Abstracts

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Abstracts
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Abstract

• A brief overview of the reports contents
• Most read section of a report
• Offers readers a first impression of your work
• Readers determine the reports usefulness to them
• Written last

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Two Basic Types of Abstracts

• Descriptive abstract
• Informative abstract

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Descriptive Abstracts

• Provides the specialist with enough information
  to decide if she would benefit from reading the
  report
• Gives an accurate indication of the subject
  matter and scope
• May use technical language and jargon

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Informative Abstracts

• Provides administrator or executive with an
  overview of the project and the results it shows
• Summarizes the results and conclusions in context
  by adding a bit of background
• Contains terms understood by a general audience

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Guidelines

• Include enough specific information to satisfy
  the needs of a busy reader
• Topic
• Method
• Budget
• Results
• Other??

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Guidelines (cont)

• Must be a self-contained unit
• The abstract must accurately portray the reports
  contents in order to be effective
• Report-in-miniature

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Guidelines (cont)

• Must be short
• Depends on the length of the paper
• Rule of thumb 100-150 words
• Longer reports will require longer abstracts

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Guidelines (cont)

• Must be easy-to-read
• Grammatically correct
• Each sentence must be purposeful
• Be able to identify the function of each sentence
• If you cant identify a sentences purpose,
  consider revising
• No tables or illustrations