An abstract, is a shortening, in your own words, of the text of a written work. The original article is cut down to its essential parts highlighting only the most significant details. An abstract should be ONE computer-generated page.

An abstract, is a shortening, in your own words, of the text of a written work. The original article is cut down to its essential parts highlighting only the most significant details. An abstract should be ONE computer-generated page.

An abstract does not tell everything, but it highlights the most important points. An abstract is one of the best ways to summarize ideas for further reference. This is written in your words, paraphrasing the author(s).

The abstract is one page in length, no more than 250 words (Nathe, 2011) and usually consists of two paragraphs. The final paragraph is your opinion(s) of the article.

Note: It is fine to use more than 5 articles for your paper. You only need to complete an abstract on five articles. Gathering more articles than what is minimally acceptable is strongly suggested.

What is included in the abstract?
1. Purpose of the article
2. The problem investigated
3. Briefly stated, the methodology, materials and equipment use
4. The results obtained
5. The conclusion(s) drawn by the author(s)

First Paragraph:
? last name of the writer or writers (use ?et al? only if more than 6 authors, as per APA)
? a phrase that describes the genre (essay, news article, journal article, internet article)
? title of article
? rhetorically accurate verb: such as ?asserts?, argues?, ?suggests?, ?implies?, ?claims?, etc.
? a clause beginning with the word that contains the major assertion (thesis statement) of the article.
Example: Michael Roizen, in his new book, ?Real Age: Are You As Young As You Can Be?? suggests that adopting certain behaviors–like flossing– can make you look and feel up to 6.4 years younger.
? Next, state the writer?s apparent purpose, including an ?in order? phrase.
Example: His purpose is to make readers aware that a person?s real age is significantly determined by lifestyle choices rather than their genes.
? Explain how the writer develops and/or supports the thesis, usually in a chronological summary of the main points of the article. Reread the article and summarize as you go along.
? In the last sentence of this paragraph, include a ?concludes? phrase.
Example: He concludes that the effects of daily flossing is comparable to trimming seven years off a person?s real age by quitting smoking, and parallels the 6.8 years recaptured by those who have sex regularly in a monogamous relationship.