Abstract

The main purpose of the Abstract is to offer readers an overview of the study and therefore help them form the first impression and make preliminary judgements on the significance of the study. The Abstract helps the readers form expectations of the contents in the confirmation report by summarising most or all sections in the confirmation report.

The Abstract is the standalone summary of an entire confirmation report, reflecting the essence of the study. The inclusion of summary statements about results, discussion, and conclusion depends on the progress of the study at the time the confirmation report is submitted. Some studies may have preliminary results while some may be at the stage of finalising the research design. For studies in the latter stage, students should make extra efforts in elaborating the feasibility of the study and projecting the expected results. The Abstract usually does not contain any references or footnotes.

Upon the submission of a confirmation report to the examination panel, the Abstract is probably the first part to be read. A well-written Abstract, which summarises the confirmation report succinctly and logically, can help impress the examiners. With an overall picture of the study in mind, the examiners can more easily comprehend the main text and follow the flow of ideas in the confirmation report.

The Abstract in a confirmation report needs to conform to the university and departmental requirements in terms of length, style, and layout (if any). Requirements often vary among universities and departments and students should refer to the guides issued by the university and the department. For clarification about the requirements, students should consult with their supervisors.

The Abstract in a confirmation report comprises six possible moves. They are:

• Research Topic;
• Research Background;
• Research Purpose;
• Methods;
• Preliminary Results; and
• Significance and Implications.

The six potential moves in their typical order in an Abstract are shown as follows.

MOVE 1            Research Topic
An Abstract may begin with a statement of the research topic, informing the readers of what the confirmation report concerns in a straightforward manner.

MOVE 2            Research Background

Providing background information helps readers identify the context and importance of the work. The Research Background move contains a specific problem statement of the research under consideration, listing the major existing solutions and their drawbacks. Defining the problem statement helps pave the way to establishing the research purpose.

MOVE 3            Research Purpose
A clear statement about the research purpose helps define and frame the scope of the work. An Abstract may begin with the research purpose instead of the research area.

MOVE 4            Methods (How was the research designed and conducted?)
A brief description of methods employed in the study informs readers of what was done and how the work was undertaken. The Methods move consists of descriptions of proposed algorithms, models, or experimental procedures. If the study is still in the planning stage, the Methods move may appear as summary statements about the proposed methods or models.

MOVE 5            Preliminary Results
The scientific quality of the study is shown by a brief overview of the preliminary results. The most important information from the preliminary results should be succinctly proclaimed within the word limit (if applicable) of an Abstract. The Preliminary Results move consists of statements that summarise experimental or simulation results obtained from data and observations made during experiments. If the experiments are to be performed, the Preliminary Results move may appear as statements about the predicted results.

MOVE 6            Significance and Implications
An Abstract usually ends with a positive note that explicitly states how the research may move the field forward or in what ways other researchers may make use of the final results to conduct further studies, leaving a good impression on readers. As the research work is still in progress at the time the confirmation report is written, the Significance and Implications move often appears as expected significance and implications of the study.

The length of a move often differs among Abstracts, from half a page to more than one pages; and those of different moves in an Abstract also vary. A move can be stretched across several sentences or even paragraphs while a sentence, in particular a complex sentence with subordinated clauses, can contain more than one moves.

These six moves may appear in a different sequence. It is possible that a move is absent from an Abstract. Similarly, some moves can be repeated cyclically. The following table shows two possible ways to organise the moves with explanatory notes.

EXAMPLE

The following is an Abstract from a confirmation report in the field of Mechanical Engineering broken down into sections by moves. Read the Abstract and click on NOTE to see the explanatory notes.

Understanding Language Features with Examples – Verb Tenses

An Abstract is an amalgamation of summary statements in different verb tenses. The verb tense choice in an Abstract depends on the move to which each sentence corresponds.

Below are extracts from the Abstract of a confirmation report in the field of Mechanical Engineering. The purposes of different verb tenses are explained and the main verbs in the extracts are highlighted.

Understanding Language Features with Examples – Action Verbs

An Abstract contains summary statements from multiple sections (e.g. Introduction, Literature Review, Methods, and Preliminary Results) of a confirmation report. To serve various communicative purposes, summary statements are written with different types of action verbs.

Below are extracts from the Abstract of a confirmation report in the field of Electronic and Information Engineering. The communicative purposes of action verbs used in the extracts are explained and other examples of action verbs are given.