Day 20: Abstracts and Acknowledgments

Abstract Criteria: With your group, make a chart that compares and contrasts the following tips sheets for abstract writing. What do they all say that is the same? different? Is there anything that you disagree with?
Ten steps
Writing an abstract
Abstract guide

Evaluate abstracts: Once you have a good idea of the criteria for a good abstract, have a look at the sample in the handout. Try to identify parts of an abstract.

Also, remember these general guidelines, which apply in most cases:
  • Write in 3rd person present or future tense
  • “The presenters will describe…”
  • Spell out acronyms used
  • Don’t include citations
  • Do a word count at the end
Summary of abstract structure:
  • purpose of the study
  • aim of the study
  • reason for the study
  • methodology
  • Important findings
Tense in abstracts:

Summary of the thesis in simple present
  • This thesis examines the articulation of gender, clas, and race in a specific sample of films from the 1930s to the 1990s.
Report of research in simple past or present perfect
  • This study traced the development of the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) in Britain over its first eleven years of operation (1984-1994).
  • The WSF has moved away from philosophical origins by radical feminism towards a closer alliance with the values and priorities of the sports establishment.
Acknowledgments:

In addition to showing your appreciation to those that helped you achieve the great feat that is your paper, acknowledgments also display your diciplinary membership and networks. It's important display appropriate modesty and and academic values.