An abstract is a short summary of a longer work, such as a study or research paper. The goal is to provide readers with an overview of the purpose, methodology, results, conclusion, and importance of this text.
As a writing coach and part-time academic editor and translator, I’ve read hundreds of abstracts and helped authors draft and refine dozens more. I’ve found that, when writing an abstract, the greatest difficulty lies in balancing brevity, detail, and accessibility.
Fortunately, there’s a simple formula you can use to write a solid abstract for publication, regardless of the subject. What’s more, you can leverage AI to help you write a clear, concise abstract — without losing your voice or sounding unprofessional.
Below you’ll find step-by-step instructions, best practices, examples, and a helpful checklist.
Writing an abstract: First steps and best practices
Keep the following in mind as you write your abstract:
- If you’re submitting to a publication, check for specific guidelines regarding overall length, format, keywords, and the presence or absence of section headings (e.g. “Purpose”). Follow these guidelines exactly.
- Write concisely and clearly. If you struggle to write concisely, consider using an AI-writing assistant like Wordtune. Simply select text to receive suggestions on how to write a sentence or paragraph more concisely without losing any value.
- Make your abstract self-contained. Don’t refer to passages in your article or research. If you must include terms that your audience may not be familiar with, such as highly technical jargon or concepts borrowed from another field, offer a brief definition.
- Use connecting phrases like “for this reason,” “as a result,” and “this led us” to “guide” the reader through your abstract and help them see the connections between your research goal, methodology, results, and conclusions.
- Read abstracts on similar studies. This gives you a good benchmark and can help you get started. If you’re submitting your abstract to a particular publication, it also gives you a good idea of the type of language and structure they prefer.
How to write an abstract: The IMRaD Structure
IMRaD stands for Introduction, Methodology, Results, and Discussion (or Conclusion).
It’s the most common way to structure a research paper and a very simple way to approach your abstract. In some cases, authors even include these section headings in their abstracts.
Step One: Introduction
Length: About 25% of your abstract
Purpose: Provide context for your research and describe your research objectives.
Start by introducing your topic. There are two main parts to this:
- Your research question stated simply and straightforwardly (what missing knowledge does your study aim to answer?). You can use words like “investigate,” “review,” “test,” “analyze,” “study,” and “evaluate” to make it clear how your work relates to the context.
- A brief overview of the academic, historical, social, or scientific context. This helps the reader understand the importance and relevance of your work. In many cases, starting with context before your research question makes more sense, so feel free to write in that order.
Regarding context, consider the following:
For example:
Step Two: Methodology
Length: About 25% of your abstract
Purpose: Clearly describe what you did and highlight novelty.
In this section, provide a clear description of your research methodology. While it’s important to be concise, make sure you’re not being vague. Mention specific frameworks and tools.
Example:
To explore the impact of social media on political engagement, we conducted a study with 200 participants, divided into two groups. The first was exposed to curated political content on social media, while the control group received a neutral feed. Our mixed-method approach combined quantitative engagement metrics analysis and qualitative interviews to assess changes in political participation.
There’s no need to provide an in-depth justification of your approach, although if it’s a novel one, it’s worth highlighting this and explaining what makes it appropriate. For example, "We chose this approach because it offers a clearer image of the structure of proteins involved in the transfer of electrons during cellular respiration."
Finally, you can omit methodological limitations; we’ll cover these later.
Step Three: Results
Length: About 35% of your abstract
Purpose: Provide a clear, specific account of your results.
This section is arguably the most important (and interesting) part of your abstract.
Explain the results of your analysis in a specific and detailed fashion. This isn’t the time to be vague or bury the lead. For example:
❌
“Our survey indicates a marked shift in sedimentary rock composition. In three locations, we observed significant erosion, and mineralogical analysis revealed a high concentration of quartz. Further analysis suggests two major events in the past 200 years, correlating with disturbances in the region.”
✅
"Our survey of the Redstone Canyon region identified a marked shift in sedimentary rock composition from predominantly sandstone to shale, particularly evident in the lower strata. Quantitative analysis showed a 40% increase in shale content compared to previous surveys. In three distinct locations, we observed significant erosion, with up to two meters of topsoil displacement, primarily due to water runoff. Mineralogical analysis revealed an unexpectedly high concentration of quartz (up to 22%) in these eroded areas. Additionally, our seismic retrogression analysis suggests two major seismic events in the past 200 years, correlating with the observed stratification disturbances."
Incidentally, you don’t need to include all of your findings here, only those that will help the reader to understand the next section: your discussion and conclusion (i.e., what the results mean). This will help you keep the results section concise and relevant.
Step Four: Discussion/Conclusion
Length: About 15%
Purpose: Present what new knowledge you’ve found and why it matters.
Bearing in mind your research question, give a clear account of your conclusions. What new knowledge has been gained?
The simplest way to do this is in the present tense: “We conclude that…”
You should also briefly explain why this matters. What are the implications of your findings? Be specific and avoid making claims that aren’t directly supported by your research.
If there are any important limitations (such as population or control group size), you can mention them now. This helps readers assess the credibility and generalizability of your findings.
Examples
FAQs
What is the main objective of an abstract?
The goal of an abstract is to provide readers with a concise overview of the purpose, methodology, results, conclusion, and importance of a longer work, such as a research paper or study.
How long should an abstract be?
Depending on the publication, an abstract should be anywhere from 150 to 250 words.
What should an abstract include?
An abstract should include an introduction (context + research question), the methodology, the results, and a conclusion (what you found and why it matters).
Conclusion
IMRaD is a simple formula you can follow to write a great abstract for any topic and publication type. Simply follow the instructions above to write each section: Introduction, Methodology, Results, and Discussion/Conclusion.
Be careful to balance detail with brevity, as abstracts are meant to be a short overview of your study. If you struggle with writing concisely and clearly, consider using a writing aid like Wordtune to handle some of the heavy lifting.
Want to learn more key writing tips? Check out these articles:
- How to Write Concisely and Effectively (+Examples)
- Transition Word Examples and How to Use Them Effectively
- How to Write a Research Paper (+Free AI Research Paper Writer)
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