The paper writing journey: Easily writing an effective abstract for your next paper

Writing an abstract for your next article is actually quite straightforward if you follow a few simple steps. The four question technique is a good way to develop the basic structure

How “good” is “good enough” in your academic writing?

Writing abstracts is one key part of academic life. We all have to write them, for conferences, for book chapters, for grant applications, and for our own papers. Seems easy but I’m sure you’ve experienced that feeling of sitting down in front of your computer and being unable to get much written: Putting together an an effective abstract that people will want to read can be a daunting and intimidating experience. Especially in a second or third language. Being able to write an effective abstract, two hundred and three hundred words that gets your message across well to your audience, is a key skill and we can help: Have a go at following the tips and tricks in this article.

A lot of people write their abstract last when the rest of your academic paper is completed. This is a good idea: Once you've written the whole of the rest of a paper, you can then come back and write the abstract. But as we’ve discussed, put the time into this. The title and abstract of your academic papers are just as important as the rest of the study.