Writing a Research Abstract

For inexperienced researchers, the task of writing research abstracts can be overwhelming. Recently, I conducted a seminar for a group of faculty members at Silpakorn University's Sanam Chandra Campus, focusing on crafting effective abstracts for research papers.

Please refer to the content below.

What is an abstract?

An abstract summarizes a research article, thesis, review, conference proceeding, or any in-depth analysis of a particular subject. It helps the reader quickly determine the paper’s purpose. An abstract always appears at the beginning of a manuscript.

What does it include?

An abstract should include the research topic, research questions, participants, methods, results, data analysis, and conclusions. Additionally, include the potential implications of your research and suggest future directions for related studies.

What is a Genre?

Genre is the form of your writing (a business letter, memo, report).

A medium is how you deliver your writing (email, a mailed paper copy).

Genre and medium are both determined by audience and purpose.

For example, (How do you want to inform your staff members in your workplace about an oncoming meeting?) 

A letter of invitation to a guest. Formality will affect your chosen genre—the more formal the purpose, the more formal the genre.

Which genre is appropriate for your text?

Questions to ask yourself:

What is the purpose of this text?                        To convince? To analyze?

What is my topic?                                               A question? A case study? A project you

                                                                                                                            worked on

Who is my intended audience?                            Your professor? Your colleagues? The

                                                                                                                    General public?

What structure do I need to follow?                    Format? Sections? Headings? Length?

Basics of Abstract in APA Format

In APA format, the abstract page should follow immediately after the title page.

An abstract written in APA format should be:

•        Accurate and objective: The abstract should accurately reflect what the paper is about.

•        Brief and complete: The abstract must be short and focus on only essential points, concepts, and findings.

•        Steps to Take When Writing an Abstract in APA Format

•        Include a running head: a shortened version of your paper’s title that should be aligned to the top left corner of the page.

•        It should be capitalized with characters not exceeding 50. The page number is on the top right corner of the page.

•        Use the standard font: Use 12-point Times New Roman unless instructed.

•        Make it double-spaced.

•        Write your abstract last: use the present tense when you refer to the results and conclusion and the past tense when discussing the methods and research instruments used.

•        Two types of abstracts: informational and descriptive. Descriptive abstracts are not common. So, use an informational abstract. An informational abstract should include the purpose, methods, results, conclusions, and recommendations.

•        Avoid using the first person and abbreviations: In an abstract, do not use “I.” Instead, you can use “We” or “the researcher/s.” Write in active rather than passive verbs. Abbreviations and acronyms should not appear in your abstract.

 

The abstract should be one paragraph that is NOT indented, and it should include the following information:

•        An introduction to the research topic (context). (Some authors do not write an introduction)

•        Purpose of the study (aim or objectives of the study)

•        Methodology.

•        Findings.

•        Significance and implication.

•        Keywords related to the research topic.

The relationship between sleep and student performance

Purpose: This research paper analyzes the correlation between sleep and high school student performance in class.

Methodology: To answer this question, we compared academic performance against questionnaires that detailed the sleep schedules of 122 high school students.

Findings: Our results showed a positive correlation between poor academic performance and fewer than 8 hours of sleep a night. The results also revealed poor sleep patterns can lead to concentration and behavior issues.

Significance: The implications of this study could be used to encourage high schoolers to sleep at least 8 hours a night.

 Keywords:   academic performance, sleep, high school student 

Read the abstract carefully and identify its components (Introduction (context), purpose, methodology, findings, and significance. (Write 3 keywords)

 Can TED Talks Help Improve Undergraduate Non-English Major Thai EFL Students’ Listening and Speaking Competencies?

The test results (mid-semester and final examinations) of various English courses indicate that most non-English major undergraduate students studying at the university where the current study has been undertaken leave the university after four years without acquiring the required proficiency in English. This condition can deprive them of local and international social and educational opportunities. Given the situation described above, this study explored the effectiveness of an instructional intervention supplemented with authentic materials, including TED Talks videos, to enhance English as a Foreign Language (EFL) tertiary-level learners’ listening and speaking skills in Thai tertiary education. The study employed a pre-test and post-test research design in which two study groups (Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (N = 44) and Teaching Elementary Education (N = 38) were chosen using a random purposive sampling technique. The study groups were instructed with TED Talks: Keynote 4 teaching materials for one semester, and the study used two research instruments (pre-test and post-test). The pre-and post-test data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests. The results were statistically significant at .05, indicating an improvement in both groups' listening and speaking competencies equivalent to the B2 level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe, 2020). In addition, a large effect size between variables was reported. This means that this study is practically significant. Assuming the study’s positive outcomes, it can be concluded that the instructional intervention supplemented by TED Talks: Keynote materials can effectively enhance non-English major EFL undergraduate learners’ listening and speaking competencies. 

Keywords: 

Now check if you have correctly identified the components.

 

Can TED Talks Help Improve Undergraduate Non-English Major Thai EFL Students’ Listening and Speaking Competencies? 

The test results (mid-semester and final examinations) of various English courses indicate that most non-English major undergraduate students studying at the university where the current study has undertaken the university after four years without acquiring the required proficiency in English. This condition can deprive them of local and international social and educational opportunities. Given the situation described above, this study explored the effectiveness of an instructional intervention supplemented with authentic materials, including TED Talks videos, to enhance English as a Foreign Language (EFL) tertiary-level learners’ listening and speaking skills in Thai tertiary education. The study employed a pre-test and post-test research design in which two study groups (Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (n = 44) and Teaching Elementary Education (n = 38) were chosen using a random purposive sampling technique. The study groups were instructed with TED Talks: Keynote 4 teaching materials for one semester, and the study used two research instruments (pre-test and post-test). The pre-and post-test data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests. The results were statistically significant at .05, indicating an improvement in both groups' listening and speaking competencies equivalent to the B2 level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe, 2020). In addition, a large effect size between variables was reported. This means that this study is practically significant. Assuming the study’s positive outcomes, it can be concluded that the instructional intervention supplemented by TED Talks: Keynote materials can effectively enhance non-English major EFL undergraduate learners’ listening and speaking competencies.

 

Read the abstract carefully and identify its components (Introduction (context), purpose, methodology, findings, and significance.

Engaging students in dialogic interactions through questioning

This paper presents a study of EFL classroom talk focusing on how teachers successfully encourage and elicit student dialogic talk through questioning. It is based on observation data from forty-nine classes involving eleven teaching staff in a university in central China. The findings reveal the difficulty of engaging students to be the first to participate in dialogic interactions in a culture where the deeply engrained reserve is the accepted norm. Two teacher questioning patterns are identified that effectively elicit students’ first dialogic contribution in each interaction. These patterns can also serve as a profitable investment to elicit subsequent productive student talk. This study also argues for a situated, contextualized analysis of classroom talk.

Now check if you have correctly identified the components.

 Engaging students in dialogic interactions through questioning

This paper presents a study of EFL classroom talk focusing on how teachers successfully encourage and elicit student dialogic talk through questioning. It is based on observation data from forty-nine classes involving eleven teaching staff in a university in central China. The findings reveal the difficulty of engaging students to be the first to participate in dialogic interactions in a culture where the deeply engrained reserve is the accepted norm. Two teacher questioning patterns are identified that effectively elicit students’ first dialogic contribution in each interaction. These patterns can also serve as a profitable investment to elicit subsequent productive student talk. This study also argues for a situated, contextualized analysis of classroom talk.

The following abstract is jumbled, so arrange it in the proper order.

In the week before the start of classes, participants were given two surveys: one on expected college engagement and the second on video game usage, including a measure of video game addiction. Based on the findings, it is suggested that school management should develop awareness campaigns and educational programs to inform students about the potential risks and negative consequences of excessive video game use. These programs can be integrated into orientation programs, workshops, and seminars to reach a wide range of students. This study explored the pattern of video game usage and addiction among male college students. It examined how video game addiction was related to expectations of college engagement and college grade point average (GPA). Participants were 477 male first-year students at a liberal arts college. Results suggested that video game addiction is (a) negatively correlated with expected college engagement and (b) negatively correlated with college GPA. 

Now check and see if you have correctly ordered the abstract.

 

Video Game Addiction and College Performance Among Male Students

This study explored the pattern of video game usage and addiction among male college students. It examined how video game addiction was related to expectations of college engagement and college grade point average (GPA). Participants were 477 male first-year students at a liberal arts college.

In the week before the start of classes, participants were given two surveys: one on expected college engagement and the second on video game usage, including a measure of video game addiction.

Results suggested that video game addiction is (a) negatively correlated with expected college engagement and (b) negatively correlated with college GPA.

Based on the findings, it is suggested that school management should develop awareness campaigns and educational programs to inform students about the potential risks and negative consequences of excessive video game use. These programs can be integrated into orientation programs, workshops, and seminars to reach a wide range of students.

Academic phrases for writing aim & objectives (Purpose)

This study aims to develop more sophisticated methods for __
This work aims to develop __
The overall goal of this work was to __
This project aims to develop an overarching framework to __
The experiment aims to compare __
In this paper, we present a new method for __
Our research aims at finding a solution for this challenging problem of  __
We examine some previous work and propose a new method for __
One of the major aims of this work was to create __
The main objective is to investigate methods for improving __
The objective of this study is to devise and implement a system for __

Significance and advantages of your work

The first main contribution proposed in this field is a __
The contributions of this work are presented as follows: __
The key contribution of this work is the solution it provides __
It has numerous advantages as explained here __
It has significant benefits in terms of __
One of the primary benefits of this __________ is __
This gives a significant advantage because __
The main advantage compared to the previous method is __
This presents some practical advantages.
One practical advantage of the method is that it can be used in __
In comparison with other techniques, this method has the advantage of __
The main advantage is that we can __
The additional advantage of using this method is that it results in __

Choose the most suitable statement for each part of the research abstract below.

Purpose

A. This study will investigate the relationship between coffee consumption and productivity.

B. This study investigates the relationship between coffee consumption and productivity.

Method

A. Structured interviews will be conducted with 25 participants.

B. Structured interviews were conducted with 25 participants.

Findings

A. Our analysis has shown a strong correlation between coffee consumption and productivity.

B. Our analysis shows a strong correlation between coffee consumption and productivity.

C. Our analysis showed a strong correlation between coffee consumption and productivity.

Significance

A. We concluded that coffee consumption increases productivity.

B. We conclude that coffee consumption increases productivity.