Brief description of steps to write abstract of a scientific article

1. HOW TO WRITE RESEARCH PAPER ABSTRACT
Presenter: Dr. Kshitij Bansal
Senior Resident
Department of Neurology
Government Medical College, Kota

2. WHAT IS ABSTRACT
An abstract is a short summary of your
(published or unpublished) research paper,
usually about a paragraph.

3. PURPOSE OF ABSTRACT
Gist or essence of the research paper.
Prepares readers to follow the detailed
information, analyses, and arguments.
Helps to remember the key points.

4. LENGTH, LAYOUT & POSITION
Length: Between 150 to 250 words.
Layout: Usually written in a single
paragraph.
Position: At the beginning of the paper.

5. CHARACTERISTICS
 Accurate, Coherent and readable.
 Clear and concise.
 Standalone
 No references
 No table or figures
 No Abbreviations

6. 4 C’S OF ABSTRACT
 Complete
 Concise
 Clear
 Cohesive

7. WHEN TO WRITE ABSTRACT
The abstract must be written after the full
paper has been drafted.
The research must know what they are
summarizing.

8. COMPONENTS OF ABSTRACT
Context or background information
Centre question or problem (Aim)
Methodology
Findings and Results
Significance or implication

9. WRITING THE PARTS OF AN ABSTRACT
Step by step process
 Write 1-2 introduction sentences that explain topic and research question.
 Write 1-2 sentences describing your research methods (including the type of
data collected and analysis technique used).
 Write 1-2 sentences describing the results / findings.
 Write 1-2 sentences containing your conclusion and recommendations.

10. WHAT TO INCLUDE
To put it simple,
 What the author did?
 How the author did?
 What the author found?
 What the author concluded?

11. TRY TO AVOID THESE COMMON PROBLEM
 Information that is not included in the original
work.
 References of other’s work
 Quotations from the original work (except aim).
 Lengthy explanation of concepts.
 Unexplained acronyms or abbreviations.
 Tables and charts

15. REFERENCES
1. Nundy, S., Kakar, A., Bhutta, Z.A. (2022). How to Write an Abstract?. In: How to Practice Academic Medicine and
Publish from Developing Countries?. Springer, Singapore.
2. Cuddy PG, Elenbaas RM, Elenbaas JK. Evaluating the medical literature Part I: Abstract, Introduction, Methods.
Ann Emerg Med 1983;12:549-55.
3. Eger EI. A template for writing a scientific paper. Anesth Analg 1990;70:91-6.
https://journals.lww.com/anesthesia-
analgesia/Citation/1990/01000/A_Template_for_Writing_a_Scientific_Paper.16.aspx
4. Sessler DI, Shafer S, Writing Research Reports. Anesth Analg 2018;126:330-7.
5. Cargill, M., & O'Connor, P. (2009). Writing scientific research articles: strategy and steps. Oxford, UK: Wiley-
Blackwell.
6. P. Mark L. Sandercock (2012) How to Write and Publish a Scientific Article, Canadian Society of Forensic
Science Journal, 45:1, 1-5.
7. https://www.wiley.com/network/researchers/preparing-your-article/how-to-write-a-scientific-abstract