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GW Research Day Resources: Writing Abstracts

GW Research Day: Workshops for Health Sciences


Writing an Abstract for Your Research Day Poster

Instructor: Tom Harrod

 

Abstract Components

Problem Statement/Introduction:
Make the case why this research is important. Remember to use words that will grab the reader’s attention.
(How does it contribute to the scholarly literature? Identify the gap . Include hypothesis.)

Methods:
What was done to obtain results
(Include research design, setting, population and sample size, duration of the study, research instrument, treatment/procedure)

Results:
Connect to methods – as a result of conducting the above procedure submit what were your findings.
(Refrain from analyzing results)

Conclusion:
Major implications of your findings.
(Include analysis and outcomes)

Abstract Writing: Tips to Avoid

Too much information:
Avoid including too much background information and details. Should be succinct!
Incomplete sentences:
Avoid using bullets or incomplete phrases.
Jargon: 
Avoid abbreviations, acronyms and jargon unless it is well known to almost all readers (e.g. CDC)
Images/Tables/Graph/References:
Any sort of image, illustration, figure, or table, or references to them.