1. TIPS ON WRITING AN ABSTRACT Presented by: Vernal G. Alford III, P.E. Adjunct Associate Professor and Director of Outreach College of Engineering, NC A&T SU

2. What is an abstract? An abstract is:  An overview of facts, results, conclusions, and recommendations  Summarizes the report  Two types of abstracts: informative and descriptive  Usually placed near the front of a report An abstract is not:  The introduction  The conclusion  The report

3. Descriptive Abstract  Helps busy readers decide whether they need or want to read the information in the report  Tells what the full report contains  Discusses the report not the subject

4. Informative Abstract  Intended for an expert audience, use technical language of the field freely An informative abstract should include:  Subject, scope and purpose of the study  Methodology used in research  Findings of the report (including results and conclusions)  Recommendations, if any

5. Guidelines Instructions to follow when writing an abstract:  Never use “I” statements in the abstract (descriptive and informative)  Report as if written by someone else  Include title, award category, and advisor/mentor (when specified)  Don’t write over the required word limit (when specified, i.e. 250 words)  Correct usage of grammar (check for grammatical errors)  Write so readers can understand

6. CONCLUSION  Identify your audience  Decide on the type of abstract ~Descriptive ~Informative  Review and follow guidelines  Submit abstract on time