How to write an abstract?

Writing a good abstract has become a much more significant  task for journalists and writers. This is because the humble abstract has become important  for search aggregators and for reading online in general. Here is a good tutorial on how to write one.

The Abstract

Abstract -It is important that your final abstract clearly describes the essence of your work in your paper. Below is a sample of an abstract that clearly states the purpose of the paper and summarizes the content. Please follow the sample to create a clear description of your work for better recognition within the indexes.

SAMPLE ABSTRACT

This paper introduces the Chaos Theory as a means of studying information systems. It argues that the Chaos Theory, combined with new techniques for discovering patterns in complex quantitative and qualitative evidence, offers a potentially more substantive approach to understanding the nature of information systems in a variety of contexts.  Furthermore, the authors hope that understanding the underlying assumptions and theoretical constructs through the use of the Chaos Theory will not only inform researchers of a better design for studying information systems, but also assist in the understanding of intricate relationships between different factors.

First, the authors describe what the paper is about. (This chapter introduces the Chaos Theory as a means of studying information systems.)

They summarize the content of the paper. (It argues that the Chaos Theory, combined with new techniques for discovering patterns in complex quantitative and qualitative evidence, offers a potentially more substantive approach to understanding the nature of information systems in a variety of contexts.) 

Then, they explain their purpose or objectives for writing the paper. (Furthermore, the authors hope that understanding the underlying assumptions and theoretical constructs through the use of the Chaos Theory will not only inform researchers of a better design for studying information systems, but also assist in the understanding of intricate relationships between different factors.)

Note: Your abstract does not necessarily need to be three sentences like the sample above – but it will need to be between 50-200 words, nor does it need to be worded the same way. Use your own words, but capture the idea behind this sample abstract.

Robert Verberg

Delft University of Technology