Glossary Term
Abstract
Categories: Research Methods & Study Design
a concise summary of a research article, thesis, review, conference proceeding, or other scholarly work. It appears at the beginning of a manuscript or typescript and provides readers with a quick overview of the paper’s purpose, scope, methods, and key findings. Acting as a point of entry, the abstract enables readers to determine the relevance of the full text to their interests or research.
Synonyms:
Research Summary, Synopsis, Overview
In a journal article on the effectiveness of a new arthritis treatment, the abstract summarizes the study’s objective, the sample size and methods used, the main results, and the conclusion allowing readers to decide quickly if the full article is relevant to their work.