{"id":127,"date":"2026-04-22T15:29:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T14:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-skills\/?p=127"},"modified":"2026-05-08T11:26:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T10:26:32","slug":"writing-an-abstract-a-six-point-checklist-with-samples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2026\/04\/22\/writing-an-abstract-a-six-point-checklist-with-samples\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing an abstract - a six point checklist (with samples)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">The abstract is a vital part of any research paper and the first stop for your reader.<\/span> It is the shop front for your work, and the first stop for your reader. It should provide a clear and succinct summary of your study, and encourage your readers to read more. An effective abstract, therefore should answer the following questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Why did you do this study or project?<\/li>\n<li>What did you do and how?<\/li>\n<li>What did you find?<\/li>\n<li>What do your findings mean?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here's our run down of the key elements of a well-written abstract.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Size<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A succinct and well written abstract should be between approximately 100- 250 words.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Background<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>An effective abstract usually includes some scene-setting information which might include what is already known about the subject, related to the paper in question (a few short sentences).<\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Purpose<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The abstract should also set out the purpose of your research, in other words, what is not known about the subject and hence what the study intended to examine (or what the paper seeks to present).<\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Methods<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The methods section should contain enough information to enable the reader to understand what was done, and how. It should include brief details of the research design, sample size, duration of study, and so on.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Results<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The results section is the most important part of the abstract. This is because readers who skim an abstract do so to learn about the findings of the study. The results section should therefore contain as much detail about the findings as the journal word count permits.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><strong>6. Conclusion<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This section should contain the most important take-home message of the study, expressed in a few precisely worded sentences. Usually, the finding highlighted here relates to the primary outcomes of the study. However, other important or unexpected findings should also be mentioned. It is also customary, but not essential, to express an opinion about the theoretical or practical implications of the findings, or the importance of their findings for the field. Thus, the conclusions may contain three elements:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The primary take-home message<\/li>\n<li>Any additional findings of importance<\/li>\n<li>Implications for future studies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Examples of abstracts<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2016\/05\/abstract-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-128\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2016\/05\/abstract-1-170x300.jpg\" alt=\"abstract 1\" width=\"346\" height=\"611\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2016\/05\/abstract-1-170x300.jpg 170w, https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2016\/05\/abstract-1.jpg 342w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 100vw, 346px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Example Abstract 2: Engineering<\/h3>\n<p>Development and validation of a three-dimensional finite element model of the pelvic bone.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2016\/05\/bone.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-135 alignnone\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2016\/05\/bone-300x121.jpg\" alt=\"bone\" width=\"709\" height=\"286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2016\/05\/bone-300x121.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2016\/05\/bone-768x309.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2016\/05\/bone.jpg 1020w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Abstract from:\u00a0Dalstra, M., Huiskes, R. and Van Erning, L., 1995. Development and validation of a three-dimensional finite element model of the pelvic bone. Journal of biomechanical engineering, 117(3), pp.272-278.<\/p>\n<h2>Abstract types and styles<\/h2>\n<p>Abstract types can differ according to subject discipline. You need to determine therefore which type of abstract you should include with your paper. Here are two of the most common types.<\/p>\n<h3>Informative Abstract<\/h3>\n<p>The majority of abstracts are informative. While they still do not critique or evaluate a work, they do more than describe it. A good informative abstract acts as a surrogate for the work itself. That is, the researcher presents and explains all the main arguments and the important results and evidence in the paper. An informative abstract includes the information that can be found in a descriptive abstract [purpose, methods, scope] but it also includes the results and conclusions of the research and the recommendations of the author. The length varies according to discipline, but an informative abstract is usually no more than 300 words in length.<\/p>\n<h3>Descriptive Abstract<\/h3>\n<p>A descriptive abstract indicates the type of information found in the work. It makes no judgements about the work, nor does it provide results or conclusions of the research. It does incorporate key words found in the text and may include the purpose, methods, and scope of the research. Essentially, the descriptive abstract only describes the work being summarised. Some researchers consider it an outline of the work, rather than a summary. Descriptive abstracts are usually very short, 100 words or less.<\/p>\n<p>Adapted from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3136027\/\">Andrade C. How to write a good abstract for a scientific paper or conference presentation. Indian J Psychiatry. 2011 Apr;53(2):172-5. doi: 10.4103\/0019-5545.82558. PMID: 21772657; PMCID: PMC3136027<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Further support<\/h2>\n<p>If you'd like some further support on writing your dissertation, we offer 1:1 tutorials both online and in-person. Tutorials are available throughout the summer, and slots become available 14 days in advance. <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2026\/05\/05\/writing-your-dissertation-tutorials-that-make-sense\/\">Find out more about dissertation tutorials<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The abstract is a vital part of any research paper and the first stop for your reader. It is the shop front for your work, and the first stop for your reader. It should provide a clear and succinct summary...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":399,"featured_media":1588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[90,50],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-writing","category-dissertations"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/07\/Writing-your-dissertation_Writing-an-abstract.png","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":462,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2026\/05\/03\/writing-your-dissertations-structure-and-sections\/","url_meta":{"origin":127,"position":0},"title":"Writing your dissertation: Structure and sections","author":"Tom Reid","date":"May 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In this post, we look at the structural elements of a typical dissertation. A well-structured dissertation should be enjoyable to read. It should be logical and coherent, and your argument or line of reasoning should be convincing and easy to follow. Of course, this is easier said than done, so\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic writing","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/academic-writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A tree with leaves featuring names of different dissertation topics. A cloud and a squirrel holding a banner that says 'Structure'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/07\/Writing-your-dissertation_Structure.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/07\/Writing-your-dissertation_Structure.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/07\/Writing-your-dissertation_Structure.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/07\/Writing-your-dissertation_Structure.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":130,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2017\/08\/04\/abstracts-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":127,"position":1},"title":"Abstracts 2","author":"Tom Reid","date":"August 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"An abstract is a short summary of your completed research. If done well, it\u00a0makes the reader want to learn more about your research. These are the basic components of an abstract in any discipline: 1) Motivation\/problem statement: Why do we care about the problem? What\u00a0practical, scientific, theoretical or artistic gap\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic skills","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":980,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2023\/02\/28\/how-to-write-a-scientific-report\/","url_meta":{"origin":127,"position":2},"title":"My takeaways on how to write a scientific report","author":"Livonne Pan","date":"February 28, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"If you\u2019re in your dissertation writing stage or your course includes writing a lot of scientific reports, but you don\u2019t quite know where and how to start, the Skills Centre can help you get started. I recently attended their \u2018How to write a scientific report\u2019 skills enrichment session and here\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic skills","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Person in a lab coat looking into a microscope doing an experiment in a laboratory. There's a row of test tubes on the bench. The person is writing on a clipboard.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/02\/lab-report.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/02\/lab-report.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/02\/lab-report.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/02\/lab-report.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1577,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2026\/04\/30\/writing-your-dissertation-working-with-your-supervisor-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":127,"position":3},"title":"Writing your dissertation: Working with your supervisor","author":"Kyra Ings","date":"April 30, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Before you begin your dissertation, it's highly likely you'll be assigned a supervisor to oversee your progress from first steps to completion. Your supervisor will help you formulate ideas and give you guidance on how best to develop your research topic and course of action. But you need to always\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic writing","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/academic-writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A tree with leaves featuring names of different dissertation topics. A cloud and a squirrel holding a banner that says 'Working with your supervisor'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Working-with-your-supervisor-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Working-with-your-supervisor-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Working-with-your-supervisor-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Working-with-your-supervisor-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1614,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/06\/02\/organising-your-literature-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":127,"position":4},"title":"Organising your literature review","author":"Justin Alam","date":"June 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"If you\u2019ve been asked to write a literature review, either as a stand-alone text (or what\u2019s more likely) as part of a larger piece of writing such as a dissertation, you may be wondering what you are meant to do. What\u2019s the idea behind a literature review? What should you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic skills","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A tree with leaves featuring names of different dissertation topics. A cloud and a squirrel holding a banner that says 'Literature reviews'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Literature-reviews.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Literature-reviews.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Literature-reviews.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Literature-reviews.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1571,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2026\/05\/07\/writing-your-dissertation-choosing-a-topic\/","url_meta":{"origin":127,"position":5},"title":"Writing your dissertation: Choosing a topic","author":"Kyra Ings","date":"May 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the biggest challenges when getting started on your dissertation can be choosing a suitable topic. If you're lucky, you may have a clear idea of what you wish to write about. But often, it's a lot more complicated than that and your search may seem daunting and overwhelming.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic writing","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/academic-writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A tree with leaves featuring names of different dissertation topics. 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