research
• The background of the research
• The research problem including the aims, objectives and questions of the research.
• The basic structure of the research
• Trends or major findings of the study
• A short summary of the research analysis and conclusion
• Significance of the research.

The outline for a research paper abstract is different in different research paper topics. In case you face too much trouble in drafting an abstract, an academic expert from the team of Management Paper will be right there to help you out.

The Various Kinds of Research Paper Abstracts

It is very important to understand the pattern of the research paper and make the abstract in accordance to the paper. There are four common types of abstracts:

1. Critical abstract: Apart from explaining the principal findings and the data and information, a comment or judgment is stated about the research’s completeness, reliability and validity. The paper is evaluated by the researcher and later on compared with similar works by other researchers. As this kind of abstracts include interpretive commentary, the word count ranges from 400 to 500 words. These are used infrequently.

2. Highlight abstract: Just like the name suggests, this kind of abstract is used to attract and highlight the attention of the readers to this study. No complete or balanced picture of the interpretation is given in such an abstract. In Fact, it is kept incomplete to spark off the reader’s interest and make them follow the paper. It is greatly dependent on its research paper and hence not considered as a true abstract. It is not usually used in academic writing either.

3. Informative abstract: This works as a surrogate for the research paper. It includes the key words of the research paper and the scope, methods and purpose of the research. It also includes the results, conclusions and recommendations present in the research paper. These kinds of abstract are not more than 300 words in general.

4. Descriptive abstract: The kind of information that the study contains is denoted in the descriptive abstract. No judgment about the study can be found in this type of abstract nor any results, conclusions or recommendations. This type of abstract is a lot similar to a research paper introduction. It may have the study’s keywords and may also include the scope, methods and purpose of the research. It is an outline of the research paper, mostly 100 words in length.

ManagementPaper is an all-rounder company with humongous experience and is thus able to frame all kinds of abstract as per the research paper outline.

10 Ways to Make the Abstract Look More Appealing and Effective

1. Start writing the Research paper abstract only and only when you have completely written down the research paper and not before that. This will give you an idea of what you will be writing in the abstract, decide the word count accordingly and decide what you have to include and exclude from the entire piece. This can be evident from any research paper example.

2. From the research paper conclusion and introduction, the major and important hypotheses, conclusions and objectives are to be picked out.

3. From the research methodology section, the key phrases and sentences are to be highlighted and used in the abstract.

4. From the results section, the major results are to be identified and analysed.

5. Now, from the steps 2, 3 and 4, the selected phrases and sentences are to arranged to form a single paragraph following a particular sequence:

• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Conclusion
• Recommendation

6. Even this paragraph has certain restrictions:

• Do not add any new or irrelevant information which is not present in the research paper.
• Do not use group names or undefined abbreviations.
• Do not refer to reference citations or previous and existing literature.
• Do not provide unnecessary details about the methodology or data analysis methods.

7. As per step 6, all the excess information has to be removed and then start linking the sentences keeping the liquidity of the text intact. The information must flow in this order:

• Purpose
• The study design, methodology used
•  interpretation and findings
• Summary of the findings and conclusion
• Implication

8. A consistency has to be maintained between the information present in the research paper and that in the research paper abstract.

9. Ask somebody to proofread your abstract as a third person will be able to detect the follies which you cannot. Ask that person to check whether purpose, objectives, methodology and conclusion are clearly stated or not.

10. Finally, tally the research paper abstract with the given guidelines of the targeted research paper like recommended sub-headings, type of abstract, word limit and etc.

Limitations to The Abstract: The Things That You Should Not Use in Your Abstract

There are some basic limitations to a research paper abstract which should not be used while drafting the final academic piece. They are:

• No contextual information or lengthy background of the research should be mentioned as the word count is a major constraint here.
• No image, table, figure, illustration or references are to be used in an abstract.
• No sort of abbreviation or acronyms are to be used.
• No in-text citation is required to refer to other works of research.
• Confusing terms or jargons are prohibited to be used.
• Other existing literatures will not be referred here ( like ‘previous research shows that’ or ‘ studies have indicated’ )
• The usage of incomplete or elliptical sentences is prohibited in the research paper abstract.

The importance of research paper abstract lies in the fact that it is used to throw light upon the most important areas of the research paper and explains the inclusions in the paper. Also writing an abstract will give the researcher an idea about how to write a research paper properly.

The Management Paper experts will help the researchers to proofread the abstracts properly in order to detect any missing point and meet all the requirements as per the given guidelines of the research paper. They provide brilliant paper writing service at reasonable rates that helps to get A+ grade for the researchers.