The abstract is the first (and sometimes only) section readers see. Learn how to condense your entire thesis into 250-300 powerful words that accurately represent your research and entice readers to continue.
Essential reporting structure for systematic review and meta-analysis abstracts
Records identified through database searching (Scopus, WoS, PubMed). Also includes records from other sources (citation searching, hand searching).
Records after duplicates removed. Title and abstract screening against inclusion/exclusion criteria by two independent reviewers.
Full-text articles assessed for eligibility. Reasons for exclusion: wrong population, wrong intervention, no full text, non-English.
Studies included in qualitative synthesis (narrative review) and/or quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis with forest plot).
Recommended distribution for a 250-word structured abstract
| Section | Element Name | Purpose | Suggested Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Background / Introduction | Establish context, state problem, identify gap, and explain why the study matters. | 40-60 |
| 02 | Objective / Aim | Clearly state research question, hypothesis, or purpose of the study. | 20-30 |
| 03 | Methods / Design | Describe participants, design, setting, interventions, and main outcome measures. | 60-80 |
| 04 | Results / Findings | Report key findings with specific data (means, percentages, effect sizes, p-values). | 70-90 |
| 05 | Conclusion / Implications | State main conclusions, implications, and one clear takeaway message. | 30-40 |
Pro tip: Write your abstract last - after all other chapters are complete. Use keywords strategically for database searching.