How to Write an Abstract for a Dissertation

Studying at a university may be difficult. It is even harder when you are ready to graduate and need to write a dissertation. “Who can write my dissertation for me?” is a frequent question when you are a student. Dissertations include a lot of separate parts. One of them is the abstract which is part of the thesis. It is placed before the thesis text. What is an abstract? It is a short summary of the paper to understand what it is about. The abstract attracts attention to the key points and terms of the work.

An abstract is used for indexes in the bibliography. You may also use it when you present your dissertation to the public. People who listen to your report first read the short information about it. They understand what you will talk about and prepare their questions in advance. From the abstract, they also learn the key terms they may not know before. By reading the abstract, a person will understand if they want to read the whole work. So, it is important to create a valuable abstract.

The Necessary Length of the Dissertation Abstract

The length is mainly stated in the instructions from your professor. If you do not see it, you can ask the professor. Most often, the maximum size of an abstract is one page. It is important not to write more than it is stated. The reason is that an abstract is a short summary. No one will read it if it is too long. The size is important for your final mark. The most frequent length is from 150 to 350 words. If you are not sure, you can make an average of 280 words.

What about the structure of the abstract? You should note that the abstract needs to be similar to your whole paper’s structure. There should be all the main points of your work in a short form. You should make a summary of each of the chapters of your dissertation. By looking at the summary, people will understand what information is presented there. They will know when you will present each point in your report. This will let them prepare their reports and questions by this time.

It is also important to include all the key questions of your paper in the abstract. Your readers should not miss any important matters you will talk about. It will be better to present the questions at the beginning of your abstract. This will attract attention and make people read further. Yet, remember that you can only write from 1 to 3 questions. If you have too many questions, you can combine them in one.

It is important to include the results of your paper in the abstract. The purpose of writing a dissertation is to get results and present your findings. So, the results are one of the most important parts. The readers will understand what work you have done and what its results are. At the same time, your research methods are not necessary. You may place them in the text of the dissertation itself. It is better to present the results at the end of your paper.

What Are Other Tips for Writing a Dissertation Abstract?

There are also different tips to consider when you are writing an abstract.

1. Mind your language

The main rule of writing an abstract is to follow the instructions of your professor. You should present the stated number of words strictly. In these words, you have to vividly describe the main points and questions. So, you need to include only the necessary and the most meaningful words. There is no need to talk much without a topic. The words should directly state the information you mean. This also concerns using synonyms. In academic language, you can’t use metaphors and phraseological phrases.

1. Be clear

The purpose of the abstract is to tell your readers the content in short. They should understand clearly what they can expect. So, you should mention all the aspects you include in the dissertation. Don’t forget about literature and results. You should also talk about the methodology, but it is not compulsory. This should be a full overview of the key points.

1. Include the terms you use

To understand the dissertation better, the readers should know the terms. Before they start listening to you, they understand what you mean. By using key terms, you can also give an overview of the topic. People will know the terms of what the paper will be about. This is especially important if your topic is difficult.

1. Keep the academic style

It is important to write academic papers in the official style. It is especially true for dissertations. There are certain rules of academic writing and the words you can choose. You may read instructions for different formats about this language.

1. Do not include all the information in the abstract

You should only interest your reader and get them a short overview of the paper. There is no need to include details and long descriptions. People will see them when they read the chapters of the dissertation. Include the main points that will attract the attention of your readers. This will make them read the other chapters of your work.