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What is an
abstract?
- An abstract is a short informative
or descriptive summary of a longer report.
- It is written after the report is
completed, although it is intended to be read first.
- In a technical report, the abstract
appears on a separate page after the table of contents and list of
illustrations.
- For your science project report, it
most likely should appear on a separate page, just after the title
page and therefore just before the report itself.
- A Science Project abstract must be informative,
not descriptive:
- A DESCRIPTIVE abstract
merely identifies the areas to be covered in the report. It is
an extended statement of purpose or scope. Such an abstract is
only useful for a very long report, because it demonstrates only
the paper's organization, not its content.
- An INFORMATIVE abstract
summarizes the entire report and gives the reader an overview of
the facts that will be laid out in detail in the paper itself.
It is rarely longer than one page and should never exceed more
than 10% of the length of the entire report; otherwise it
defeats its own purpose.
- Several potential uses for
abstracts:
- Abstract provide information
quickly and help readers decide whether to read the complete
article.
- Abstract provides an overview of
content.
- How to write an informative
abstract:
- Plan to write an abstract that
is no more than 10% of the length of the report.
- In the first draft, note key
facts, statistics, etc. that you need to include.
- Do not include a statement of
scope; a sentence like "this paper will look at...."
is inappropriate in an informative abstract.
- Be sure to omit or condense
lengthy examples, tables, and other supporting detail.
- Revise the draft into smooth,
stand-alone prose; the abstract itself should be a mini-essay.
- Edit the revision. Be sure that
the abstract is complete and accurate. Double check that the
abstract is written in the same voice as is the paper.
Sample
Abstract by: Emily C. Small
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Can Earthquakes Be
Predicted by Lost Pet Ads?
Objectives/Goals
The purpose of my
project is to determine whether or not pets will run away before
earthquakes. If this is true, we will be able to predict when an
earthquake is about to occur.
Methods/Materials
I tested my
hypothesis by randomly picking thirty different dates, twenty
random, and ten days that 4.1 magnitude earthquakes occurred in
the San Francisco area. I then looked in the classified section of
the San Francisco Chronicle for lost pet advertisements on the
selected dates. Then I counted the ads, recorded the data, and
graphed it.
Results
Over all, the larger
percentage of lost pet ads were on earthquake dates. I started by
testing only ten earthquake dates, but the results were so close,
it was extremely difficult to reach a conclusion. I decided to
expand my testing to see if I could get some more definite
results. I picked 10 more earthquake dates between 1980 and 1989
with a magnitude of 4.1 or higher. My further investigation on the
predictions of earthquakes by lost pet advertisements indicated
that pets do sense earthquakes and then run away.
Conclusions/Discussion
After completing my
project, I found that my hypothesis was correct. My hypothesis
stated that there will be more lost pet advertisements on an
earthquake date than on random control dates. I expected that
there would be more pet advertisements on earthquake dates because
I thought that pets would be more likely to run away prior to an
earthquake. What I found after increasing my testing was that on
average, the number of lost pet ads were higher than on the
control dates.
Summary
Statement: Do pets sense earthquakes and run away before they
happen.
Help Received: Dad
helped me make graphs, find information and taught me to use the
microfilm reader. Note:
This abstract contains subtitles and results. This type of
abstract are often published independent from the main report. |
Another sample
abstract, Category: Behavioral and Social Science
| How
Relaxation Affects The Body and Mind
This project investigated the
effects of relaxation on the body and mind. Relaxation was
achieved by having the subject enter a sensory deprivation tank of
water and remain there for a short period of time. The tank
measures 122 x 122 x 243 centimeters and holds 0.96 cubic meter of
water. It holds 272 kg of magnesium sulfate and it is located in a
quiet area of the house. Thirty six subjects were used for this
project.
The sensory deprivation tank
completely relaxes the body; consequently this allows for mental
relaxation as well. Thirty-six subjects were divided into groups
based on age, gender, and the amount of time spent in the tank.
Subjects were administered a battery of tests measuring both
physical and mental abilities. The tests were: SAT Math, SAT
Language, Mental processing speed, Chimera Test of Mental
Maturity, Content With Life, Blood Pressure, and Balance. Changes
were noted and the results were statistically analyzed according
to a T test.
Note: This
abstract does not have subtitles and results. This type of
abstract are used as the first part of a complete project report. |
One more sample
abstract, Category: Chemistry
| Effect of
Temperature on Vitamin C
The objective of the experiment
was to observe whether orange juice cans outside the refrigerator
will show a faster decrease in Vitamin C concentration than juice
cans stored inside. The experiment was conducted using nine
samples, three with no pulp, three with low pulp, and three with
medium pulp, stored outside. Nine more samples were stored inside
the refrigerator. The content of vitamin C was tracked in the
samples over a period of 20 days using a titration method.
The titration method used iodine
as the base, ascorbic acid as the acid and starch as the
indicator. The sample size used for each titration was 100 mL of
orange juice, 1g of oxalic acid, and a small amount of starch
powder. This mixture was vigorously shaken for a minute. Iodine
was added drop by drop while the researcher gently swirled the
flask.
Note: This
abstract does not have subtitles and results. This type of
abstract are used as the first part of a complete project report. |
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