Writing the Abstract Patricia Katopol Writing the Abstract
Writing the Abstract Patricia Katopol
Writing the Abstract http: //this. org/magazine/2009/07/27/creative-writing-degrees-cash-cow/
Why are you writing an abstract? o Provides the reader with a reasonable idea of what your research or project is about. o Can provide a framework for building the poster. n o Forces you to reduce the amount of text. Think about your reader - does the abstract make the reader want to learn more about your study?
Abstract – Elements 1. Brief introduction to the context and the problem - Why did you do the research/project? Ø Ø Ø 2. Is there a gap in the literature? Is there an ongoing social problem? Is there a problem or project in your organization that might be of interest to others? Are you investigating under-studied user groups? ‘I like this’ or ‘This is interesting’ is not enough. Relate your work to the literature in LIS or other disciplines as related to LIS – even if you are describing a project. What the research was about Ø Topic – framed as a research question.
Abstract – Elements 3. How you did the research Ø Methods Ø Population Ø Why did you use this particular method? 4. What you found 5. Conclusion(s)
Abstract – Elements Example 1. Introduction to the context and the problem Ø Ø Ø 2. After Hurricane Katrina, black pastors became information sources for their communities. They had problems obtaining information and disseminating it to their parishioners. They wanted to help, but didn’t know what information people needed or how to disseminate it in constrained conditions. What the research was about Ø Ø Ø What information do community leaders need during a disaster? How can community leaders keep this information so it is available during a disaster? How do people coping with disaster want to receive information?
Abstract – Elements 3. How you did the research and why you used your method Ø Ø Ø 4. Findings Ø Ø Ø 5. Qualitative – interviews with structured and open-ended questions 2 groups of adults – 1) pastors in NOLA and 2) adult parishioners Used this method because it would provide more information than a survey. Pastors were low tech users. No access to tech immediately during the disaster. Many parishioners sheltered out of area, but still needed information about home community. Conclusion(s) Ø Ø Pastors need disaster-related information compiled before the disaster. Information should be available on paper or in the cloud.
When you write your abstract… o o o o Tell a story, but leave your fancy writin’ for later. No footnotes or citations. You may briefly mention previous research or projects in relation to your work. No quotes. No abbreviations, acronyms, etc. Spell it out! Don’t say what you will do. Say what you did. Don’t include anything that requires additional reading to understand.
Process o o o Write out what you did, including all of the elements. Write it again, more succinctly Write it again to meet the word limit 250 word limit for poster abstract
Resources o Purdue Online Writing Lab at: o The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at: http: //www. unc. edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/abstracts. html o University of Mississippi Writing Center at: http: //www. olemiss. edu/depts/writing_center/grabstr act. html http: //owl. english. purdue. edu/workshops/hypertext/report. W/ab stract. html
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