Research abstract

Research abstract

Vital Stages in Writing the Abstract:

(1) Problem statement formation.
(2) Identification of objectives and scope of the research. (3) Choice of research methodology (theories, qualitative, quantitative) and method (instrument).
(4) Presentation of results and findings.
(5) Conclusion and significance of the research.

A Sample of a Concise Abstract

The problem investigated in this research was that most foreign language classes are taught with little or no regard for the current field-tested paradigm of foreign language acquisition. The prime objective of this experimental study was to compare the effect of two different instructional design interventions in teaching Arabic as a foreign language. A Triangulation method (quantitative, qualitative and descriptive) was employed in the investigation. Instruments used to collect data were Pre-test, Post- test, interviews and questionnaires. The results indicated that BAIK significantly improved students’ performance in the final exam compared to the traditional method. This approach improved learners’ attitude, satisfaction, motivation and perception about learning Arabic as a foreign language (Faryadi, 2012).

As mentioned earlier, the Abstract should be written only after careful thought so that research papers extracted from the thesis have a better chance of being accepted and/or published. After a lot of hard work, it would be a pity to get an outright rejection owing to a poorly written abstract.

Here are some soul-searching questions to consider to ensure that your thesis will be received favourably:

  1. Is your topic important? Or it is just an established reality?

  2. Are your research objectives and questions achievable

    and realistic?

  3. Is your topic generalizable?

  4. What type of research design do you have in your mind?

  5. Does your abstract convey your findings clearly?

  6. Does your abstract contain information about your

    hypothesis and field experimentation?

  7. Are your samples and instrumentation appropriate for the

task at hand?

  1. Are your statistical analyses interpreted correctly?

  2. Have you presented the findings satisfactorily?

10. Have you checked whether there are typing or

grammatical errors?

  1. Does your abstract correctly reflect the findings and

    significance of your research?

  2. Do your introduction and conclusion support each other?

  3. Lastly, is your discussion convincing?

    Studies on why academic writings are rejected reveal that the main reason is that the abstract shows little or no consistency with the introduction, problem statement, objectives, results and conclusion (Turcotte, et al., 2004). Although a thesis is examined based on some other factors as well, examiners look for interrelationships with different sections of the study. Also, don’t forget to include the implications of your findings and contribution to the existing knowledge in the related field.

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