ABSTRACTS Abstracts are formal summaries writers prepare of their completed work. Abstracts are important tools for readers, especially as they try to keep up with an explosion of information in print and on the Internet.
• Is the only part of the paper that is published in conference proceedings. • Is the only part that a potential referee sees when invited by an editor to review a manuscript. • Is the only part that readers see when they search through electronic databases.
• It should be representative of the entire paper. • It should be as detailed as possible within the number of words permitted (150/200200/250). • It should never represent a biased picture of the contents of the paper (that which only states que author’s viewpoints)
PARTS OF AN ABSTRACT **Background (Introduction): -The shortest part of the abstract (what is already known, what is not known, what the study intendsto examine. **Methods: -It should contain enough information to enable the reader to understand what was done and how. ***Results: -This is the longest section of the abstract and it should contain as much information about your findings as the number of words allotted for the abstract allows. ***Conclusions: -This will be the take-home message of the paper. The discussion of the theoretical (current/future) implications of your findings; he importance of such findings in your field.