What keywords will help people nd
your paper or presentation if they are
searching for information about the
topics your research covers?
Provide keywords based on the conference or
journal guidelines. Select up to six keywords
commonly associated with your eld of study or
practice. Choosing the right keywords will help
your abstract get noticed by people searching
for information about your topics. If helpful,
review keywords used by similar works cited.
Why did you do this work?
Summarize the background in two
to three sentences. Highlight what is
known about your topic and the gap
your research or program is addressing,
then clearly summarize your research
questions or project aims. Keep the
summary at a high level.
What did you do and how?
If applicable, summarize your study sample,
intervention approach, data collection, and
data analysis methods. If your paper or
presentation is not a research study, describe
your approach to gathering the information.
How can you grab the reader’s attention?
The abstract title is the rst thing that
someone will read. It should be engaging,
succinct, and clear. The title should include
keywords from the research that can be used
in searches/indexes. An abstract title should
be no more than ten to twelve words and
should use active words.
How to Write a
WINNING WINNING
ABSTRACTABSTRACT
Abstracts are the front door to
your paper or presentation.
Your abstract should be a stand-alone document
that summarizes your research or your ideas
and encourages readers to learn more about
your work. Use these tips to create abstracts
for a variety of types of papers and
presentations, ranging from rigorous
research and evaluation studies
to presentations describing
the innovative features of
your program.
What did you nd or what did you learn?
For a research study, summarize the most
important ndings and state whether the
ndings were statistically signicant and focus
on results that answer your research questions.
For other types of papers or presentations,
describe lessons learned.
ABSTRACT TITLE
INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE
RESULTS
KEYWORDS
METHODS
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
“ Abstract quality is a
major determinant in the
life and legacy of a paper.”
— Alspach (2017)
Additional Resources for Writing a Winning Abstract
Andrade, C. (2011). How to write a good abstract for a scientic
paper or conference presentation. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 53(2),
172 -175. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.82558.
Boullata, J. I., & Mancuso, CE. (2007). A “how-to” guide in preparing
abstracts and poster presentations. Nutrition Clinical Practice, 22(6),
641-646. https://doi.org/10.1177/0115426507022006641.
Happell, B. (2007). Hitting the target! A no tears approach to writing
an abstract for a conference presentation.
International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 16(6), 447-452.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0349.2007.00501.x.
Pierson, D. J. (2004). How to write an abstract that will be accepted
for presentation at a national meeting. Respiratory Care, 49(10),
1206-1212.
The Writing Center. (2021). Writing an Abstract for Your
Research Paper. University of Wisconsin at Madison.
DOS
and
DON’TS
• Make sure the language is clear and concise.
Abstracts tend to have a word limit (usually
fewer than 250 words) so make sure you
carefully select words.
• Connect the dots. Be sure that all the main
points are included and that you show how
the parts are connected to each other.
• Use the same structure and order as your main
paper or presentation. Use reverse outlining to
identify the main points of your paper.
• Follow the requirements of the journal or
conference to which you plan to submit your
abstract. Read abstracts published in the same
journal before writing yours.
• Write the abstract last after you have written
your main paper or presentation.
• Don’t include acronyms, uncommon
abbreviations, or citations in your
abstract; reserve these for the paper
or presentation.
• Don’t include new material that is not
in your main paper or presentation.
• Don’t focus on other people’s work,
although you should provide enough
background to show how your
research relates to what is known
about the topic.
What do your results mean? How do your
ndings add to what was known about a
topic and how can they be used to improve
practice, solve a problem, or ll a gap?
Discuss any new or innovative ndings and
information about how your ndings address the
gap or question identied in your introduction.
Discuss your research in the context of what is
already known and propose next steps for
further inquiry, if applicable.
Why are your ndings important?
Express key takeaway messages
and implications of your ndings.
Keep in mind many readers
skip to the conclusion before
reading the abstract.
Q
Q
CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE
DISCUSSION
Writing Techniques
Reverse outlining: Reverse Outline – The Writing Center •
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (unc.edu)
Webbing: Webbing – The Writing Center •
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (unc.edu)
Color coding: Color Coding – The Writing Center •
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (unc.edu)
Abstract Example
Burrus, B. B., Krieger, K., Rutledge, R., Rabre, A., Axelson, S., Miller,
A., White, L., & Jackson C. (2018). Building bridges to a brighter
tomorrow: A systematic evidence review of interventions that
prepare adolescents for adulthood. American Journal of Public
Health108,S25-S31,https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2017.304175.
References
Alspach, J. G. (2017). Writing for Publication 101: Why the Abstract Is
So Important. Critical Care Nurse, 37(4), 12-15. https://doi.org/10.4037/
ccn2017466.
This infographic was developed by RTI International under contract #HHSP233201500039I Task 3 with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau.
Suggested Citation: Hull, K., Suellentrop, K., & Dickinson, D. (2021). How to write a winning abstract. Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau.
