This week the project is to write an abstract for our Action Research project. I am writing this blog to help others and myself remember/learn what an abstract is and how is should be written. Just about all the dictionary and answer sites I looked at say it is a summary of a book, article, or formal speech. Our course instructor this month stresses the importance that our abstract be 120 words or less. I think is is due in part to search queries and interest levels. We want people to be able to see the entire abstract while shuffling through search results and we also want to hold their attention just long enough to get out point across. Here is what Joe said he is looking for when he reads out abstract.
120 words. No more and not much less.
1st sentence: The research question. Make sure this is simple and can be related too by others not just yourself the expert.
2nd sentence: Note your literature review and the 3 subtopics you covered that support your project.
3rd sentence: Cover your methodology (this might be two sentences). How do you accomplish what you are teaching or doing? This one is tough.
4th sentence: What are the results of your research? What the heck happened?
5th sentence: What is the conclusion of the study?
Photo taken as a screen shot by David Hotler on a google search result.
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ReplyDeleteDavid:
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting this on your blog. With a visual and clear outline I don't see how we can't get this assignment right. Your site is super helpful in reviewing what Joe went over in Wimba - without having to go back into the Archives over again. I am going to take a screen shot of this page so that I can easily reference it when I start my assignment. It seems like sometimes we read too much into it and dread the entire process. That was what i felt before reviewing the Archive and reading your post.