thesis and abstract same

What Is the Difference Between an Abstract and a Thesis Statement?

How to Write a Thesis & Introduction for a Critical Reflection Essay

College assignments, specifically the requirements when writing papers, can cause confusion for new students. Both forms of relaying information are utilized for different reasons but can be found within the same writing piece on occasion. Understanding the difference between two formats of information such as an abstract and thesis statement is important in professional writing at the college level. A strong thesis statement allows the reader to know what the stance of the writer is before reading through the full paper. An abstract allows the reader to understand at a glance what the full article is about.

An abstract is a short body of writing that is used to summarize a longer piece of writing. A dissertation for a doctoral program contains an abstract. The abstract information varies on the discipline that the writing addresses. In 1997, Philip Koopman from Carnegie Mellon University highlighted common considerations of an abstract to include the motivation, approach, problem statement, results and conclusion summarized into a brief document. The abstract is used to index the larger work or to simply describe the larger work. Abstracts allow researchers or readers to grasp the overall content of the full piece of writing within a paragraph or two.

Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a claim by the writer that can be argued or disputed by others. The statement is typically one sentence but may contain more in rare circumstances. The sentence(s) will describe what the writer wants to specifically discuss about the central topic. The rule of thumb is not to state a fact but to take a position regarding the facts. Thesis statements appear in a variety of writing pieces from small writing assignments within a college course or a major submission for degree requirements.

Similarities

Although the thesis statement and abstract are different entities, they share a number of similarities. John December and Susan Katz who wrote for the Rensselaer Writing Center and the University of North Carolina highlight that both the abstract and thesis statement should be written after the significant body of the paper is complete. Both require significant research and consideration before formulation. It is also not uncommon to find both a thesis statement and abstract within the same writing piece.

Differences

The significant difference between an abstract and a thesis statement is the purpose behind each. While the abstract summarizes the important aspects of a complete writing piece, the thesis statement lays out only the position a writer is offering within the document. The abstract is longer in length and contains at least five factors regarding the writing it introduces. The thesis statement is short and contains one significant piece of information to inform the reader.

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• Carnegie Mellon University; How to Write an Abstract; Philip Koopman; 1997
• Harvard University Writing Center; Developing a Thesis; Maxine Rodburg et al., 1999

Steph Radabaugh has been writing on gardening and mental health care since 2005. Her articles have helped people create beautiful gardens and sparked the interest of state lawmakers in Iowa's health-care organizations. Radabaugh has a Master of Science in industrial organizational psychology and has pursued her Doctor of Philosophy in research psychology.

• How to Write an Abstract for a Dissertation or Thesis
• Doing a PhD

What is a Thesis or Dissertation Abstract?

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines an abstract in academic writing as being “ a few sentences that give the main ideas in an article or a scientific paper ” and the Collins English Dictionary says “ an abstract of an article, document, or speech is a short piece of writing that gives the main points of it ”.

Whether you’re writing up your Master’s dissertation or PhD thesis, the abstract will be a key element of this document that you’ll want to make sure you give proper attention to.

What is the Purpose of an Abstract?

The aim of a thesis abstract is to give the reader a broad overview of what your research project was about and what you found that was novel, before he or she decides to read the entire thesis. The reality here though is that very few people will read the entire thesis, and not because they’re necessarily disinterested but because practically it’s too large a document for most people to have the time to read. The exception to this is your PhD examiner, however know that even they may not read the entire length of the document.

Some people may still skip to and read specific sections throughout your thesis such as the methodology, but the fact is that the abstract will be all that most read and will therefore be the section they base their opinions about your research on. In short, make sure you write a good, well-structured abstract.

How Long Should an Abstract Be?

If you’re a PhD student, having written your 100,000-word thesis, the abstract will be the 300 word summary included at the start of the thesis that succinctly explains the motivation for your study (i.e. why this research was needed), the main work you did (i.e. the focus of each chapter), what you found (the results) and concluding with how your research study contributed to new knowledge within your field.

Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States of America, once famously said:

The point here is that it’s easier to talk open-endedly about a subject that you know a lot about than it is to condense the key points into a 10-minute speech; the same applies for an abstract. Three hundred words is not a lot of words which makes it even more difficult to condense three (or more) years of research into a coherent, interesting story.

What Makes a Good PhD Thesis Abstract?

Whilst the abstract is one of the first sections in your PhD thesis, practically it’s probably the last aspect that you’ll ending up writing before sending the document to print. The reason being that you can’t write a summary about what you did, what you found and what it means until you’ve done the work.

A good abstract is one that can clearly explain to the reader in 300 words:

• What your research field actually is,
• What the gap in knowledge was in your field,
• The overarching aim and objectives of your PhD in response to these gaps,
• What methods you employed to achieve these,
• You key results and findings,
• How your work has added to further knowledge in your field of study.

Another way to think of this structure is:

• Introduction,
• Aims and objectives,
• Discussion,
• Conclusion.

Following this ‘formulaic’ approach to writing the abstract should hopefully make it a little easier to write but you can already see here that there’s a lot of information to convey in a very limited number of words.

How Do You Write a Good PhD Thesis Abstract?

The biggest challenge you’ll have is getting all the 6 points mentioned above across in your abstract within the limit of 300 words . Your particular university may give some leeway in going a few words over this but it’s good practice to keep within this; the art of succinctly getting your information across is an important skill for a researcher to have and one that you’ll be called on to use regularly as you write papers for peer review.

Keep It Concise

Every word in the abstract is important so make sure you focus on only the key elements of your research and the main outcomes and significance of your project that you want the reader to know about. You may have come across incidental findings during your research which could be interesting to discuss but this should not happen in the abstract as you simply don’t have enough words. Furthermore, make sure everything you talk about in your thesis is actually described in the main thesis.

Make a Unique Point Each Sentence

Keep the sentences short and to the point. Each sentence should give the reader new, useful information about your research so there’s no need to write out your project title again. Give yourself one or two sentences to introduce your subject area and set the context for your project. Then another sentence or two to explain the gap in the knowledge; there’s no need or expectation for you to include references in the abstract.

Explain Your Research

Some people prefer to write their overarching aim whilst others set out their research questions as they correspond to the structure of their thesis chapters; the approach you use is up to you, as long as the reader can understand what your dissertation or thesis had set out to achieve. Knowing this will help the reader better understand if your results help to answer the research questions or if further work is needed.

Keep It Factual

Keep the content of the abstract factual; that is to say that you should avoid bringing too much or any opinion into it, which inevitably can make the writing seem vague in the points you’re trying to get across and even lacking in structure.

Write, Edit and Then Rewrite

Spend suitable time editing your text, and if necessary, completely re-writing it. Show the abstract to others and ask them to explain what they understand about your research – are they able to explain back to you each of the 6 structure points, including why your project was needed, the research questions and results, and the impact it had on your research field? It’s important that you’re able to convey what new knowledge you contributed to your field but be mindful when writing your abstract that you don’t inadvertently overstate the conclusions, impact and significance of your work.

Thesis and Dissertation Abstract Examples

Perhaps the best way to understand how to write a thesis abstract is to look at examples of what makes a good and bad abstract.

Example of A Bad Abstract

Let’s start with an example of a bad thesis abstract:

In this project on “The Analysis of the Structural Integrity of 3D Printed Polymers for use in Aircraft”, my research looked at how 3D printing of materials can help the aviation industry in the manufacture of planes. Plane parts can be made at a lower cost using 3D printing and made lighter than traditional components. This project investigated the structural integrity of EBM manufactured components, which could revolutionise the aviation industry.

What Makes This a Bad Abstract

Hopefully you’ll have spotted some of the reasons this would be considered a poor abstract, not least because the author used up valuable words by repeating the lengthy title of the project in the abstract.

Working through our checklist of the 6 key points you want to convey to the reader:

• There has been an attempt to introduce the research area , albeit half-way through the abstract but it’s not clear if this is a materials science project about 3D printing or is it about aircraft design.
• There’s no explanation about where the gap in the knowledge is that this project attempted to address.
• We can see that this project was focussed on the topic of structural integrity of materials in aircraft but the actual research aims or objectives haven’t been defined.
• There’s no mention at all of what the author actually did to investigate structural integrity. For example was this an experimental study involving real aircraft, or something in the lab, computer simulations etc.
• The author also doesn’t tell us a single result of his research, let alone the key findings !
• There’s a bold claim in the last sentence of the abstract that this project could revolutionise the aviation industry, and this may well be the case, but based on the abstract alone there is no evidence to support this as it’s not even clear what the author did .

This is an extreme example but is a good way to illustrate just how unhelpful a poorly written abstract can be. At only 71 words long, it definitely hasn’t maximised the amount of information that could be presented and the what they have presented has lacked clarity and structure.

A final point to note is the use of the EBM acronym, which stands for Electron Beam Melting in the context of 3D printing; this is a niche acronym for the author to assume that the reader would know the meaning of. It’s best to avoid acronyms in your abstract all together even if it’s something that you might expect most people to know about, unless you specifically define the meaning first.

Example of A Good Abstract

Having seen an example of a bad thesis abstract, now lets look at an example of a good PhD thesis abstract written about the same (fictional) project:

Additive manufacturing (AM) of titanium alloys has the potential to enable cheaper and lighter components to be produced with customised designs for use in aircraft engines. Whilst the proof-of-concept of these have been promising, the structural integrity of AM engine parts in response to full thrust and temperature variations is not clear.

The primary aim of this project was to determine the fracture modes and mechanisms of AM components designed for use in Boeing 747 engines. To achieve this an explicit finite element (FE) model was developed to simulate the environment and parameters that the engine is exposed to during flight. The FE model was validated using experimental data replicating the environmental parameters in a laboratory setting using ten AM engine components provided by the industry sponsor. The validated FE model was then used to investigate the extent of crack initiation and propagation as the environment parameters were adjusted.

This project was the first to investigate fracture patterns in AM titanium components used in aircraft engines; the key finding was that the presence of cavities within the structures due to errors in the printing process, significantly increased the risk of fracture. Secondly, the simulations showed that cracks formed within AM parts were more likely to worsen and lead to component failure at subzero temperatures when compared to conventionally manufactured parts. This has demonstrated an important safety concern which needs to be addressed before AM parts can be used in commercial aircraft.

What Makes This a Good Abstract

Having read this ‘good abstract’ you should have a much better understand about what the subject area is about, where the gap in the knowledge was, the aim of the project, the methods that were used, key results and finally the significance of these results. To break these points down further, from this good abstract we now know that:

• The research area is around additive manufacturing (i.e. 3D printing) of materials for use in aircraft.
• The gap in knowledge was how these materials will behave structural when used in aircraft engines.
• The aim was specifically to investigate how the components can fracture.
• The methods used to investigate this were a combination of computational and lab based experimental modelling.
• The key findings were the increased risk of fracture of these components due to the way they are manufactured.
• The significance of these findings were that it showed a potential risk of component failure that could comprise the safety of passengers and crew on the aircraft.

The abstract text has a much clearer flow through these different points in how it’s written and has made much better use of the available word count. Acronyms have even been used twice in this good abstract but they were clearly defined the first time they were introduced in the text so that there was no confusion about their meaning.

The abstract you write for your dissertation or thesis should succinctly explain to the reader why the work of your research was needed, what you did, what you found and what it means. Most people that come across your thesis, including any future employers, are likely to read only your abstract. Even just for this reason alone, it’s so important that you write the best abstract you can; this will not only convey your research effectively but also put you in the best light possible as a researcher.

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Writing an Abstract for Your Research Paper

Definition and Purpose of Abstracts

An abstract is a short summary of your (published or unpublished) research paper, usually about a paragraph (c. 6-7 sentences, 150-250 words) long. A well-written abstract serves multiple purposes:

• an abstract lets readers get the gist or essence of your paper or article quickly, in order to decide whether to read the full paper;
• an abstract prepares readers to follow the detailed information, analyses, and arguments in your full paper;
• and, later, an abstract helps readers remember key points from your paper.

It’s also worth remembering that search engines and bibliographic databases use abstracts, as well as the title, to identify key terms for indexing your published paper. So what you include in your abstract and in your title are crucial for helping other researchers find your paper or article.

If you are writing an abstract for a course paper, your professor may give you specific guidelines for what to include and how to organize your abstract. Similarly, academic journals often have specific requirements for abstracts. So in addition to following the advice on this page, you should be sure to look for and follow any guidelines from the course or journal you’re writing for.

The Contents of an Abstract

Abstracts contain most of the following kinds of information in brief form. The body of your paper will, of course, develop and explain these ideas much more fully. As you will see in the samples below, the proportion of your abstract that you devote to each kind of information—and the sequence of that information—will vary, depending on the nature and genre of the paper that you are summarizing in your abstract. And in some cases, some of this information is implied, rather than stated explicitly. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , which is widely used in the social sciences, gives specific guidelines for what to include in the abstract for different kinds of papers—for empirical studies, literature reviews or meta-analyses, theoretical papers, methodological papers, and case studies.

Here are the typical kinds of information found in most abstracts:

• the context or background information for your research; the general topic under study; the specific topic of your research
• the central questions or statement of the problem your research addresses
• what’s already known about this question, what previous research has done or shown
• the main reason(s) , the exigency, the rationale , the goals for your research—Why is it important to address these questions? Are you, for example, examining a new topic? Why is that topic worth examining? Are you filling a gap in previous research? Applying new methods to take a fresh look at existing ideas or data? Resolving a dispute within the literature in your field? . . .
• your research and/or analytical methods
• your main findings , results , or arguments
• the significance or implications of your findings or arguments.

Your abstract should be intelligible on its own, without a reader’s having to read your entire paper. And in an abstract, you usually do not cite references—most of your abstract will describe what you have studied in your research and what you have found and what you argue in your paper. In the body of your paper, you will cite the specific literature that informs your research.

When to Write Your Abstract

Although you might be tempted to write your abstract first because it will appear as the very first part of your paper, it’s a good idea to wait to write your abstract until after you’ve drafted your full paper, so that you know what you’re summarizing.

What follows are some sample abstracts in published papers or articles, all written by faculty at UW-Madison who come from a variety of disciplines. We have annotated these samples to help you see the work that these authors are doing within their abstracts.

Choosing Verb Tenses within Your Abstract

The social science sample (Sample 1) below uses the present tense to describe general facts and interpretations that have been and are currently true, including the prevailing explanation for the social phenomenon under study. That abstract also uses the present tense to describe the methods, the findings, the arguments, and the implications of the findings from their new research study. The authors use the past tense to describe previous research.

The humanities sample (Sample 2) below uses the past tense to describe completed events in the past (the texts created in the pulp fiction industry in the 1970s and 80s) and uses the present tense to describe what is happening in those texts, to explain the significance or meaning of those texts, and to describe the arguments presented in the article.

The science samples (Samples 3 and 4) below use the past tense to describe what previous research studies have done and the research the authors have conducted, the methods they have followed, and what they have found. In their rationale or justification for their research (what remains to be done), they use the present tense. They also use the present tense to introduce their study (in Sample 3, “Here we report . . .”) and to explain the significance of their study (In Sample 3, This reprogramming . . . “provides a scalable cell source for. . .”).

Sample Abstract 1

From the social sciences.

Reporting new findings about the reasons for increasing economic homogamy among spouses

Gonalons-Pons, Pilar, and Christine R. Schwartz. “Trends in Economic Homogamy: Changes in Assortative Mating or the Division of Labor in Marriage?” Demography , vol. 54, no. 3, 2017, pp. 985-1005.

Sample Abstract 2

From the humanities.

Analyzing underground pulp fiction publications in Tanzania, this article makes an argument about the cultural significance of those publications

Emily Callaci. “Street Textuality: Socialism, Masculinity, and Urban Belonging in Tanzania’s Pulp Fiction Publishing Industry, 1975-1985.” Comparative Studies in Society and History , vol. 59, no. 1, 2017, pp. 183-210.

Sample Abstract/Summary 3

From the sciences.

Reporting a new method for reprogramming adult mouse fibroblasts into induced cardiac progenitor cells

Lalit, Pratik A., Max R. Salick, Daryl O. Nelson, Jayne M. Squirrell, Christina M. Shafer, Neel G. Patel, Imaan Saeed, Eric G. Schmuck, Yogananda S. Markandeya, Rachel Wong, Martin R. Lea, Kevin W. Eliceiri, Timothy A. Hacker, Wendy C. Crone, Michael Kyba, Daniel J. Garry, Ron Stewart, James A. Thomson, Karen M. Downs, Gary E. Lyons, and Timothy J. Kamp. “Lineage Reprogramming of Fibroblasts into Proliferative Induced Cardiac Progenitor Cells by Defined Factors.” Cell Stem Cell , vol. 18, 2016, pp. 354-367.

Sample Abstract 4, a Structured Abstract

Reporting results about the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy in managing acute bacterial sinusitis, from a rigorously controlled study

Note: This journal requires authors to organize their abstract into four specific sections, with strict word limits. Because the headings for this structured abstract are self-explanatory, we have chosen not to add annotations to this sample abstract.

Wald, Ellen R., David Nash, and Jens Eickhoff. “Effectiveness of Amoxicillin/Clavulanate Potassium in the Treatment of Acute Bacterial Sinusitis in Children.” Pediatrics , vol. 124, no. 1, 2009, pp. 9-15.

“OBJECTIVE: The role of antibiotic therapy in managing acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS) in children is controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of high-dose amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate in the treatment of children diagnosed with ABS.

METHODS : This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Children 1 to 10 years of age with a clinical presentation compatible with ABS were eligible for participation. Patients were stratified according to age (<6 or ≥6 years) and clinical severity and randomly assigned to receive either amoxicillin (90 mg/kg) with potassium clavulanate (6.4 mg/kg) or placebo. A symptom survey was performed on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 20, and 30. Patients were examined on day 14. Children’s conditions were rated as cured, improved, or failed according to scoring rules.

RESULTS: Two thousand one hundred thirty-five children with respiratory complaints were screened for enrollment; 139 (6.5%) had ABS. Fifty-eight patients were enrolled, and 56 were randomly assigned. The mean age was 6630 months. Fifty (89%) patients presented with persistent symptoms, and 6 (11%) presented with nonpersistent symptoms. In 24 (43%) children, the illness was classified as mild, whereas in the remaining 32 (57%) children it was severe. Of the 28 children who received the antibiotic, 14 (50%) were cured, 4 (14%) were improved, 4(14%) experienced treatment failure, and 6 (21%) withdrew. Of the 28children who received placebo, 4 (14%) were cured, 5 (18%) improved, and 19 (68%) experienced treatment failure. Children receiving the antibiotic were more likely to be cured (50% vs 14%) and less likely to have treatment failure (14% vs 68%) than children receiving the placebo.

CONCLUSIONS : ABS is a common complication of viral upper respiratory infections. Amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate results in significantly more cures and fewer failures than placebo, according to parental report of time to resolution.” (9)

Some Excellent Advice about Writing Abstracts for Basic Science Research Papers, by Professor Adriano Aguzzi from the Institute of Neuropathology at the University of Zurich:

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The Dissertation Abstract: 101

How to write a clear & concise abstract (with examples).

By:   Madeline Fink (MSc) Reviewed By: Derek Jansen (MBA)   | June 2020

So, you’ve (finally) finished your thesis or dissertation or thesis. Now it’s time to write up your abstract (sometimes also called the executive summary). If you’re here, chances are you’re not quite sure what you need to cover in this section, or how to go about writing it. Fear not – we’ll explain it all in plain language , step by step , with clear examples .

Overview: The Dissertation/Thesis Abstract

• What exactly is a dissertation (or thesis) abstract
• What’s the purpose and function of the abstract
• Why is the abstract so important
• How to write a high-quality dissertation abstract
• Example/sample of a quality abstract
• Quick tips to write a high-quality dissertation abstract

What is an abstract?

Simply put, the abstract in a dissertation or thesis is a short (but well structured) summary that outlines the most important points of your research (i.e. the key takeaways). The abstract is usually 1 paragraph or about 300-500 words long (about one page), but but this can vary between universities.

A quick note regarding terminology – strictly speaking, an abstract and an executive summary are two different things when it comes to academic publications. Typically, an abstract only states what the research will be about, but doesn’t explore the findings – whereas an executive summary covers both . However, in the context of a dissertation or thesis, the abstract usually covers both, providing a summary of the full project.

In terms of content, a good dissertation abstract usually covers the following points:

• The purpose of the research (what’s it about and why’s that important)
• The methodology (how you carried out the research)
• The key research findings (what answers you found)
• The implications of these findings (what these answers mean)

We’ll explain each of these in more detail a little later in this post. Buckle up.

What’s the purpose of the abstract?

A dissertation abstract has two main functions:

The first purpose is to  inform potential readers  of the main idea of your research without them having to read your entire piece of work. Specifically, it needs to communicate what your research is about (what were you trying to find out) and what your findings were . When readers are deciding whether to read your dissertation or thesis, the abstract is the first part they’ll consider. 

The second purpose of the abstract is to  inform search engines and dissertation databases  as they index your dissertation or thesis. The keywords and phrases in your abstract (as well as your keyword list) will often be used by these search engines to categorize your work and make it accessible to users. 

Simply put, your abstract is your shopfront display window – it’s what passers-by (both human and digital) will look at before deciding to step inside. 

Why’s it so important?

The short answer – because most people don’t have time to read your full dissertation or thesis! Time is money, after all…

If you think back to when you undertook your literature review , you’ll quickly realise just how important abstracts are! Researchers reviewing the literature on any given topic face a mountain of reading, so they need to optimise their approach. A good dissertation abstract gives the reader a “TLDR” version of your work – it helps them decide whether to continue to read it in its entirety. So, your abstract, as your shopfront display window, needs to “sell” your research to time-poor readers.

You might be thinking, “but I don’t plan to publish my dissertation”. Even so, you still need to provide an impactful abstract for your markers. Your ability to concisely summarise your work is one of the things they’re assessing, so it’s vital to invest time and effort into crafting an enticing shop window.  

A good abstract also has an added purpose for grad students . As a freshly minted graduate, your dissertation or thesis is often your most significant professional accomplishment and highlights where your unique expertise lies. Potential employers who want to know about this expertise are likely to only read the abstract (as opposed to reading your entire document) – so it needs to be good!

Think about it this way – if your thesis or dissertation were a book, then the abstract would be the blurb on the back cover. For better or worse, readers will absolutely judge your book by its cover .

How to write your abstract

As we touched on earlier, your abstract should cover four important aspects of your research: the purpose , methodology , findings , and implications . Therefore, the structure of your dissertation or thesis abstract needs to reflect these four essentials, in the same order.  Let’s take a closer look at each of them, step by step:

Step 1: Describe the purpose and value of your research

Here you need to concisely explain the purpose and value of your research. In other words, you need to explain what your research set out to discover and why that’s important. When stating the purpose of research, you need to clearly discuss the following:

• What were your research aims and research questions ?
• Why were these aims and questions important?

It’s essential to make this section extremely clear, concise and convincing . As the opening section, this is where you’ll “hook” your reader (marker) in and get them interested in your project. If you don’t put in the effort here, you’ll likely lose their interest.

Step 2: Briefly outline your study’s methodology

In this part of your abstract, you need to very briefly explain how you went about answering your research questions . In other words, what research design and methodology you adopted in your research. Some important questions to address here include:

• Did you take a qualitative or quantitative approach ?
• Who/what did your sample consist of?
• How did you collect your data?
• How did you analyse your data?

Simply put, this section needs to address the “ how ” of your research. It doesn’t need to be lengthy (this is just a summary, after all), but it should clearly address the four questions above.

Need a helping hand?

Step 3: Present your key findings

Next, you need to briefly highlight the key findings . Your research likely produced a wealth of data and findings, so there may be a temptation to ramble here. However, this section is just about the key findings – in other words, the answers to the original questions that you set out to address.

Again, brevity and clarity are important here. You need to concisely present the most important findings for your reader.

Step 4: Describe the implications of your research

Have you ever found yourself reading through a large report, struggling to figure out what all the findings mean in terms of the bigger picture? Well, that’s the purpose of the implications section – to highlight the “so what?” of your research. 

In this part of your abstract, you should address the following questions:

• What is the impact of your research findings on the industry /field investigated? In other words, what’s the impact on the “real world”. 
• What is the impact of your findings on the existing body of knowledge ? For example, do they support the existing research?
• What might your findings mean for future research conducted on your topic?

If you include these four essential ingredients in your dissertation abstract, you’ll be on headed in a good direction.

Example: Dissertation/thesis abstract

Here is an example of an abstract from a master’s thesis, with the purpose , methods , findings , and implications colour coded.

The U.S. citizenship application process is a legal and symbolic journey shaped by many cultural processes. This research project aims to bring to light the experiences of immigrants and citizenship applicants living in Dallas, Texas, to promote a better understanding of Dallas’ increasingly diverse population. Additionally, the purpose of this project is to provide insights to a specific client, the office of Dallas Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs, about Dallas’ lawful permanent residents who are eligible for citizenship and their reasons for pursuing citizenship status . The data for this project was collected through observation at various citizenship workshops and community events, as well as through semi-structured interviews with 14 U.S. citizenship applicants . Reasons for applying for U.S. citizenship discussed in this project include a desire for membership in U.S. society, access to better educational and economic opportunities, improved ease of travel and the desire to vote. Barriers to the citizenship process discussed in this project include the amount of time one must dedicate to the application, lack of clear knowledge about the process and the financial cost of the application. Other themes include the effects of capital on applicant’s experience with the citizenship process, symbolic meanings of citizenship, transnationalism and ideas of deserving and undeserving surrounding the issues of residency and U.S. citizenship. These findings indicate the need for educational resources and mentorship for Dallas-area residents applying for U.S. citizenship, as well as a need for local government programs that foster a sense of community among citizenship applicants and their neighbours.

Practical tips for writing your abstract

When crafting the abstract for your dissertation or thesis, the most powerful technique you can use is to try and put yourself in the shoes of a potential reader. Assume the reader is not an expert in the field, but is interested in the research area. In other words, write for the intelligent layman, not for the seasoned topic expert. 

Start by trying to answer the question “why should I read this dissertation?”

Remember the WWHS.

Make sure you include the  what , why ,  how , and  so what  of your research in your abstract:

• What you studied (who and where are included in this part)
• Why the topic was important
• How you designed your study (i.e. your research methodology)
• So what were the big findings and implications of your research

Keep it simple.

Use terminology appropriate to your field of study, but don’t overload your abstract with big words and jargon that cloud the meaning and make your writing difficult to digest. A good abstract should appeal to all levels of potential readers and should be a (relatively) easy read. Remember, you need to write for the intelligent layman.

Be specific.

When writing your abstract, clearly outline your most important findings and insights and don’t worry about “giving away” too much about your research – there’s no need to withhold information. This is the one way your abstract is not like a blurb on the back of a book – the reader should be able to clearly understand the key takeaways of your thesis or dissertation after reading the abstract. Of course, if they then want more detail, they need to step into the restaurant and try out the menu.

Psst… there’s more (for free)

This post is part of our dissertation mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project. 

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An abstract is a summary of a longer written document. It is written with the same organization as the original document, usually without “review” or comment. Abstract lengths vary by discipline and purpose of the project; generally, they are 50-100 words for a short paper and 150-200 for a longer one. Abstracts are typically placed prior to the manuscript. Abstracts fall into two categories: indicative and informative.

The  indicative  abstract covers a less structured document (like a book, essay or editorial). It helps readers to understand the focus, arguments and conclusions of the larger document so that they can determine whether to read it more thoroughly.

An  informative  abstract is used for more strictly structured documents (like scientific experiments or investigations) and includes the elements of the original research report: its objective, methods, results, and conclusions.

Whichever type of abstract you write, it should be able to stand alone as a statement separate from the larger document.

Components of an Abstract

Abstracts, at heart, are decision-making documents. Based on the abstract, readers decide whether to read your article, support your proposal, grant your funding, or accept you to a conference. To write a successful abstract, you need to include these three components:  Context ,  Problem , and  Response  (CPR).

By definition, context is essentially what surrounds a thing. In other words, in order to understand a snippet of conversation, we often ask, “He said that in what context?” When we provide context for our readers, we are establishing a comfortable common ground, a shared understanding that provides an entry point into the larger or more specific ideas of our project. Common ground might take the form of a shared belief, a kind of truism, or a basic principle of the field. Frequently this takes the form of a brief survey of the field or an overview of a current situation. This might include what those in the discipline already know to be true, a point of conventional wisdom, something we’ve all seen and heard, a primary text, a case study, or an anecdote of some kind. 

The problem is essentially establishing a deficit. A deficit in this sense refers to a gap in knowledge or what might be misunderstood or overlooked. The problem is what our research question or project is trying to solve. This might be, for example, a practical question (how can we best distribute H1N1 vaccine?) or it can be a theoretical or conceptual question (to what degree is marital behavior determined by intergenerational influences?). As researchers, we begin with the problem, but often by the time we are ready to write our abstracts, introductions, or proposals, the problem has moved into the background, obscured by the details of our work. However, in terms of meeting the reader’s needs, the problem is an essential and necessary feature. The reader’s level of investment, and thus the grade, the acceptance, the funding for your project hinges upon how successfully you articulate the problem. 

This is generally your summary or description of your paper or project, which you position in dialogue with the problem as you’ve established it. Depending on the nature of your project, in your response you might explicitly state your main point or thesis, or you might present your hypothesis and generalize your results. In addition, research that relies on primary data often includes an abbreviated description of the methodology used. 

The ABCs of a Good Abstract

• Accuracy:  Include only information included in the original document.
• Brevity:  Get straight to the point, use precise language, and do not include superfluous adjectives.
• Clarity:  Do not use unnecessary technical jargon, colloquialisms or obscure vocabulary and detail and always explain any acronyms.

Abstracts are challenging because they require decisions about what constitutes that essence of a document full of important information. Here are some tips to help you:

• Write the final version of your abstract after your paper is completed so the organization and development of the two documents match.
• Begin with a topic sentence: what is this paper about?
• Use an outline to confirm that you are summarizing the most important information.
• Incorporate keywords for electronic retrieval into the text. (They may also be listed at the end of the abstract text.) Bibliographic references and graphics are typically excluded from an abstract.

Keep your readers in mind as you develop the abstract:

• Assume that they are generally familiar with the information being abstracted but are interested in evaluating the usefulness of the entire document for their research.
• Write in a concise and readable style so that they can read through the abstract quickly to ascertain the essence of the larger document.
• Provide information in each sentence; for example, if it is important enough to include, “a cost was given,” it is appropriate to give the specifics: “The cost was $5.25 per gallon.”

Sample Abstracts

Variation Among Isolates of Fusarium Circinatum in Tolerance of the Anti-fungal Metabolite   BOA

Amir Begovic

Fusarium circinatum is a fungal pathogen responsible for a disease affecting pines known as pitch canker. Although this is what F. circinatum is notorious for, recent work has shown that this fungus also can colonize grasses. However, the importance of grasses as a resource in the life history of F. circinatum is unknown. To learn more about how well adapted F. circinatum is to exploitation of grass hosts, the present study was undertaken to determine how well this fungus can tolerate anti-fungal compounds produced by corn, a member of the grass family. To this end, plates of PDA (potato dextrose agar) were amended with various concentrations of BOA (2-benzoxazolinone), and inoculated with a colonized agar plug of F. circinatum. All tested strains failed to grow at concentrations of 0.75 and 1.0 mg of BOA per ml of medium. Colonized plugs transferred from plates containing BOA to PDA without BOA did not grow, indicating the fungus was killed by exposure to this anti-fungal compound. The same strains were able to survive exposure to 0.5 mg of BOA per ml, although growth was strongly inhibited. The next step will be to test for heritable variation in tolerance of BOA in F. circinatum. (197 words)

Source: University of California, Davis 2013 Undergraduate Research Symposium  

Connecting the U.S. Media: A Network Analysis of Mutual Fund Ownership in Communication Corporations

Grace A. Benefield

Social scientists have long been interested in the ever increasing concentration and effects of computer, telecommunication and media corporations, such as Google, Apple and Verizon. By gathering statistics on mutual fund and individual stock owners, the study compares the proportion of institutional investment across communication corporations, which are service or technology corporations responsible for the exchange of information. The research incorporates network analysis software to identify outliers and central players in this web of media owners. The study seeks to measure centrality as a connection between two companies and their investors' similar interest investments, such as a similarity in size, expectations for growth, company values, or industrial interests. Surprisingly, the study finds that market capitalization did not result in centrality, such as IBM's peripheral status. The results find that smaller telecommunications companies, such as Sprint and Comcast, share a large portion of the same mutual funds. In contrast, other industries appear to have intermixed and varietal institutional owners. There are also indications of mutual fund interest groupings based on geography, as in west coast companies Disney, HP, and Qualcomm. Further research is needed to compare the individual stock owners who control large interests in various companies. (196 words)

Source: University of California, Davis 2013 Undergraduate Research Symposium

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How To Write An Abstract

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Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 Definition: Abstract
• 4 Abstract in Different Languages
• 5 Abstract vs. Conclusion
• 6 In a Nutshell

Definition: Abstract

An abstract is a short summary of a research paper. It is not part of the actual text and must be included at the very beginning of your work. It does not show up in the structure and the table of contents of your thesis.

You write an abstract to give a brief account of the most important information relating to the research background, structure, method, data analysis, and results of your research paper. The abstract should not create suspense: Making it very clear early on what your results are will help the reader evaluate the relevance of your paper.

What is an abstract?

An abstract is a short summary written at the beginning of a research paper . It highlights the main ideas of your academic project. Your research methods, data analysis, results plus any background information relating to your research should be included in the abstract.

Why do I need an abstract?

An abstract is nescessary, as it helps the reader to decide whether the results and methods of a particular paper are relevant to them or whether it is worthwhile for them to read the whole paper. It effectively creates the first impression of the thesis or essay. It is also very useful for fellow researchers in the academic community, as they can decide upon first glance whether or not the paper can be useful or relevant to their personal research project.

Where does the abstract belong?

The abstract is to be put at the beginning of your writing project. It should appear between the title page and the table of contents page of the research paper. If you’re writing a thesis with an acknowledgements page, then the abstract is placed after the acknowledgements.

When do I write the abstract?

The abstract should be the very last thing you write during the academic writing process. This is because it is only possible to come up with a precise summary of your work once you have written the whole research paper . Using this same logic, the conclusion should also be one of the very last paragraphs that you write.

How long should an abstract be?

The abstract should be between one third of a page and one full page in length. However, this depends on the length of the paper that you’re writing. For a smaller research paper, 100 words is sufficient. For a bachelor’s thesis, or a master’s thesis, the abstract should be between 1 or 2 pages. But it should definitely not exceed 2 pages!

Tip: Take a look at some abstract examples for inspiration!

What is included in an abstract?

A top-quality abstract will include a brief explanation of the following aspects:

1. Background and purpose 2. Overarching research question 3. Gap in literature and methods used to address the gap in literature 4. Main results of the writing project 5. Interpretation or conclusion of the thesis statement Each of these points should be addressed in only a few sentences.

Is an abstract international?

It doesn’t matter which language you write your abstract in, an English translation of your abstract is often required. The reason for this is so that the results of your research paper can be reviewed by an international audience.

Also useful: What is plagiarism?

How to Write an Abstract: The Content

There is one thing you must understand about how to write an abstract:

The abstract should contain important aspects of the paper, like the

• research question ,
• limitations,
• study design,
• main results,
• main idea or message,
• key interpretations,
• implications,
• and validity (cf. Schnur 2005, as quoted in Theisen 2013: 101).

How to Write an Abstract: Structure

The abstract follows the same structure as your paper:

(cf. Kruse 2007: 186)

How to Write an Abstract: Goal

“An abstract is a very precise summary of your whole paper”

You might have heard the term ‘summary’ referring to an abstract of a research paper (cf. Oertner, St. John, & Thelen 2014: 93). However, do not make the mistake of assuming that an abstract is something rather general. You would be on the wrong track. When asked to write an abstract for your bachelor’s or master’s thesis, you are expected to deliver a very precise summary of your whole paper.

An abstract’s right to exist is founded in its purpose of helping a potential reader to quickly find out if it is worthwhile to read the whole paper (cf. Rossig & Prätsch 2005: 89). For this reason, an abstract has to offer everything the reader needs in order to evaluate the relevance of a research paper for their own work. It is the ultimate way of advertising your research.

You can save yourself a lot of work and trouble if you concentrate on reading the abstracts of published papers first; most papers these days provide abstracts (cf. Oertner, St. John, & Thelen 2014: 80). If you take your time to thoroughly read the abstracts, you will be able to judge whether a particular article will help you to support your line of argumentation. If not, then just move on the next article. You can check out the sample abstracts in this blog entry to get a better idea of how to write an abstract and what an abstract looks like.

“Through reading an abstract, you can find out if a paper arouses your interest or is relevant for your studies.”

How to Write an Abstract: Length 

An abstract is a summary of a publication or an article on one third of a DIN-A4 page (cf. Kruse 2007: 185). Stickel-Wolf & Wolf provide a rough guideline for the word count: They say that an abstract should not contain more than 100 words (cf. 2013: 249).

Note: Generally speaking, an abstract for a bachelor’s or master’s thesis should not exceed one page, and the absolute maximum is two pages (cf. Rossig & Prätsch 2005: 89). The reason for this is self-explanatory: The purpose of the abstract is to offer a quick overview of, for example, a 60- or 80-page paper.

Abstract Example 1: English abstract addressing the main points of your paper

Abstract Example 2: English abstract of a master’s thesis with keywords

Recommended: Harvard Referencing

When to Write the Abstract and Where to Put It

You are probably wondering where the abstract should be placed in your research paper: at the beginning or towards the end? It is common to include the abstract right at the beginning (cf. Rossig & Prätsch 2005: 89; Samac, Prenner, & Schwetz 2009: 56). As we have established, it is a helpful tool for the reader to get an overview of the whole paper as early as possible. It is good to know what will follow. So, it would not be logical to put it at the end, right? Stickel-Wolf and Wolf recommend embedding the abstract in between the title page and the table of contents (cf. 2013: 249).

The next question about ‘How to write an abstract’ is a bit trickier. When is the right time to write the abstract? Given that it is to be added at the very beginning, before the actual text, you might think it is the first thing you are supposed to write. However, you will not be able to write a clear-cut and precise summary at a stage when you do not even know what you are summarizing. Therefore, you can only write the abstract after you have written the whole paper. How else would you know enough about your results to give a complete record of your whole work (cf. Rossig & Prätsch 2005: 89)?

Note: You can draw essential information to write your abstract from your conclusion, as this part briefly repeats the research questions and provides an evaluative summary of the results (cf. Stickel-Wolf 2013: 249).

Abstract in Different Languages

The question of how to write an abstract is popular not just in an English-speaking context.

It increasingly concerns international students as well. Nowadays, it is becoming more and more important to write the whole paper in English, rather than in the native language of the country a student studies in. Indeed, many papers are still written in the native language of the country.

But your research paper not being written in English does not mean that this also holds true for the abstract. Often, the student needs to write an abstract in not only German, Spanish, or French (depending on the country you study in) but also English.

An English abstract (in addition to, say, a German abstract) is necessary to ensure that a research paper will be accessible to an international market.

Sometimes, only an English abstract is required. Also, as Samac, Prenner, and Schwetz point out, an English translation of the German text (if your thesis is in German) must be provided on the very same page to meet international standards (2009: 56).

Example of an abstract in German and English

Note: Academic English is quite a bit different from academic German, Spanish, and other languages. We recommend that you read research papers in English to get a feel for the differences in style and structure (cf. Karmasin & Ribing 2014: 45).

Abstract vs. Conclusion

Caution: The abstract is NEVER a conclusion of your research paper and it differs from the conclusion in many aspects. Make sure to read the sample abstracts provided on this page to get a good grasp on the major differences between the abstract and the conclusion.

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In a Nutshell

• An abstract is a short summary of a research paper. It is embedded between the title page and the table of contents , and appears before the actual text.
• The abstract should not exceed one page (at the most, two pages). Ideally, it should fit on a single page.
• An abstract is a brief account of your paper. It provides information about the structure, argumentation, method, and results of your research paper (cf. Oertner, St. John, & Thelen 2014: 93).
• The aim of writing an abstract is to make it possible for the reader to quickly evaluate the relevance of your work without having to read much. Also, reading abstracts makes your life easier when you are doing research. You can decide which paper is worth reading and which one is not, just based on the abstract.
• There is a clear difference between the abstract and the conclusion. The abstract is shorter, can be read independently of the text, and does not contain evaluations of the author which are not already part of the text (cf. Kruse 2007: 186).
• Writing an English abstract or providing an English translation of your abstract is becoming increasingly important and popular. In this way, your research can be made internationally accessible.

Works cited

Karmasin, Matthias, & Rainer Ribing. 2014. Die Gestaltung wissenschaftlicher Arbeiten . 8th Edition. Vienna: Facultas.

Kruse, Otto. 2007. Keine Angst vor dem leeren Blatt – Ohne Schreibblockaden durchs Studium . 12th Edition. Frankfurt: Campus.

Oertner, Monika, Illona St. John, & Gabriele Thelen. 2014. Wissenschaftlich Schreiben – Ein Praxisbuch für Schreibtrainer und Studierende. Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink.

Rossig, Wolfram E., & Joachim Prätsch. 2005. Wissenschaftliche Arbeiten . 5th Edition. Weyhe: PRINT-TEC.

Samac, Klaus, Monika Prenner, & Herbert Schwetz. 2009. Die Bachelorarbeit an Universität und Fachhochschule. Vienna: Facultas.

Stickel-Wolf, Christine, & Joachim Wolf. 2013. Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten und Lerntechniken – Erfolgreich studieren – gewusst wie! 7th Edition. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler.

Theisen, Manuel René. 2013. Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten – Erfolgreich bei Bachelor- und Masterarbeit . Munich: Franz Vahlen.

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• Manuscript Preparation

Differentiating between the abstract and the introduction of a research paper

• 3 minute read
• 42.8K views

Table of Contents

While writing a manuscript for the first time, you might find yourself confused about the differences between an abstract and the introduction. Both are adjacent sections of a research paper and share certain elements. However, they serve entirely different purposes. So, how does one ensure that these sections are written correctly?

Knowing the intended purpose of the abstract and the introduction is a good start!

What is an abstract?

An abstract is a very short summary of all the sections of your research paper—the introduction, objectives, materials and methods, results, and conclusion. It ends by emphasising the novelty or relevance of your study, or by posing questions for future research. The abstract should cover all important aspects of the study, so that the reader can quickly decide if the paper is of their interest or not.

In simple terms, just like a restaurant’s menu that provides an overview of all available dishes, an abstract gives the reader an idea of what the research paper has to offer. Most journals have a strict word limit for abstracts, which is usually 10% of the research paper.

What is the purpose of an abstract?

The abstract should ideally induce curiosity in the reader’s mind and contain strategic keywords. By generating curiosity and interest, an abstract can push readers to read the entire paper or buy it if it is behind a paywall. By using keywords strategically in the abstract, authors can improve the chances of their paper appearing in online searches.

What is an introduction?

The introduction is the first section in a research paper after the abstract, which describes in detail the background information that is necessary for the reader to understand the topic and aim of the study.

What is the purpose of an introduction?

The introduction points to specific gaps in knowledge and explains how the study addresses these gaps. It lists previous studies in a chronological order, complete with citations, to explain why the study was warranted.

A good introduction sets the context for your study and clearly distinguishes between the knowns and the unknowns in a research topic.

Often, the introduction mentions the materials and methods used in a study and outlines the hypotheses tested. Both the abstract and the introduction have this in common. So, what are the key differences between the two sections?

Key differences between an abstract and the introduction:

• The word limit for an abstract is usually 250 words or less. In contrast, the typical word limit for an introduction is 500 words or more.
• When writing the abstract, it is essential to use keywords to make the paper more visible to search engines. This is not a significant concern when writing the introduction.
• The abstract features a summary of the results and conclusions of your study, while the introduction does not. The abstract, unlike the introduction, may also suggest future directions for research.
• While a short review of previous research features in both the abstract and the introduction, it is more elaborate in the latter.
• All references to previous research in the introduction come with citations. The abstract does not mention specific studies, although it may briefly outline previous research.
• The abstract always comes before the introduction in a research paper.
• Every paper does not need an abstract. However, an introduction is an essential component of all research papers.

If you are still confused about how to write the abstract and the introduction of your research paper while accounting for the differences between them, head over to Elsevier Author Services . Our experts will be happy to guide you throughout your research journey, with useful advice on how to write high quality research papers and get them published in reputed journals!

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Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between an abstract and a summary.

An abstract concisely explains all the key points of an academic text such as a thesis , dissertation or journal article. It should summarise the whole text, not just introduce it.

An abstract is a type of summary , but summaries are also written elsewhere in academic writing . For example, you might summarise a source in a paper , in a literature review , or as a standalone assignment.

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• Writing Tips

Abstract vs. Introduction—What’s the Difference?

3-minute read

• 21st February 2022

If you’re a student who’s new to research papers or you’re preparing to write your dissertation , you might be wondering what the difference is between an abstract and an introduction.

Both serve important purposes in a research paper or journal article , but they shouldn’t be confused with each other. We’ve put together this guide to help you tell them apart.

What’s an Introduction?

In an academic context, an introduction is the first section of an essay or research paper. It should provide detailed background information about the study and its significance, as well as the researcher’s hypotheses and aims.

But the introduction shouldn’t discuss the study’s methods or results. There are separate sections for this later in the paper.

An introduction must correctly cite all sources used and should be about four paragraphs long, although the exact length depends on the topic and the style guide used.

What’s an Abstract?

While the introduction is the first section of a research paper, the abstract is a short summary of the entire paper. It should contain enough basic information to allow you to understand the content of the study without having to read the entire paper.

The abstract is especially important if the paper isn’t open access because it allows researchers to sift through many different studies before deciding which one to pay for.

Since the abstract contains only the essentials, it’s usually much shorter than an introduction and normally has a maximum word count of 200–300 words. It also doesn’t contain citations.

The exact layout of an abstract depends on whether it’s structured or unstructured. Unstructured abstracts are usually used in non-scientific disciplines, such as the arts and humanities, and usually consist of a single paragraph.

Structured abstracts, meanwhile, are the most common form of abstract used in scientific papers. They’re divided into different sections, each with its own heading. We’ll take a closer look at structured abstracts below.

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Structuring an Abstract

A structured abstract contains concise information in a clear format with the following headings:

●  Background: Here you’ll find some relevant information about the topic being studied, such as why the study was necessary.

●  Objectives: This section is about the goals the researcher has for the study.

●  Methods: Here you’ll find a summary of how the study was conducted.

●  Results: Under this heading, the results of the study are presented.

●  Conclusions: The abstract ends with the researcher’s conclusions and how the study can inform future research.

Each of these sections, however, should contain less detail than the introduction or other sections of the main paper.

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Difference Between Writing An Abstract And A Synopsis For PhD Thesis

• Difference Between Writing An Abstract

By AnkitJain Category : PhD Synopsis

This is not something for us to tell, everyone already knows that a doctoral degree and a successful PhD research serve as the highest academic qualifications in a subject area. This means it has to be as perfect as it can be.

This is why it is important to understand the basics of developing a PhD thesis which brings us to one of the most important factors of a thesis; that is, writing the abstract and thesis synopsis.

A lot of PhD aspirants often struggle with the difference in writing an abstract and a synopsis. Here, we have enlisted a few points which will help you in understanding the difference between writing an abstract and synopsis for PhD Thesis .

What Is An Abstract?

Sticking to the point, an abstract is simply a short (ranging from 200-300 words) overview of the PhD thesis which is developed for the readers, audience, future researchers, and sometimes even for your future job applications, where the reader does not have much time to go through your entire thesis to understand what the research is about.

The abstract must only contain the highlights of the PhD thesis, like:

• the research introduction
• the research purpose
• the problem statement
• the research methodology and framework
• the research findings
• the result and conclusion

Now, you see, to include all these points in a 200-300 words short paragraph or roughly one page worth of content, the abstract only has 2-3 lines dedicated to each section. It helps the readers and audience to evaluate whether the PhD thesis focuses on the things they are looking into or not.

What Is A Thesis Synopsis?

A PhD thesis synopsis is also a summarized version of the complete thesis research but it is much longer and detailed than the abstract of the thesis. In fact, in some cases, the thesis synopsis might also include the abstract of the thesis, if the university guidelines mention it.

A synopsis writing strictly include the following areas:

• the research title and topic introduction
• the research requirements
• the literature review
• the research gap and problem statement
• the research methodology 
• the research significance, scope and objectives
• the expected budget and deadline of the research

A PhD thesis synopsis is also known as proposal because it proposes the idea of the researcher to the research committee. It is important to understand that synopsis, thus, needs to be well-curated in order to get the acceptance for conducting the whole research.

Difference Between Thesis Abstract And Synopsis

To keep it easily interpretable and straightforward, we have divided the differences in points on the basis of which you can deduct the basic differences between the two.

An abstract is written after the PhD thesis has been developed as it includes the result section as well and it needs to be added with the thesis while submitting it to the research committee or sending it to get published.

Whereas, a thesis synopsis needs to be written before the thesis development and must receive the acceptance by the concerned authorities in order to get the approval for the research conduct.

Significance:

The abstract is mostly significant in boosting the career and is more prominent for the later stages that come after the doctoral degree. As in getting a job or publishing the research where the editors and viewers go through the abstract first because of the time shortage.

As for the synopsis, it is more important for academia and shows the ideas and perceptions of the young scholars.

The abstract is usually written in one of two paragraphs and appears first in the PhD thesis; whereas, the synopsis contains different headlines just like the different chapters in PhD thesis writing to clearly discuss all those areas and is not connected with the PhD thesis but is submitted separately.

Inclusions:

Other than the brief introduction and highlights of the PhD thesis, the abstract also talks about the result. The main focus remains on giving the complete overview of the research. However, the synopsis writing does not include the results and conclusions. It mainly focuses on the importance of the research and the course of development providing a framework to the research that needs to be conducted.

A smart person once said “if you want a thing done well, then do it yourself”, but we say when you can get the better work, then don’t settle for anything less that can affect your PhD research and academic career in one blow.

A lot of scholars make mistakes when they end up writing the summary of synopsis in the abstract considering it right. Having errors in complex areas can still be avoided considering the overall research, but having errors in the basics may portray you as ignorant in regards to your study.

For consultancy and any PhD thesis guidance services, get in touch with our teams of experts or leave your query and we will call you back.

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Abstract Vs Introduction: Key Similarities and Differences

Is an abstract the same as an introduction? This is one of the questions we receive most frequently, so we thought it would be a good idea to write an article about the abstract vs introduction problem. Most students don’t know how to differentiate between the two, especially if they are new to academic writing. Even though the two things are somewhat similar, there is at least one major difference between introduction and abstract. In this article, we will discuss the similarities and differences between the two. What is the difference between an abstract and an introduction? Let’s find out!

The Abstract Vs Introduction Problem

Introduction vs abstract: which one does what? Because many professors don’t explain these two terms to their students, it’s easy to confuse them. We consider that this is not the students’ fault. If they don’t know the difference between an abstract and an introduction, it’s easy to make a grave mistake. Of course, you will get penalized harshly for this. This blog post aims to provide information about abstract vs introduction scientific paper writers need to make sure they don’t get an F on their next essay.

Abstract and Introduction: What Are They?

So, let’s discuss abstract vs introduction APA style. An abstract is basically a summary of a complex paper (such as a thesis or a research paper).

The abstract summarizes all the different parts of the paper, including the research problem, the objectives, the methods, the results, and the conclusion. After reading the abstract, the reader should know exactly what the paper is about and how it is structured. The length of an abstract is around 250-300 words. The introduction, on the other hand, is there to give your readers an idea of what you are about to talk about and introduce your thesis statement.

It can contain a bit of background information, but it does not delve into the specifics of your research methods or results. Also, the introduction does not discuss the conclusion of the paper in any way.

The Key Difference Between Abstract and Introduction

OK, but what is the major difference between abstract and introduction? In simple terms, the abstract is a summary of the entire research paper. It briefly discusses the methods, results and conclusion. The introduction, on the other hand, is there to entice the reader to read the entire paper. It discusses just the background of the problem and the objectives of the paper. You will never see the conclusion being discussed in an introduction.

Is an APA abstract vs introduction different from MLA or other types of academic writing? No, the abstract and the introduction are just as different regardless of the academic writing style. You should never confuse one for the other because the consequences can be a rejected paper or at the very least a very low grade.

Introduction vs Abstract: The Similarities

Now that you know the main difference between an abstract and introduction, it’s time to talk about similarities. This should help you avoid any confusion:

• Both the introduction and the abstract are placed at the beginning of a research paper. In fact, an abstract can be considered a de-facto introduction.
• Both the abstract and the introduction are there to provide some information about the subject and about the objectives of your research paper.
• Both can be used as a way to attract the interest of a reader.

However, this is where the similarities end. Never assume that you can write an introduction in place of an abstract. Of course, you can’t write an abstract in place of an introduction either. This is the information about abstract vs introduction lab report writers need to know before they start writing their first paper. We know that sometimes writing an abstract can be more difficult than the introduction to abstract algebra in high school. However, with practice, you will quickly get the hang of it.

Abstract and Introduction Examples

To help you understand the meaning and role of an abstract better, we have written an example abstract for you and broken it down into pieces:

As of 2023, residual herbicide that is accumulating in certain crops is posing a growing threat to the rice-wheat rotation in northern India. (The background part) When it comes to pesticides and pesticide metabolites, green manure has been shown to stimulate ample co-mineralization. By incorporating it into the soil, the effects of the herbicide residue can be mitigated. (The objectives part) During a three-year study at the North Indian Wheat Research Institute, Azolla Pinata and A. Carolingiana have been used as green manure. The effects of the green manure on the Propanil and Buthachlor herbicides has been evaluated, as well as the mineralization and co-metabolization of the herbicides, using a process known as liquid chromatography. (The material and methods part) Initial results indicate that Azolla Pinata caused the Propanil herbicide to co-mineralize in 14 days. However, the green manure did not have the intended effect on the Buthachlor herbicide during the study. (The findings part) After analyzing the findings of the study, we can say for certain that Azolla Pinata used as green manure can prevent residual Propanil accumulation. (The conclusion part)

An example introduction for the paper would look something like this:

Residual herbicides are posing a growing threat to the systems of rice-wheat rotation in Northern India. According to a recent study by the North Indian Wheat Research Institute, Azolla Pinata is able to co-mineralize some herbicides. Understanding the process by which this happens is important for the future of Indian rice and wheat crops. This research paper aims to answer the following question: how does green manure co-mineralize certain herbicides? We will first analyze the soil and the herbicide accumulation, then we will discuss the effects of green manure, and finally we will analyze the potential applications.

Need Assistance?

Abstract versus introduction: I still don’t understand the difference! No problem, you are certainly not the only one. Many students are emailing us to get more information about these two important parts of their research papers. Instead of struggling to write something you don’t understand, why don’t you get some one on one help from our academic writing experts? In case you don’t know how to write the abstract or are struggling to write an excellent introduction for your paper, we can help you.

We can not only write you an abstract introduction, but also help you with the research and analysis part of your paper. It goes without saying that our writers and editors can also write your paper from scratch from start to finish. You will get an awesome essay that will thrill your professor. Getting a top grade is now easier than ever with our help.

We know that you are probably reluctant to get help from an online academic writing service. However, we can assure you that our experts will do a great job. All our papers are 100% original, written from scratch. We do not sell pre-written papers, period. And remember, getting quality assistance with your introduction and abstract is just one message away. What are you waiting for?

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Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between an abstract and a summary.

An abstract concisely explains all the key points of an academic text such as a thesis , dissertation or journal article. It should summarize the whole text, not just introduce it.

An abstract is a type of summary , but summaries are also written elsewhere in academic writing . For example, you might summarize a source in a paper , in a literature review , or as a standalone assignment.

All can be done within seconds with our free text summarizer .

Frequently asked questions: Working with sources

Synthesizing sources means comparing and contrasting the work of other scholars to provide new insights.

It involves analyzing and interpreting the points of agreement and disagreement among sources.

You might synthesize sources in your literature review to give an overview of the field of research or throughout your paper when you want to contribute something new to existing research.

You can find sources online using databases and search engines like Google Scholar . Use Boolean operators or advanced search functions to narrow or expand your search.

For print sources, you can use your institution’s library database. This will allow you to explore the library’s catalog and to search relevant keywords.

Lateral reading is the act of evaluating the credibility of a source by comparing it with other sources. This allows you to:

• Verify evidence
• Contextualize information
• Find potential weaknesses

As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, it’s important to evaluate sources to assess their relevance. Use preliminary evaluation to determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth.

This involves:

• Reading abstracts , prefaces, introductions , and conclusions
• Looking at the table of contents to determine the scope of the work
• Consulting the index for key terms or the names of important scholars

You might have to write a summary of a source:

• As a stand-alone assignment to prove you understand the material
• For your own use, to keep notes on your reading
• To provide an overview of other researchers’ work in a literature review
• In a paper , to summarize or introduce a relevant study

You can assess information and arguments critically by asking certain questions about the source. You can use the CRAAP test , focusing on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

Ask questions such as:

• Who is the author? Are they an expert?
• Why did the author publish it? What is their motivation?
• How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence?

Critical thinking skills include the ability to:

• Identify credible sources
• Evaluate and respond to arguments
• Assess alternative viewpoints
• Test hypotheses against relevant criteria

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

It is important to find credible sources and use those that you can be sure are sufficiently scholarly .

• Consult your institute’s library to find out what books, journals, research databases, and other types of sources they provide access to.
• Look for books published by respected academic publishing houses and university presses, as these are typically considered trustworthy sources.
• Look for journals that use a peer review process. This means that experts in the field assess the quality and credibility of an article before it is published.

In academic writing, the sources you cite should be credible and scholarly. Some of the main types of sources used are:

• Academic journals: These are the most up-to-date sources in academia. They are published more frequently than books and provide cutting-edge research.
• Books: These are great sources to use, as they are typically written by experts and provide an extensive overview and analysis of a specific topic.

Scholarly sources are written by experts in their field and are typically subjected to peer review . They are intended for a scholarly audience, include a full bibliography, and use scholarly or technical language. For these reasons, they are typically considered credible sources .

Popular sources like magazines and news articles are typically written by journalists. These types of sources usually don’t include a bibliography and are written for a popular, rather than academic, audience. They are not always reliable and may be written from a biased or uninformed perspective, but they can still be cited in some contexts.

There are many types of sources commonly used in research. These include:

• Journal articles
• Encyclopedias

You’ll likely use a variety of these sources throughout the research process , and the kinds of sources you use will depend on your research topic and goals.

You usually shouldn’t cite tertiary sources as evidence in your research paper, but you can use them in the beginning stages of the research process to:

• Establish background information
• Identify relevant keywords and terms
• Familiarize yourself with current debates in your field

Use tertiary sources in your preliminary research to find relevant primary and secondary sources that you will engage with in more depth during the writing process .

What constitutes a tertiary source depends on your research question and how you use the source.

To determine whether a source is tertiary, ask:

• Am I examining the source itself, or am I using it for background information?
• Does the source provide original information ( primary ) or analyze information from other sources ( secondary )? Or does it consolidate information from other sources (tertiary)?

Primary sources provide direct evidence about your research topic (photographs, personal letters, etc.).

Secondary sources interpret and comment on information from primary sources (academic books, journal articles, etc.).

Tertiary sources are reference works that identify and provide background information on primary and secondary sources . They do not provide original insights or analysis.

A tertiary source may list, summarize , or index primary and secondary sources or provide general information from a variety of sources. But it does not provide original interpretations or analysis.

Some examples of tertiary sources include:

• Bibliographies
• Dictionaries

It can sometimes be hard to distinguish accurate from inaccurate sources , especially online. Published articles are not always credible and can reflect a biased viewpoint without providing evidence to support their conclusions.

Information literacy is important because it helps you to be aware of such unreliable content and to evaluate sources effectively, both in an academic context and more generally.

Information literacy refers to a broad range of skills, including the ability to find, evaluate, and use sources of information effectively.

Being information literate means that you:

• Know how to find credible sources
• Use relevant sources to inform your research
• Understand what constitutes plagiarism
• Know how to cite your sources correctly

When searching for sources in databases, think of specific keywords that are relevant to your topic , and consider variations on them or synonyms that might be relevant.

Once you have a clear idea of your research parameters and key terms, choose a database that is relevant to your research (e.g., Medline, JSTOR, Project MUSE).

Find out if the database has a “subject search” option. This can help to refine your search. Use Boolean operators to combine your keywords, exclude specific search terms, and search exact phrases to find the most relevant sources.

Proximity operators are specific words used alongside your chosen keywords that let you specify the proximity of one keyword in relation to another.

The most common proximity operators include NEAR ( N x ), WITHIN ( W x ), and SENTENCE .

Each proximity operator has a unique function. For example, N x allows you to find sources that contain the specified keywords within a set number of words ( x ) of each other.

Boolean operators are specific words and symbols that you can use to expand or narrow your search parameters when using a database or search engine.

The most common Boolean operators are AND , OR , NOT or AND NOT , quotation marks “” , parentheses () , and asterisks * .

Each Boolean operator has a unique function. For example, the Boolean operator AND will provide search results containing both/all of your keywords.

A Boolean search uses specific words and symbols known as Boolean operators (e.g., AND , OR ) alongside keywords to limit or expand search results. Boolean searches allow you to:

• Prioritize keywords
• Exclude keywords
• Search exact keywords
• Search variations of your keywords

The CRAAP test is an acronym to help you evaluate the credibility of a source you are considering using. It is an important component of information literacy .

The CRAAP test has five main components:

• Currency: Is the source up to date?
• Relevance: Is the source relevant to your research?
• Authority: Where is the source published? Who is the author? Are they considered reputable and trustworthy in their field?
• Accuracy: Is the source supported by evidence? Are the claims cited correctly?
• Purpose: What was the motive behind publishing this source?

To avoid plagiarism when summarizing an article or other source, follow these two rules:

• Write the summary entirely in your own words by paraphrasing the author’s ideas.
• Cite the source with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.

A summary is always much shorter than the original text. The length of a summary can range from just a few sentences to several paragraphs; it depends on the length of the article you’re summarizing, and on the purpose of the summary.

A summary is a short overview of the main points of an article or other source, written entirely in your own words. Want to make your life super easy? Try our free text summarizer today!

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MultiDisciplinary

Anterior cruciate ligaments , by alexis jenkins.

Alexis Jenkins definitely is very active from the start. Sports have always been her passion; growing up, you could always catch her outside at the softball field playing with her high school, tournament team, or family. This all was until she had an almost career-ending injury occur not just once but twice. Luckily, she could continue to play two years of college softball, but she always wondered why tearing your ACL, also known as your Anterior Cruciate Ligament, was such a big deal. Now years later, she is a Senior here at Millersville studying Sports Journalism. After graduation, she plans to work her way into the ESPN world to eventually become an ESPN Broadcast Journalist.

• MiM Journal
• Mar 16, 2021

Main Differences Between a Summary and an Abstract

Writing for an abstract may have similar steps to writing for a summary, but they have different objectives and requirements. While an abstract is a short, descriptive paragraph overviewing your entire paper from introduction to the findings or future studies, a summary includes your entire paper and its visuals, just in a shorter length and more concise than it’s original document. This article will discuss the key parts to include in an abstract and a summary.

The abstract should summarize the main points of your paper without specific detail. So it should communicate, if relevant: main question of your paper, methods, major results or findings, the importance of results or findings, and how they shape a theory or answer your question.

-Start with the main point: The beginning statement should describe the main point you are trying to communicate to the reader. Sometimes, this may be the thesis, or it may be the research topic, all depending on what kind of paper you are writing.

-Keep it concise: This is meant to briefly discuss your article, and only talk about the main points between the introduction, body, and conclusion.

-Remember the length: This abstract is meant to be a paragraph; therefore, each piece of information given in the summary should be short, key parts of the article.

-Follow the same order: Make sure your abstract follows the same order that your paper is written in.

-Keep it to the facts: Keep in mind to only use factual statements or observations and avoid using opinions, repetition, and any ‘fluff’ content.

-Create an effective ending: The last sentence should be able to effectively wrap up the findings of the article.

On the other hand, the summary is a much longer version of the abstract, containing more details, visuals, and opinions.

-Follow the same order: Again, this should follow the same order as your paper.

-Keep in mind the length: Remember the length that the publication is asking your article to be at. With publishing for MiMJ , we are asking for a 2-3 page, 1000 word limit. With this, try to be concise and only have information that is key to conveying your message in your paper.

-Facts and opinions allowed: Unlike writing for an abstract, you are not limited to what kind of information you will be giving; you can include any fact, opinion, or finding, as long as it is a key piece of information that still allows your paper to be concise.

-You can use visuals: The use of visuals is welcomed while writing your summary. However, make sure they are necessary to convey your message to the reader due to the fact that summaries need to be concise (do you think I mentioned that your summary needs to be concise enough?). Secondly, make sure each visual that is used is explained well, as summaries are for a general audience.

-Remember the format: You still have to organize your paper in the format that is required by the publication you wish to publish your article with. With publishing with MiMJ , we require your paper to be written in 7th edition APA format.

-Remember your citations: As any paper would include, citations are an important way to credit the sources you used to create your wonderful paper. In addition, make sure your citations abide by the format you are using. This also ties in having a literature cited page as well.

In conclusion, your summary should be a shorter, more concise version of your original paper that still includes all important information and effectively translates the message from your paper. Whereas the abstract should be a short paragraph that presents all key facts and information. In the future, try to refer to this post as a mental checklist after writing any abstract or summary, or even while you are writing!

Furthermore, have you previously used any of these ideas while writing your summary? Are there any other tips that have helped you while writing a summary?

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This is a great explanation of Abstract and Summary.

This is very helpful information!

I think this is a very interesting paper discussing the differences between the two formats! Does anyone know if certain publications will prefer one type over another (ex: an abstract over a summary)? Or is it considered industry standard to include both?

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Background: Is de novo metastatic breast cancer (dnMBC) the same disease in the elderly as in younger breast cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the metastatic patterns and survival outcomes in dnMBC according to age groups.We included patients from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results program. Chi-square test, multivariate logistic regression analyses, and multivariate Cox regression models were used for statistical analyses.Results: A total of 17719 patients were included. There were 3.6% (n=638), 18.6% (n=3290), 38.0% (n=6725), and 39.9% (n=7066) of patients aged <35, 35-49, 50-64, and ≥65 years, respectively. Older patients had a significantly higher risk of lung metastasis and a significantly lower risk of liver metastasis. There were 19.1%, 25.6%, 30.9%, and 35.7% of patients with lung metastasis in those aged <35, 35-49, 50-64, and ≥65 years, respectively. Moreover, the proportion of liver metastasis was 37.6%, 29.5%, 26.3%, and 19.2%, respectively. Age was the independent prognostic factor associated with breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS).Those aged 50-64 years had significantly inferior BCSS (P<0.001) and OS (P<0.001) than those aged <35 years. Patients aged ≥65 years also had significantly lower BCSS (P<0.001) and OS (P<0.001) than those aged <35 years. However, similar outcomes were found between those aged 35-49 and <35 years.Conclusions: Our study suggests that different age groups may affect the metastatic patterns among patients with dnMBC and the survival of younger patients is more favorable than those of older patients.

Keywords: breast cancer, age, prognosis, Metastatic patterns, SEER

Received: 13 Feb 2024; Accepted: 12 Apr 2024.

Copyright: © 2024 Liu, Huang, Chen and Wu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Xueqin Chen, First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361001, Fujian Province, China San-Gang Wu, First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361001, Fujian Province, China

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Monday, April 08, 2024

Three-Minute Thesis Grand Finale winners announced

The Office of Graduate Education and Life announced the winners of the annual Three-Minute Thesis Competition , which was held on April 3 during WVU Graduate Student Appreciation Week and Research Week.

For the first time in WVU 3MT competition history, two doctoral students tied for first place. Denis Ruto, from the Statler College, and Paige Zalman, PhD candidate from the College of Applied Human Services, received the same scores to win. Zalman also won the People’s Choice Award. 

Even though Ruto acknowledged that it was a great challenge to narrow down his dissertation and research to under three minutes, he impressed the judges on his presentation titled “Sustainable Nutrient Management Opportunities for Small Communities with Wastewater Lagoons.” 

Meanwhile, Zalman scored points with both the judges and audience members with her presentation on “Exploring Music Major Mental Health Using Photovoice and Narrative Inquiry.” She emphasized the importance of qualitative methodologies that can help people better understand the nature of problems people are researching today.

Second place was awarded to Kayla Steinberger, an immunology specialist in the School of Medicine, for her presentation on “Hypoxia Regulates Vessel-Modifying Macrophages and Vice Versa in Tumors.” She emphasized that, as a future scientist, it’s important to know how to best communicate her science to the public, so she takes every opportunity to get in front of people and “make stuff that's really hard, sound really easy.” 

Vaishakhi Suresh, an industrial and management systems engineering student in the Statler College, received third place for her research presentation on “Exploring the Challenges of Handling Mass Fatalities during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” When asked why she entered the competition, Vaishakhi said, “It's a great opportunity to talk about her research to the rest of the WVU community.” She was also excited to meet other students in different fields and learn more about their research.

This year’s judges included Ming Lei, senior associate vice president in the Office of Research and Graduate Education and vice dean of research in the School of Medicine; Rachel Morris, biology doctoral student in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences; Mikylah Myers, associate dean of artistic and scholarly achievement in the College of Creative Arts; Patricia Slagel, assistant director of advising and student operations of graduate programs in the John Chambers College of Business and Economics; and Daniel Totzkay, assistant professor of communication studies in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. 

The internationally renowned 3MT competition, originally founded by the University of Queensland in Australia, challenges doctoral students to present their research topic and its significance in three minutes using a single PowerPoint slide. Competitors develop academic, presentation and research communication skills while gaining experience pitching their research succinctly to a non-specialist audience. 

Grand Finale prizes include: 

• First Place Prize: $1,000 

• Second Place Prize: $750 

• Third Place Prize: $500 

• People’s Choice Prize: $250 

Read more about all ten grand finale finalists and learn more about the WVU 3MT Competition.

For more information, contact Betty Mei at  [email protected].