Provided by How to Write an Abstract
The Academic Center for Excellence 1 Updated May 2020
How to Write an Abstract
An abstract is a paragraph that provides an overview of a paper. Abstracts should be between
100 and 200 words long and usually contain a list of keywords at the end to help readers
identify the main points of the paper. While abstract requirements differ across academic
disciplines, there are two main types of abstracts: humanities abstracts and scientific abstracts.
This handout reviews the characteristics of an effective abstract, how to write an abstract for
the humanities, and how to write an abstract for the sciences.
You can navigate to specific sections of this handout by clicking the links below.
Characteristics of an Effective Abstract: pg. 1
Humanities Abstracts: pg. 2
Example Abstract for the Humanities: pg. 3
Scientific Abstracts: pg. 4
Examples Abstract for the Sciences: pg. 5
Additional Resources: pg. 5
Characteristics of an Effective Abstract
While the content of an abstract may vary based on the specific discipline for which it is
written, abstracts share several key features and should:
• be 100-200 words in length
• summarize the content or process of the paper; it is not an introduction
• refrain from adding new information not included in the paper
• follow the organization of the paper
• be written after the paper is complete
• include keywords; while not all professors require keywords in abstracts, keywords help
readers to identify the main points of the paper in order to find additional articles and
papers relevant to their research.
Provided by How to Write an Abstract
The Academic Center for Excellence 2 Updated May 2020
Additionally, once the abstract is written, the following questions will help the writer to
proofread and edit it:
1.) Is my abstract clear?
The abstract should be easily understood by a wide audience without too much jargon
or technical language.
2.) Is my abstract concise?
The abstract should not be redundant or include too much information.
3.) Is my abstract correct?
The abstract should accurately convey the content of the paper.
Humanities Abstracts
The goal of a humanities abstract is to provide a brief overview of the content of the paper. It is
also important when writing an abstract in the humanities that the abstract follows the paper’s
organization. Additionally, the abstract should be written in third person present tense. When
writing an abstract for a humanities paper, there are four components to include:
1.) The topic of the paper
In the first sentence of the abstract, describe the general topic of the paper. For
example, “This paper examines women’s rights in the 1700s.”
2.) The thesis of the paper
The abstract’s second sentence should state the thesis of the paper. For example, “This
paper argues that although women in the 1700s were not allowed the basic rights given
to their male counterparts, artists such as Anne Vallayer-Coster and Jane Austen
became beacons of independence, offering females the hope of one day expressing
themselves.”
3.) The main points of the paper
Provided by How to Write an Abstract
The Academic Center for Excellence 3 Updated May 2020
The remaining sentences of the abstract should detail the main points of the paper in
the same order as they are discussed in the paper. For example, the three points of this
paper are:
• Comparing and contrasting male and female rights
• Analyzing the success of Anne Vallayer-Coster and Jane Austen
• Discussing the opportunity influential women gave to their female counterparts
Therefore, the abstract should have a sentence summarizing each point in the same
order.
4.) Keywords
To determine the keywords of the paper, consider the topic of the paper and the
specific points of the thesis. For example, keywords for the paper discussed above might
be: women’s rights, 1700s, Anne Vallayer-Coster, and Jane Austen.
Example Abstract for the Humanities
The first
sentence
provides an
overview of
the topic of
the paper.
The
keywords
are typed
on the next
line after
the abstract
with
‘Keywords’
italicized.
Notice the
use of ‘this
paper.’ An
abstract
should be
written in
third person,
present
tense
The second
sentence
states the
thesis of the
paper.
The
remaining
sentences
summarize
the main
points of the
paper,
following its
organization.
Provided by How to Write an Abstract
The Academic Center for Excellence 4 Updated May 2020
Scientific Abstracts
A scientific abstract’s goal is to inform the reader about the process and purpose of the
experiment performed by the writer. Furthermore, scientific abstracts are written in past tense
passive voice. For example, the sentence, “I poured the substrate into the mixture,” should be
written as “The substrate was poured into the mixture.”
There are five questions that need to be addressed to provide enough information about the
process and purpose of the experiment. The answers to these questions will then form the
abstract.
1.) What did you do, and why did you do it?
This is the first sentence of the abstract. For example, “A frog was dissected” (what you
did) “to study the intestines of a frog” (why you did it).
2.) How did you do it?
The following one to two sentences of the abstract should detail the steps of the
experiment or procedure. For example, “First, the frog was cleaned, and a scalpel was
used to cut the frog. After cutting, the organs were removed and identified.”
3.) What did you find?
The subsequent one to two sentences should report the results of the raw data
obtained from the experiment. For example, “It was found that the frog had a healthy
liver, heart, and intestines.”
4.) What does this mean?
In the next one to two sentences, answer this question to give an interpretation of the
raw data. For example, “Because the frog had all the expected organs, and none were
deformed or in poor condition, it can be concluded that the frog was healthy before its
death.”
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5.) Why should the reader care?
The goal of the final sentence of the abstract is to inform the reader why the
experiment or procedure is important. For example, “By dissecting the frog and
inspecting the organs for damage, it can be concluded that dissections are a concrete
way to determine the health of a frog before its death.”
Example Abstract for the Sciences
Additional Resources
The Academic Center for Excellence offers individual appointments and a walk-in Writing
Center. To book an appointment or inquire about the Writing Center hours, contact
Academic Center for Excellence at the Locust Grove Campus at (540) 423-9148, the
Fredericksburg Area Campus at (540) 891-3017 or the Barbara J. Fried Center in Stafford at
(540) 834-1993. To view additional writing resources, please visit our website at
www.germanna.edu/academic-center-for-excellence.
Notice the use
of passive voice
throughout the
abstract
The last
sentence states
the ‘so what’
of the
procedure.
The keywords
are typed on the
line after the
abstract with
‘Keywords’
italicized.
These two
sentences state
the results of
the experiment
followed by the
significance of
the results.
These two
sentences
describe the
steps of the
experiment.
The first sentence
explains what
was done and
why.
Water, fresh pineapple juice, and canned pineapple juice were added to gelatin to study the effect
