How to Write An Abstract FOR YOUR PACE 8 PROJECT

What Is an Abstract? A brief, written explanation of the research project, consisting of the project title, an introduction of the project’s purpose, the methods or procedures followed, the major findings that include the data collected, and the conclusions reached.

What Is an Abstract? A clear and simple summary statement of the main points of the experiment. A self-contained statement that must make sense all by itself.

Abstract’s Purpose The abstract is placed at the beginning of the paper, but is most often written last. It is a short, brief version of an entire scientific paper.

Abstract’s Purpose Contains no more than 250 words. One paragraph! Keep is brief! Informs readers of the nature of the research.

Abstract’s Purpose Contains enough information for the reader to identify and gain a quick overview of the purpose, methods, and result of research.

Steps in Developing An Abstract 1.Select one of the 5 labs that were conducted in class for your research paper. 2. Begin by completing a draft of your abstract. (Use the template provided) 3. Here’s an example of the draft template.

Name and #: Period: Date: Title: Introduction - Purpose of Project: In a sentence of 25 words or fewer, state the reason for this project. Provide a statement of the hypothesis being studied. Methods Used: Explain in a sentence or two how your investigation was conducted. Summarize the used. Summarize key points. Major Findings - Data/Observations/Results: What was discovered? Briefly provide key results that have lead to the conclusion you have drawn. Conclusions: Explain in a sentence or two what results did you find? What conclusions did you find? Did you prove or disprove your hypothesis? Sample Research Project Draft

Explanation of Parts Introduction – Statement of Purpose An introductory statement of the reason for investigating the topic of the project. A statement of the problem or hypothesis being studied.

Explanation of Parts Methods Used A summarization of the key points and an overview of how the investigation was conducted. An abstract does not give details about the materials used unless it greatly influenced the procedure or had to be developed to do the investigation.

Explanation of Parts Major Findings - Observation/Data/Results This section should provide key results that lead directly to the conclusions you have drawn. It should not give too many details about the results nor include tables or graphs.

Explanation of Parts Conclusions Conclusions from the investigation should be described briefly. The summary should reflect on the process and possibly state some applications and extensions of the investigation. An abstract does not include a bibliography

You can revise and edit the abstract in the template. Once you have filled in each section, you can easily copy and paste the final version into the abstract form. Such a procedure avoids the need to retype the entire abstract, thereby reducing the chance of errors in the final version. Revisions to the Abstract

Sample Abstract Mary E. Jones # 12 Period 1 January 15, 2015 Effects of Marine Engine Exhaust Water on Algae The purpose of this project was to determine if Vitamin A tablet have any effect on tomato plants. A total of twelve Rutgers tomato plants each two inches tall were planted in identical individual plastic pots using two cups of potting soil. Each plant received the same amount of water and sunlight during the three week experiment. The twelve plants were divided into four groups of three plants each. One vitamin A tablet was added to each of the three plants in the first group by burying the tablet one inch from the stem and one inch deep. Two vitamin A tablets were added to the second group of three plants in a similar manner. The third group of three plants had three tablets planted in the soil. The fourth group of three plants had no vitamin A tablets added to the soil and served as the control group. The height of each plant was measured and recorded at the start of the experiment and every 7 days thereafter. At the end of the experiment (21 days) the stems were cut across at a height of 3 inches. Experimental groups showed less development and slower growth rates than plants in the control group. The data was analyzed and the conclusion was drawn that giving vitamin A tablets to tomato plants did not improve growth as each of the three experimental groups failed to produce plants that were taller or had thicker stems than those in the control group. Title Introduction – Purpose Methods Used Major Findings Conclusions

Writing and Revising Tips Emphasize these aspects: purpose (hypothesis), methods, scope, results, conclusions, and recommendations Omit details and discussions Simply put, the style of an abstract should always be declarative.

Writing and Revising Tips Use the past tense to describe (However, where appropriate use active verbs rather than passive verbs.) Use short sentences, but vary sentence structure. Use complete sentences (Do not abbreviate by omitting articles or other small words in order to save space.)

Writing and Revising Tips Avoid jargon Use appropriate scientific language Use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Revision Techniques Original: The purpose of my project is to find the connection between the ratio of radii of an ellipse and its mechanical advantage on specified angle of rotation intervals. Revision: This project examined the connection between the ratio of radii of an ellipse and the mechanical advantage of a specified angle of rotation intervals.