The functions of an abstract

An abstract is a type of summary. It is typically used in scientific or academic writing to summarize the major content of a journal article. There are four principal functions of an abstract.

ü To act as an extended title so that potential readers can see if
the report / paper contains the information they need.

ü To act as a short version of the report / paper for people who have no time to read the whole thing. The abstract should therefore pick out the key phrases, facts, words, conclusions.

ü To give the reader an overview of the research before he/she actually reads it.

ü To remind of or retrieve the information from memory after the article has been read.

One should also bear in mind that abstracts are often placed in abstracting journals or bibliographic databases, and that given the increasing volume of journal articles, this will be an increasingly important function of the abstract.

Types of abstract

The Conference Paper Abstract

This gives an outline of the prospective talk. The final presentation may often diverge sharply from the abstract. A noticeable linguistic marker of this type of abstract is the high frequency of expressions of futurity. An average length of abstract is 209 words.

The macrostructure is as follows:

ü Author's Name

ü Title of Conference Presentation

ü Body of Text

The Research Article Abstract

This type of abstract is regarded as a typical representative of the genre, and has greater prominence. The main function is to summarize and highlight the main points so that the prospective reader can decide if the article is worth reading in full. It has to make independent sense. The abstract head (title, author's name, affiliation, e-mail) comes before the abstract. The length of the abstract is usually set at between 200–400 words.

The macrostructure of this type of abstract largely corresponds to the macro structure of the original article and is as follows:

ü Objectives and scope of investigation

ü Methods

ü Major Results / Findings

ü Principal Conclusions (Implications, Value)

ü Keywords.

Exercise 6. Say, what you have learnt about writing an abstract.

1. What works are abstracts typically used in?

2. What skills are needed to write a good abstract?

3. What are the principal functions of an abstract?

4. What should readers understand from an abstract?

5. Why should an abstract pick out the key facts, words and conclusions?

6. Where are abstracts placed?

7. What types of abstract are there?

8. Can the abstractdiverge from the final paper or presentation?

9. What is the linguistic marker of a conference paper abstract?

10. Are the structures of a research article abstract and a conference paper abstract similar?

Exercise 7. Write an abstract for the article you have read as a part of individual reading mentioningobjectives, methods, major results and implications of the investigation.

Exercise 8. Complete the text with the words from the box.

Proposals are similar to … in that they are written in a … style. They are divided into … with … in the same way as reports. Proposals differ, however, in that their … is to … a course of action in the future. Sometimes the proposal needs to be …. For this reason, it is often … to include the … it may bring. Most proposals contain: a beginning, in which the … for writing is stated, a main body and an ending, which … the main body and/or outlines the benefits of the proposal being accepted.

Exercise 9. Write a Proposal (100–150 words) to your group mates. Suggest some ideas about Knowledge-sharing in your field of study. Write the proposal using the tips from the table below.

TEXT 2

Exercise. Skim the text below and say what writing skills should a researcher develop and why.

Key Areas

Writers seeking to improve their academic writing skills should focus their efforts on three key areas:

1. Strong writing: Thinking precedes writing. Good writers spend time distilling information from their sources and reviewing major points before creating their work. Writing detailed outlines helps many authors organize their thoughts. Strong academic writing begins with solid planning.

2. Excellent grammar: Learn the major and minor points of grammar. Spend time practicing writing and seek detailed feedback from teachers, professors or writers you respect. English grammar can be detailed and complex, but strong writers command the major points after many years of study and practice. Using a good writing reference can provide advice on the more troublesome points of grammar. Proper punctuation use and good proofreading skills improve academic writing as well.

3. Consistent stylistic approach: Choose one academic style and stick to it. Each of academic style sheets provide guidance on how to write out numbers, references, citations, and more. All are available at your local bookseller in hard copy or online. The MLA (Modern Language Association) is commonly used
in English classes, while APA (American Psychological Association) is for psychology and science.

Academic writing skills encompass strong composition, excellent grammar, and a consistent stylistic approach. It is important for you to develop your skills in oral and written communication for three main reasons: the audience for scientific writing today is made up of both scientists and non-scientists; employers expect graduates to be able to communicate effectively with both professional and non-professional audiences on science-related matters; scientific work is
a cooperative venture in which current work depends on the previous work of others in the scientific community, and it is vital that the work which goes into research and writing is honestly and properly acknowledged.