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A Guide to Writing Abstracts

An abstract is simply a summary of your research article. A good abstract briefly and precisely explains what a research paper is about and what readers can expect to find from it. A shortly written abstract plays an important role as it helps readers to decide whether to continue reading the article or not. It’s crucial to follow the simple guidelines for writing an abstract to help your readers quickly determine if the article is interesting. Note that most of the articles are rejected by publishers due to poorly crafted abstracts.

In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about abstracts, including tips on how to write a killer abstract.

What is an Abstract

As mentioned above, an abstract is designed to briefly summarize the main information contained in a research paper without giving lots of detail. The sections of an abstract depend on your niche and the journal you intend to submit your article. Keep in mind that an abstract is not a review, although it includes the key terms and frameworks contained in the research paper. An abstract is regarded as an original piece of writing and not necessarily a text extracted from the main paper.

Different Types of Abstracts

Types of abstracts are based on factors like style, format or substance. Be sure to consult the journal or your supervisor to know the kind of abstract they need. The main types of abstracts are structured/unstructured and descriptive/informative.

Structured Abstract

A structured abstract is presented in separate sections. The sections include an introduction, methods, results and discussion. Structured abstracts are the most preferred type nowadays.

Unstructured Abstract

Unstructured abstracts are presented in a single paragraph and still have the same information as structured ones. This type does not have any specific topic per section or paragraph. However, the details, sequence and order should be similar to structured abstract.

Descriptive/Indicative Abstract

A descriptive abstract describes the kind of details contained in the main article. This type of abstract does not evaluate the paper or offer definitive research results or conclusions. It gives the main concepts or terms found in the article and may include the objectives, methods, and scope of the research. A descriptive abstract is more of an outline than a long synopsis and is, in most cases, short- about 100-150 words.

Informative Abstract

In an informative abstract, the author elaborates on all main arguments and critical sections such as outcomes, study participants and other important information. Informative abstracts are often longer as they present helpful information about the research paper.

When to Write an Abstract

• Applying for research grants
• Writing a patent
• Preparing a proposal for a conference paper
• Submitting articles to journals
• Completing an undergraduate/ M.A thesis or Ph. D. dissertation
• Submitting a book proposal
• Writing a proposal for a book chapter

Tips on Preparing an Abstract

• Complete your research article first. Although an abstract appears at the beginning of your paper, it should be the last section to write. Once you complete your article, you can use it as a guide to crafting your abstract.
• Use the same order as your article. Structure your abstract the way your paper is written. Start with a brief summary of the introduction, then a synopsis of the method, followed by results and conclusion.

• Keep it short. Generally, an abstract should have about 150-250 words. Note that the number of words varies per journal, institution, funding organization, publisher etc. Be sure to verify the accepted length before submitting an abstract.
• Create a rough draft of your abstract. Although an abstract should be brief, you must be keen not to make it very short and omit the key points. It’s essential to prepare a rough draft to ensure all major sections are included. You can then edit and rewrite it for clarity and length.
• Check other abstracts in a peer-reviewed journal to get an idea of the styles used and apply them to your abstract.
• Request a colleague to go through your abstract. It will help you to get new perspectives and spot mistakes.
• Do not include references. Unless the conference requires it, never include references in your abstract. The reader will lose interest in your paper.
• Avoid jargon, abbreviations, repetition of words, tables, figures, superlative and informal words, complimenting one’s own work and overusing active voice.

What is an Observational Study?

In an observational study, the researcher observes the population. Observational differ from experimental studies in that it does not involve interference or manipulation of the research subjects and no treatment groups are involved. Observational study involves the systematic observation of behavior: scientists watch and record what the population say and do.

Types of Observational Studies

Observational studies are grouped based on different reasons. Choosing the best type is important in achieving an effective result. Most scientists use observational studies in research where randomized experiments are found unethical. They are also effective when looking at the cause of a condition or illness and the treatment of rare conditions.

Case-Control Studies

In a case-control study, the researcher enrolls participants with the disease of interest (case group) and others without the disease (control group). The research team then compares past exposures between the two groups. The control group is used to estimate the expected amount of exposure in that population. If the rate of exposure among the case group is higher than the rate in the control group, the disease is said to be related to that exposure. A case-control study aims to provide a reasonable estimate of the expected exposure or baseline of the disease of interest.

Cohort Studies

In a cohort study, the scientist determines whether each participant is exposed or not and then tracks the population to determine if they develop the illness they are researching about. Keep in mind that a cohort study differs from a clinical trial in that in a cohort study, the researcher observes and does not manipulate or interfere with the participant. This observational study involves a big group of people with similar characteristics. The scientist compares the rate of the disease of interest in the exposed group with the rate in the unexposed group. The unexposed group is used for comparison, giving an estimate of the expected rate of the illness occurrence within a certain population.

A cohort study can either be prospective (follow-up) or retrospective. In a prospective cohort study, scientists carry out the study from the present time into the future. Participants are enrolled and then followed over time to determine the occurrence of the disease of interest. On the other hand, a retrospective cohort study is carried out at the present time and looks to the past to identify disease occurrence. In this study design, both the outcome and exposure have already occurred. Similar to a prospective cohort study, the researcher compares the rate of the disease in the exposed and unexposed groups. In a retrospective cohort study, researchers rely on existing data records of the participants to conduct the study.

Cross-Sectional Study

In observational study there is no control group involved and it does not explore cause and effect but instead looks at prevalence. Scientists study data from a sample of people from a population and measure their exposures and health outcomes simultaneously. They observe and record information about something existing in the population at the same time without any manipulation or interventions.

Basics of Clinical Trials (A Complete Guide)

Clinical trial is one of the study designs of research. In a clinical trial, you check the safety or effectiveness of a medication, treatment, or surgical procedure. Note that clinical trials are not always related to medication. It is one of the strongest pieces of evidence. When an intervention or manipulation is involved, the study becomes a clinical trial. For example, when the researcher asks a person to do some exercises and looks at the after-effects, that is a clinical trial.

Clinical trials examine new ways to detect, prevent or treat diseases. They can study:

• New ways of performing surgery
• New ways to utilize existing treatments
• New medications
• New health care devices
• New ways to change the quality of life for patients with severe diseases
• New ways to change behaviors to improve health

The main aim of clinical trials is to check whether these behavior, treatment, and prevention are safe and effective. Anyone can participate in clinical trials to help researchers and doctors learn more about an illness and improve the population’s health care in the future. People with diseases also take part in clinical trials to possibly get the newest treatment and receive extra care from the clinal trial researchers. Clinical trials are at the center of all health care advances and offer hope to many people.

Clinical trial protocol

A clinical trial protocol is a plan made to balance the risks and benefits to participants and address specific study questions. It has the following information:

• Who can participate in a clinical trial?
• The aim of the clinical trial
• Protection against the risks
• The information that will be collected
• Information about tests, procedures, and treatments
• The period in which the trial is expected to take

There are two groups of participants: experimental group who receives a new treatment and the control group who receive the current standard treatment (it could be the best treatment or no treatment)

Clinical trial informed consent.

Informed consent gives participants key information about a study before they decide whether to take part or not. The process goes on throughout the research. The researchers explain the details of the study and provide informed consent with the details about the trial, including its goal, how long it’s expected to take, tests and procedures involved, and who to contact for details about the study. The participants can then decide whether to sign the document or not. Participating in a clinical trial is usually voluntary, and one can quit the study at any time.

Types of clinical trials

Treatment trials. Treatment trials test new drugs, a new combination of drugs, and new approaches to surgery or radiation therapy.

Prevention trials. These types look for better methods for preventing an illness in people who have never had the illness or to prevent the disease from reoccurring. Methods may include vaccines, medicines, or changes in lifestyle.

Behavioral trials. Behavioral trials check ways to improve behavioral changes meant to improve health.

Screening trials. This type of study tests new approaches for detecting diseases/health conditions

Diagnostic trials. Diagnostic trials compare procedures or tests for diagnosing a certain illness or condition.

Quality of life trials. These trials look for ways to improve the quality of life of people with diseases.

What is Randomization in Clinical Trials?

Randomization is when treatments are given to participants by chance rather than choice. Participants do not decide which treatment they want to receive. In most cases, researchers use a computer to assign volunteers the treatments. Randomization is done to avoid any bias.

What is blinding?

In blinded studies, participants do not know which group they belong to. This helps prevent the participants and members of the research from interfering with the outcomes. Blinding can be single or double. Participants are not told what they receive in single blinding trials, but the research members know. In double-blinding trials, neither the participant nor the research team knows what is given. Only the doctors know. This is done to avoid bias.

Phases of a clinical trial

1st phase. The research team tests a medication in a small group for the first time. The main aim is to determine the safety and side effects of the treatment.

2nd phase. More people are given the new drug to further learn about its safety and effectiveness.

3rd phase. In this phase, the treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness and monitor the side effects. Researchers also compare the new drug with similar treatments and gather the information that will allow the new treatment to be used safely.

4th phase. The drug is approved by the FDA and made available to the population at this stage.

Note that after the 1st and 2nd phases, the research team decides whether to continue with the study or stop if they find it unsafe or not effective. After completing phase 3, researchers evaluate the information and determine whether the results are important to health care. Clinical trial results are usually published in peer-reviewed journals, and some may be featured in the news.