How to Write an Abstract for a Professional Paper

With the advent of online databases containing hundreds or thousands of professional articles, journals and papers, the abstract is more important than ever. Many databases will provide users with an abstract, and with publication information about any given article. Often, an abstract might be the only portion of the paper available for view; some databases require a paid membership to view more than the abstract.



Researchers have to seek out the article by other methods. Writing a clear, concise and enticing abstract is key to motivating others to read your paper. An abstract must not only "sell" your work, it also must motivate researchers to take that extra step toward reading your paper.

Things You'll Need

  • Professional paper
  • Outline
  • Research results
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Instructions

    • 1

      Include the motivation for your paper. This information should detail what the problem is and why your results are important. The length of this section should depend on your topic. If it is inherently interesting, the motivation for your paper will need less space. If, however, your topic is more obscure, devote a fair amount of space to interest your reader in becoming excited about your work.

    • 2

      Include a problem statement. Share the problem you are trying to solve and the size of the problem your solution tackles. The abstract is not the time to include technical jargon relating to your topic. Keep it readable and simple.

    • 3

      Include your approach. Discuss the methods you used to understand and solve your problem. Be as specific as possible. Did you take surveys, create models, collect field data, and so on? This information is important to your reader, who might be looking for specific data.

    • 4

      Include your results. What conclusion does your paper come to? Although this is not a great tip for narrative writing, it is crucial for professional writing. If your reader is looking to support facts in a paper or project they are presenting, they will need to know how your paper can support their work. Avoid vague writing. Although you should not include numbers, you should include a clear analysis of your data.

    • 5

      Include a conclusion. In your paper, you should address how your research, experiment and your results affect the problem and your professional field. Be realistic about your work.

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