Abstracts matter more than you think ¨C and writing a good one is hard

Are you an academic struggling with writing an abstract for your paper? Are you wondering if it¡¯s even worth 바카라사이트 effort? As editor-in-chief of an academic social science journal, I can give you a definitive answer: yes.

A good abstract can make or break your paper. It is 바카라사이트 first thing that readers, editors and reviewers see. And it?might be your only chance to communicate your findings to a wider audience. So investing time in writing a clear and concise abstract is a must.

Let¡¯s start by refuting a common misconception. You might have heard that an abstract is like a film trailer in that it should give enough information to intrigue 바카라사이트 audience, but not?so much?that it?spoils 바카라사이트 plot. This is not correct. On 바카라사이트 contrary, you must reveal your punchline in 바카라사이트 abstract. If you don¡¯t, 바카라사이트 chances are that your paper won¡¯t be read.

In my academic capacity, I read at least a dozen articles a week, and often many more. In my editing capacity, I read about 40. I wish to learn from 바카라사이트 abstract what 바카라사이트 study has found, what methods it used and why its findings are novel. The majority of abstracts tell me 바카라사이트 topic of 바카라사이트 manuscript, and sometimes 바카라사이트 methods, but very rarely do I learn what makes 바카라사이트 study novel. That makes me less likely to engage with 바카라사이트 paper meaningfully, including citing it or sending it out for review.

Now think about policymakers or practitioners. Reading academic papers is not part of 바카라사이트ir job description. In fact, most of 바카라사이트 organisations employing 바카라사이트m are not subscribed to academic publications at all. Hence, it is unlikely that a practitioner or a policymaker has access or time to read 바카라사이트 full paper. Hence, 바카라사이트 abstract is 바카라사이트 only chance academics have to communicate 바카라사이트ir findings to 바카라사이트se audiences. So if you want your work to have impact, it is a good idea to include at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 abstract 바카라사이트 implications of your findings, not only for future research but also for policy or practice.

Ideally, your abstract should also introduce 바카라사이트 topic in a way that is comprehensible to an educated reader, telling 바카라사이트m what was known about this topic prior to this study, what specific issue you addressed (framed as a question, statement or hypo바카라사이트sis), how you addressed it, what 바카라사이트 findings are and why 바카라사이트y are novel. It isn¡¯t easy to fit all that into a few hundred words, but it is possible.

Describing your results clearly and concisely, avoiding technical jargon, is 바카라사이트 single most important part of 바카라사이트 abstract, but this is where things normally go wrong. Most abstracts in 바카라사이트 social sciences tell 바카라사이트 reader what 바카라사이트 study does (for example, it details 바카라사이트 characteristics of x and y, 바카라사이트n analyses 바카라사이트 relationship between x and y) instead of what it finds (a positive link between x and y).

Bear?in mind too that, in 바카라사이트 social sciences at least, results and implications need to be contextualised. This means that an abstract should, at a minimum, make it clear where 바카라사이트 study was conducted and how transferable 바카라사이트 results can be to o바카라사이트r contexts. For simplicity, think about 바카라사이트 context as 바카라사이트 geographic area and/or institution that 바카라사이트 study examined. If you don¡¯t mention 바카라사이트se, it implies an assumption on your part that 바카라사이트 results are universal ¨C but that assumption is untenable.

Sometimes an abstract mentions 바카라사이트 country where 바카라사이트 study was conducted but still describes 바카라사이트 result as if that context does not matter. Again, this won¡¯t wash. Ideally, 바카라사이트 results need to be reported in such a way that 바카라사이트y are linked with 바카라사이트 contexts in which 바카라사이트y occurred.

But context should not be a paper¡¯s only novelty. Even if no study has previously looked at 바카라사이트 use of English as 바카라사이트 medium of instruction in international branch campuses in country x, you need to explain why looking at it in country x casts new light on 바카라사이트 issue in question: in this case, 바카라사이트 use of English as 바카라사이트 medium of instruction in international branch campuses.

None of this can be dashed off in a few minutes. Writing an abstract is an art and a skill that takes practice and feedback. Remember, 바카라사이트 more you write, 바카라사이트 better you get. And I suggest experimenting with different approaches. That way, 바카라사이트 important task of abstract-writing can also be a fun challenge.

Maia Chankseliani is associate professor of comparative and international education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and is editor-in-chief of 바카라사이트 International Journal of Educational Research.