Because abstracts are so condensed, it can be challenging to describe your study and include all the required content clearly and completely. Not to mention create an abstract that is stylistically acceptable and grammatically correct. This is why, after writing your abstract<\/a>, editing and proofreading play a critical role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The quality of writing in an abstract can make the difference in a submitted research article being accepted or rejected by journals. Therefore, before submitting a manuscript, academic editing<\/a> is often needed to polish a research abstract and prepare it for publication. This article provides some tips on what to look for when proofreading and editing your scientific abstract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On their website, Academic Conference and Publishing International (ACPI) presents abstract examples and lists some guidelines for research paper abstracts<\/a>. Among these guidelines are \u201ccapturing the reader\u2019s interest,\u201d \u201cmaking a clear statement about the topic and purpose of the research,\u201d and being \u201cwell written in terms of language.\u201d Therefore, when editing your abstract, pay attention to both the content and wording, along with the grammar and punctuation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before writing your abstract (and certainly before editing it), find out the guidelines set out in the \u201cGuide for Authors\u201d section of your target journal\u2019s website. Each publisher has unique requirements for formatting and structure. The following are some common questions to address:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow the stated guidelines when submitting your manuscript and abstract and avoid instant rejection by journals.<\/p>\n\n\n Do not go into great detail about the context of your study. However, give the reader a brief overview of why the study is important and why you have carried it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After writing an abstract, check that you have included your keywords in the first few sentences. Do not overuse keywords, but make sure that they are sufficiently outlined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If possible, avoid using abbreviations in the abstract. Instead, write out the terms in full and then abbreviate them in the Introduction section<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Literature should not be referenced or cited in the abstract. Present your review of the literature in the Introduction section as well. If you have included references to specific studies or texts, remove the publication details. Replace them with statements such as \u201crecent studies\u201d or \u201csome researchers say\u201d to support your position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unless your study uses a novel method that is central to the research, do not discuss your study methodology in detail. Likewise, if you must refer to a study result, keep it short and concise and do not go into details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of the types of abstracts, research authors need to be aware of word limits. Descriptive abstracts are usually 100-200 words in length. Informative abstracts are anywhere from a paragraph to a page in length (an average being 300-500 words). In either case, concise writing is key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Editing an abstract is largely a process of removing excess terms and phrases. The abstract should be as \u201cbare bones\u201d as possible, but still use language that will entice readers to read your full paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With most academic transactions being conducted online, this means that you have even less time to impress readers. If your abstract text is full of extraneous terms that do not contribute to summarizing your study, remove them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes wordiness issues are simply a matter of sentence structure. If you notice many relative phrases (those beginning with \u201cthat,\u201d \u201cwhich,\u201d \u201cwho,\u201d etc.), assess their usefulness in getting your point across. Many pronoun clauses can be shortened by using a modifier such as an adjective instead:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another major cause of wordiness in abstracts is nominalization. Despite this overly long term, the concept is simple. A nominalization is a noun that has been created from an adjective. To remove wordiness caused by nominalizations<\/a>, simply remove the useless verb and change the nominalized noun to the main verb:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Readability is perhaps the single most important factor in academic writing. To convey your research, the writing in your abstract needs to be clear and understandable\u2014not only to researchers in your subject area, but to those in other fields of science. Using proper natural English expressions conveys to researchers that your study will also be well written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Awkward and un-academic terms can signal to readers that your arguments and analysis are not sophisticated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One way you can boost your academic writing is to use stronger, more academic verbs<\/a>. Avoid using phrasal verbs and verbs with prepositions. Instead, use verbs of Latin origin to ensure academic language: <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat to focus on when editing your abstract <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Confirm the abstract guidelines of your target journal <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Terminology and Content Issues<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Give the background and purpose of the study in the first sentence. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Ensure that key terms are included.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Limit abbreviated terms. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Do not include literature. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Limit details about methods and findings. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Wordiness and Readability Issues<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Keep the language simple and concise. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Check for unnecessary relative clauses and avoid nominalizations. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Flow and Consistency Issues<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Make sure sentences are natural and clear. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Make sure the language is at an academic level. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n