How to Write Dissertation Abstract? A Step-by-Step Guide
All PhD candidates will be required to compose a good abstract. The abstract is a crucial component of many academic tasks, whether for a PhD thesis, academic journal article, conference paper, or other type of writing. Even though it is just one little paragraph, writing one well requires practice.
The dissertation abstracts are a concise synopsis of the research grants. It should cover your work’s purpose, research topic, background information, methods, important findings, and conclusion. It is necessary to cover all of this in 200–300 words. This is referred to as the executive summary in some sorts of dissertations.
While the format may differ significantly depending on your field of study, your abstract should clearly state the goal of the work, the techniques you employed, and the conclusions you reached. It should be positioned before the table of contents but after the acknowledgments and title page.
The IMRaD structure is a popular method for structuring the descriptive abstract writing process. This represents:
- Introduction
- Methodology
- Results
- Discussion
One of the most common mistakes people make while creating an abstract is not knowing the objective. A good abstract is meant for the potential readers, not the writer. An abstract is often included on a separate page in a dissertation help or thesis. It may seem simple to summarize your study because you are the one who knows it the best. Explaining your job’s intricacies and significance to someone not in your profession can be challenging.
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When to Write an Abstract for a Dissertation?
Dissertation abstract is found in a wide variety of places. Among the most popular ones are:
- Applications for grants and support
- Articles in journals
- PhD theses
- Applications for conferences
- Proceedings of a Conference
- The most prevalent format for this type of material is the dissertation abstract, which is the main subject of this article.
How Long Should an Abstract Be for a Dissertation?
At this time, good abstract writing for master’s dissertations or thesis may be no longer than 150 words or 350 words, respectively.
To write an abstract, you must maintain visual consistency. You might want to keep the abstract for your Ph.D. dissertation to one double-spaced page, or roughly 280 words.
The abstract’s format should represent the key points of the entire thesis and should follow the same format as the entire document.
Each chapter of your PhD thesis should have one or more phrases designated to summarize it (introduction, literature review, methods, results, conclusion).
What is the Structure of Dissertation Abstract?
Step - 1 Introduction
Establish the goal of your research upfront. What theoretical or practical issue does the study investigate, or what research topic did you set out to address?
If your topic has social or intellectual significance, you can provide brief background information but avoid going into too much detail. Provide a brief definition for any specialized terminology used in your abstract that the average academic reader would not be familiar with or that has several meanings.
Once the issue has been identified, clearly define the purpose of your investigation. Verbs like “investigate,” “test,” “analyze,” or “evaluate” might convey the precise nature of your task.
Since the research is already finished, this section of the thesis abstract can be written in the present or past simple tense. However, it should never refer to the future.
- Wrong - This study examines the connection between productivity and coffee intake.
- Correct - This study looks into the connection between productivity and coffee intake.
Step - 2 Methods
You must provide a straightforward description of your research methodology in this section of your thesis abstract to address your research questions. Stated differently, the type of research problem and research design you used. Among the crucial queries to answer in this case are:
- Which approach, qualitative or quantitative, did you use?
- What or who was in your sample?
- How was your data collected? Did you take structured interviews or semi-structured interviews?
- In what way was your data analyzed?
- This section must tackle the “how” of your study. It needs to be brief this is only a summary but it must satisfactorily answer the four points raised above.
Step - 3 Results
The focus of your research, the conclusions, and the results should be highlighted in the results part of your dissertation abstract. Here is where you give an idea of the influence your work has.
Be specific and measurable rather than using ambiguous phrases like “significant” or “notable.” For example, in the abstract, you may write, “Our study revealed a remarkable 40% reduction in energy consumption when implementing the innovative LED lighting system,” if your research shows that a new lighting technology is reducing energy consumption.
Alternatively, you may write, “The vaccination initiative led to a substantial 65% decrease in the incidence of the target disease within the studied population,” as your dissertation or thesis subject on the impacts of a vaccination program.
Your audience will be able to quickly understand the value of your research by seeing your abstract results as more concrete and meaningful. You can then quantify your findings and provide precise measurements or figures.
Step - 4 Discussion
The discussion of your dissertation abstract is where you make the connections and offer insights into the wider ramifications of your research. This is your chance to explain your research's ‘So what?’. In this section, you could even propose topics for future studies.
For instance, the conclusion of your thesis abstracts for a study examining the environmental effects of modifications to urban transportation may be, “These findings emphasize an opportunity for environment-friendly city planning to decrease carbon emissions substantially, presenting a blueprint for cities for fighting climate change.
Examples of your discussion dissertation or thesis could highlight, “Our research emphasizes the value of creative therapy as a creative approach for improving the mental health of the aging population. It is done with repercussions on a more holistic and effective approach to senior care” about a study on the psychological impacts of art therapy in elderly populations.
It would be best to highlight the relevance of your further research and its long-term effects in the discussion area, including any potential changes to policy or useful applications. The fundamental changes can vary slightly depending on the field. Here is your chance to demonstrate the work’s revolutionary potential and encourage your audience to see its worth.
Step - 5 Conclusions
Lastly, you ought to review your investigation's key findings: how do you resolve the issue or pose the research question? In the end, the reader ought to have a firm grasp of the main idea that your study has supported or refuted. Writing in the present simple tense is the norm for research conclusions.
It would be best to briefly address any significant research constraints (such as sample size or research methodology) in the thesis abstract. This will allow the reader to evaluate your research's key findings with trustworthiness and accuracy.
If your goal was to find a workable solution, you might have included suggestions for execution in your conversation. If applicable, you can briefly offer recommendations for the future research area.
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What Should a Dissertation Abstract Include?
An abstract’s purpose is to describe a paper, not to assess or justify it.
The problem or issue should be stated in a concise way yet precisely at the beginning of the abstract. A concise summary of the research concept and methodology, the key findings, and the conclusions drawn are presented in one or two sentences.
The most crucial keywords related to the methodology and content should be included in the abstract. This will make it easier for machine searches to get the abstract and provide the reader with the option of reading the whole dissertation or not.
Tips for Writing an Abstract for Dissertation or Thesis Abstract
Summarizing your entire body of work in a few hundred words can be difficult. But the abstract for a dissertation or thesis is often the first and the only thing potential readers will see, so it’s critical to get it precisely right. These tips can help you start your abstract section of academic writing.
1. Read similar abstracts
The easiest method to become familiar with the rules for writing abstracts in your field of study is to read other people’s. While conducting your literature review for the research paper, you have undoubtedly already read several journal articles or other abstracts. Consider using these as a guide for structure and language.
2. Reverse outline
Name keywords for each chapter or part, and write one or two phrases that encapsulate the main ideas or key arguments. This will provide you with the general structure of your abstract. After that, rewrite the phrases to establish links and demonstrate how the argument progresses.
3. Verify the formatting
There are frequently formatting specifications for the abstract if you are writing a dissertation or thesis or submission to a research journal. Always make sure to review the standards and prepare your work appropriately. You can use the APA abstract format for a write my dissertation or thesis in APA style.
Read Also: How to Write a Dissertation in 10 Steps
Dissertation Abstract Examples
Below is an abstract example from a master’s thesis that includes the goals, procedures, conclusions, and recommendations.
The application procedure for U.S. citizenship is a symbolic and legal journey influenced by numerous cultural factors. To foster a better understanding of Dallas’ increasingly varied community, this research project seeks to shed light on the experiences of immigrants and citizenship seekers residing in Dallas, Texas. This study also aims to inform the office of Dallas Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs, a particular client, about the citizenship-eligible lawful permanent residents in Dallas and their motivations for seeking citizenship status.
The data for this study were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 14 applicants for U.S. citizenship, as well as observation at various citizenship workshops and community activities.
The desire to vote, better access to economic and educational possibilities, increased ease of travel, and a desire to be a part of American society are among the motivations for applying for U.S. citizenship covered in this study. The amount of time required for the application, unclear understanding of the procedure, and the application’s cost are some obstacles to the citizenship process covered in this project. Additional themes include transnationalism, symbolic connotations of citizenship, the impact of capital on applicants’ experiences with the citizenship process, and notions of deservingness and un-deservingness about residency and U.S. citizenship.
These results point to the necessity of local government initiatives that promote a feeling of community among prospective citizens and their neighbors, as well as educational materials and mentorship for Dallas-area inhabitants seeking U.S. citizenship.
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Things to Consider Before Writing a Dissertation Abstracts
An effective abstract should be brief but powerful, so make every word matter. Each phrase should communicate one primary idea in detail.
You can make your abstract concise and understandable. Here are some tips to maintain while you write a short summary:
- Avoid passive sentences: Many times, passive constructions are overly drawn out. Using the active voice makes them simple to make shorter, and more understandable.
- Avoid extended sentences: Replace brief phrases or single words with lengthier ones (e.g., “In order to” instead of “To”) in the abstract.
- Avoid cryptic jargon: The abstract should make sense to readers unfamiliar with your research subject.
- Avoid using filler words and repetition:When feasible, substitute pronouns for nouns, add a few sentences, and omit superfluous words.
- Avoid long descriptions: It is not required for dissertation abstracts to include in-depth explanations, historical context, or analyses of the research of other academics. Rather, include this data in the main body of your article or thesis.
FAQs On Dissertation Abstract
Q1. What is the Purpose of a Dissertation Abstract?
A dissertation abstract concisely summarizes important elements of a study, presenting key results, main conclusions, and new knowledge. It acts as a snapshot, quickly informing the reader about the research’s significance, methods, and potential impact, much like a sip of coffee consumption.
Q2. How do you write an abstract for a research dissertation?
Efficiently craft the structure of an abstract by condensing main points, highlighting key results, and the main conclusion. Ensure clarity and conciseness in the context, allowing the reader to grasp important writing of the paper quickly.
Q3. How many pages should a dissertation abstract be?
Typically spanning one or two pages, the abstract encapsulates essential information, providing the reader with a quick overview of the dissertation’s main points and new knowledge gained.
Q4. How long should an abstract be for a 10000-word count dissertation?
An abstract for a 10,000-word dissertation will have a strict word limit of 250-350 words. This allows the abstract to effectively convey important elements such as key results, main summary, most important findings, and new knowledge within the specified length, delivering reader information efficiently.
Bella Phillips Jan 20, 2024
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