A good abstract summarizes the main points of your paper without providing unnecessary details. The APA (American Psychological Association) style guide has a specific format for abstract pages so you should be aware of this format if you are writing an APA paper. Apart from that, there are other details to keep in mind about how to write an effective abstract. The following are things you should know.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Basic Format
Step 1. Make sure that you have a page header
The page header, also known as the “running head”, should always be included at the top of every page.
- The abbreviated version of your paper title should align with the top left of the page. The number of characters must not exceed 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation marks.
- Each letter in the page header must be in uppercase.
- The page number should appear at the top right of the page. An APA abstract should be on the second page of your paper so the number “2” should appear in the corner.
Step 2. Use a standard font
Unless your instructor says otherwise, you must use Times New Roman, size 12.
Some professors will also accept Arial in size 10 or 12, but you should check with your professor before deciding which one to choose
Step 3. Double-space the text
All text in the abstract must be double-spaced.
- “Double-space” means that lines of text are separated by blank lines.
- In addition to the abstract, the entire contents of the paper must also be double-spaced.
Step 4. Center the word “Abstract” at the top of the page
This word is located below the page header, as the first line of normal text.
- The first letter of the word is capitalized, while the rest is in lowercase.
- Don't bold, italicize, or underline words, and don't use punctuation. The word must stand alone and in normal typesetting.
Step 5. Start the abstract text below it
On the line after the word “Abstract”, the first line of your actual summary will appear. Do not add spaces at the beginning of paragraphs.
Keep it short. A standard APA abstract is 150 to 250 words long and written in one paragraph
Step 6. Complete with keywords below the abstract text
If prompted, provide a list of keywords on your abstract page on the line after the actual abstract text.
- Give a space at the beginning of the paragraph as if starting a new paragraph.
- Type the word “Keyword” in italics. The letter "K" uses a capital letter and is followed by a colon.
- A colon is followed by 3 to 4 keywords that describe the content of the paper. Keywords are written in normal and upright typesetting. Each keyword must appear in the abstract text. Separate each keyword with a comma.
Part 2 of 2: Writing a Good Abstract
Step 1. Write your abstract at the last minute
Since your abstract is a summary of the entire paper, you should write it when the paper is complete.
- To reflect the fact that it is a summary, your abstract should use the present tense when showing results and conclusions, while the past tense should be used when indicating the methods and measurements taken. Don't use the future tense.
- Reread your essay before writing the abstract to refresh your memory. Pay attention to the objectives, methods, scope, results, conclusions, and recommendations stated in the paper.
- Write a rough draft of your abstract without looking directly at the paper. This will help you summarize without copying key sentences from the paper.
Step 2. Know the type of abstract you need to write
An abstract can be informative or descriptive.
- An informative abstract mentions the objectives, methods, scope, results, conclusions, and recommendations in your report. The abstract should emphasize the important points of the paper to enable the reader to decide whether or not to read the entire report. The total length of the abstract is approximately less than or equal to 10 percent of the length of the report.
- The descriptive abstract includes the objectives, methods, and scope defined in the report, but without results, conclusions, or recommendations. This abstract is less common in APA style and is usually less than 100 words. The goal is to introduce the subject to the reader, essentially enticing the reader to read the report so they can learn from the results.
Step 3. Ask yourself questions about the paper
In order to write a comprehensive, informative abstract, you should ask yourself a variety of questions about the purpose and results of your work.
- For example, ask yourself why you did the research, what you did, how you did it, what you found, and what the findings indicate.
- If your paper is about a new method, ask yourself about the benefits of the new method and how well it works.
Step 4. Include only the details used in the essay
The abstract is there to summarize your paper so that including information that isn't actually used in the paper is a bit like false advertising.
- Even if the information is closely related to the information used in the paper, it is still not included in the abstract.
- Keep in mind that you can and should use different wording in your abstract. The information in the abstract must be the same as the information in the paper, but the way to paraphrase the information must be different.
Step 5. Let the abstract stand alone
Abstracts should be compact and paraphrased in a way that allows them to be read on their own.
- Avoid phrases like, “This paper will look at…” Since abstracts are very short, you should trim them straight to the facts and details of your paper, rather than spending effort explaining how they relate to the paper.
- Don't repeat the title phrase because the abstract is almost always read with the title.
- Abstract must be complete and stand alone because this page is often read without the entire contents of the paper.
Step 6. Do not comment on your findings
Instead of commenting on it, report your findings.
You can and should mention your findings, but don't try to justify them. The paper itself should be used to justify findings and provide additional support, not an abstract
Step 7. Avoid using first person pronouns
Don't use "me" or "we". Instead, choose normal third person pronouns such as “that”, “they”, “he”, and “someone”.
- You should also stick to active verbs more often than passive ones.
- For example, the strongest statement for an abstract might be “research shows”. Avoid using phrases like “I researched” or “this is researched”.
Step 8. Avoid using abbreviations
Although abbreviations and acronyms may appear in the essay text, they should not appear in the abstract.
