What Should Be in an Abstract?

A well-prepared abstract allows a reader to quickly and accurately identify the basic content of your research or project. Readers should be able to read your abstract to see if the related research is of interest to them.

A model abstract should contain the following elements:

• a statement of the purpose of your study

• the research methods/methodology used to arrive at your results and/or conclusions

• the results observed

• the conclusions drawn from your study and their significance

Abstracts are not evaluative and must not include your personal opinions.

 

How to Structure an Abstract

Abstract length varies by discipline and publisher requirements. Typical length ranges from l 00 to 500 words, but very rarely more than a page. An abstract may or may not have the section title of "abstract" explicitly listed as an antecedent to the content; however, it is typically sectioned logically as an overview of what appears in the paper. Usually an abstract is no more than 250 words.

1. PURPOSE: Explain the purpose of your study/paper. Ideally in 1-3 sentences, state the primary objectives and scope of the study or the reasons why the document was written. Also state the rationale for your research. Why did you do the research? Is the topic you are researching an ignored or newly discovered one? Why is it significant? Here you should include your hypothesis if appropriate.

2. METHODS: In terms of methodology (research methods), clearly state the techniques or approaches used in your study. For papers concerned with non-experimental work (such as those in the humanities, some social sciences, and the fine arts) describe your sources and your use/interpretation of the sources.

3. RESULTS: Describe your results (the findings of your experimentation), the data collected, and effects observed as informatively and concisely as possible. These results may be experimental or theoretical, just remember to make note of that in your abstract. Give special priority in your abstract to new and verified findings that contradict previous theories. Mention any limits to the accuracy or reliability of your findings if appropriate.

4. CONCLUSION: Your conclusions should in essence describe the implications of the results: Why are the results of your study important to your field and how do they relate to the purpose of your investigation?

 

What is an Annotation?

An annotation is a brief description of a book, article, or other publication, including audio­visual materials. Its purpose is to characterize the publication in such a way that the reader can decide whether or not to read the complete work.

How to Write an Annotation

1. Begin with the complete bibliographic entry.

2. Include some or all of the following:

a. Authority and qualifications of the author, unless extremely well known.

e.g. "Based on twenty years of study, William A. Smith, professor of history at XYZ University..."

b. Scope and the main purpose of the text. Do not try to summarize the whole work.

e.g. "Discusses the positive impact of Medicare on the psychiatric profession."

c. Any bias that you note.

d. Audience and level of reading difficulty. Such a comment warns readers of writings that are too elementary or scholarly for their purposes.

e.g. "Swift addressed himself to the scholar, but the concluding chapters will be clear to any informed lay person."

e. The relation, if any, of other works in the field.

e.g. "This corroborates the findings of George Brown's Revolution."

f. Summary comment.

e.g. "A popular account directed at educated adults."

1. Do not repeat the words of the title, give the same information in different phrasing, or offer information that an intelligent person could readily infer from the title.

2. Be concise.

Two Types of Annotations

Annotations vary according to their intended use and their content. Descriptive Annotations describe the content of a book or article and indicate distinctive features. Critical Annotations, in addition to describing the contents, evaluate the usefulness of a book or article for particular situations.

 

 

(from Якушкина Т.В. Английский язык: практикум для магистрантов / Т.В. Якушкина; М-во культуры РФб С-Петерб. гос. ун-т. Культуры и искусств, Фак. мировой культуры, каф. иностр. яз. – Санкт-Петербург: СПбГУКИ, 2014. – с. 18-21)

 

Ex. 1. Answer the questions.

1. What is the purpose of an abstract? And of an annotation?

2. What types of annotations do you know? What is the difference between them?

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

concise	краткий, лаконичный	сoncise report – краткий доклад; сoncise sketch – краткий отчет; in a concise way – лаконично; concise edition – сокращенное издание; concise manual – краткое руководство; concisely – кратко; лаконично
thorough overview	тщательный обзор; тщательный анализ	thorough grasp – полное, глубокое понимание; thorough research – детальное, обстоятельное исследование.
take advantage	воспользоваться преимуществом, использовать в своих интересах	take advantage of smb. – обмануть/перехитрить кого-либо; take advantage of the opportunity – воспользоваться возможностью; воспользоваться случаем; подсуетиться.
communicate complex research	передать содержание исследование	communicate information – передавать информацию; communicate thoughts clearly – ясно излагать свои мысли.
aptly	надлежащим образом
stand – alone entity	самостоятельная единица	stand – alone project- самостоятельный проект; отдельный проект; stand – alone credit – кредит на конкретный проект.
lieu	взамен; заменяющий	in lieu of – вместо; in lieu of notice - вместо предупреждения; issue in lieu of – выдача взамен.
toll barrier	платный доступ	to charge a toll –наложить дань; tunnel toll - плата за проезд по туннелю; toll call - платный вызов.
draw a conclusion	сделать вывод	the conclusion drawn from – выводы сделанные из…; conclusion of contract – заключение контракта; conclusion of novelty – заключение о новизне; to conclude – делать вывод; сделать заключение; резюмировать.
evaluative	оценочный, содержащий оценку	evaluative criteria – критерии оценки; evaluative need – потребность в оценке; evaluative ability – способность к оценке; to evaluate – оценивать; иметь значение; evaluation - оценка, анализ, оценивание, вычисление, определение.
antecedent to the content	предшествующий содержанию	antecedent feature – признак, ранее упомянутый в тексте; antecedent event – предшествующее событие; antecedent discharge – предшествующий расход.
explicitly listed	четко перечислены	explicitly defined – явно, четко определенный; explicitly solvable – явно разрешимый.
scope of the study	область исследования
scope	рамки; возможности	within the scope of an investigation — в рамках исследования; the scope of smb.'s knowledge — широта чьих-л. знаний; a mind of wide scope- широкий ум; scope of survey — границы обследования.
approach	подход, метод, способ	to approach the subject with an open mind - подходить к решению проблемы непредвзято; an offbeat approach to interviewing – нестандартный подход к собеседованию.
significant	значимый; существенный	to exercise a significant influence – оказывать существенное влияние; significant experience – значимый опыт; significantly – значительно.
contradict theory	противоречить теории	evidence to contradict –контрдоказательство; contradict claim-противоречить требованию; contradict a fact –отрицать факт; contradiction –противоречие; contradictive – противоречивый.
accuracy of findings	точность выводов; полученных данных	accuracy rate – степень точности; accuracy score –коэффициент успешности; accurate – точный, тщательный, правильный accurately – точно, тщательно, правильно.
infer from	сделать вывод из; заключить
selling point	точка продажи; коммерческий аргумент	unique selling point – уникальное торговое предложение.
implication	вовлечение; причастность; (скрытый) смысл, значение	social implication – социальное/общественное значение; by implication – по смыслу; implicate – вовлекать, впутывать
investigation	исследование; изучение; расследование	to carry on an investigation – проводить исследовательскую работу; within the scope of an investigation –в рамках исследования; cursory investigation –поверхностное исследование investigate – исследовать, изучать, расследовать, наводить справки.
intended	предполагаемый; имеющий ввиду	intended goal – преднамеренная цель to intend- намереваться, стремиться intention – намерение; цель; стремление; замысел; идея.
afford	предоставлять; давать, доставлять, приносить, иметь возможность, позволить себе	to afford an opportunity – предоставить возможность; to afford a right – предоставить право.

 

LANGUAGE TRAINING

I. Translate words and expressions from Russian into English:

Диссертация, исследование, выбор исследования, предлагаемый для презентации, основываться на чем-то, направленный на…,ссылаться на…, быть защищенным, изменяться на…, заключаться в пределах от а до б, собранные данные, неизменно, доступный, формулировка цели, область, упоминать, краткое изложение, содержание исследования, приводить к результатам.

II. Fill in the correct word from the list. Then choose any item and make up a sentence:

short, thorough, level of, electronic, distinctive, collected, primary, concise, unanswered, publicly, sectioned, complete, commonly, verified.

III. Fill in the correct preposition.

To take advantage....... smth; to be proposed.......... smth; to be concerned.......... smth; in favor......... smth; to depend......... smth; due.......... smth; to be based........... smth; in order......... do smth; to be directed............ smth; in addition............ smth; to refer......... smth.

IV. Fill in the gaps using the words from the list:

criteria, in conformity, summary, outline, scope, provide, conclusion, dissertations.

An abstract is usually a 1)............... provided for a specific purpose in an academic context. For example, at most universities students submitting 2)................. have to provide an abstract, too. This has to conform to specific, given 3)................ Similarly, when scholars and scientists send papers to scientific periodicals they are often required to 4)............... an abstract, again 5).................. with specified criteria. An abstract should give an 6).................. of the hypothesis and the 7)...................... and should indicate the 8).................. of the dissertation or article 12

V. Fill in the table with an appropriate verb from the list:

contradicts, provides, uses, refers to, states, gives.

Use expressions from the table to talk about a book or paper you have recently read.

 

e.g. This paper provides the rationale for developing students' intercultural competencies.