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Let's find out the different steps or components of writing an ideal abstract.

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Once you have decided on the journal to submit your article to, the next task is to find and read the 'Guide for Authors'. You should do this before you begin to write anything down. A journal's 'Guide for Authors' describes exactly the format and structure in which the journal editors and the publisher wish to receive your article. A good 'Guide for Authors' will include information on types of papers the journal accepts, ethical standards, copyright information, supplementary material, funding source information, the publishing process the journal uses, and – critically for this module, article structure – including information specifically on the abstract and other elements of the article. So bottom line – read the 'Guide for Authors' before you start writing. Best practice would be to read it two or three times. This could save you a lot of time down the road if you haven't understood the journal article requirements properly.

If there is no guidance provided in the 'Guide for Authors' from the Journal you intend to submit to, then a typical length of your abstract should be between 200-250 words. Since an abstract aims to summarize the article, it should be concise and carefully constructed. Make every single word count in your abstract. Spend time writing and rewriting it in order to perfect it. Do not use long descriptive sentences when a shorter version can do the same job. If your article is to be written in English, but this is not your native language, then be sure to ask someone to check the abstract or help you write it. Remember – everyone, including editors, reviewers, and readers, judge your article initially based only on title and the abstract.

It is vital to ask yourself, 'What is the purpose of my research and why my readers should care about it?' If you are presenting new or novel research then it is important to succinctly describe the problem that you have solved. Similarly, if you are building upon larger research then this should be outlined here too. Consider why you find your research interesting? Why did you decide to study this topic or problem? Try to entice your readers by attracting their interest in it too. Finally, be sure to clearly state what your key argument or main finding is.

Readers will want to know how you decided to solve the problem, or how you went about making progress on a bigger problem. What exactly did you do to reach your results? For example, did you interview a cross section of people? Did you conduct a two-year study on 30 patients? Which analytic models or data sets did you use? Briefly discuss your research and include your variables and the scope of your work in your abstract. Include the evidence you have, to support your main claim or key finding, and include your most important resources.

When writing about your findings and conclusions, you need to include information on what the answer to the problem is or whether your hypothesis has been supported. Be direct here, don't use vague language. A statement like, "A small percentage of schools in the UK are found to be negligent in offering sufficient access to reading material for home use." does not add any real value to the reader. Instead, it is better to use exact language, for example, "4.3 percent of primary education schools in the UK do not offer the required level of reading material for home use". Consider also the implications of your findings. Do not exaggerate them – few researchers change the world with one single finding, most build upon other work already completed; they help to add to the understanding of the topic rather than completely change it.

Finally, again we go back to the question of value. The last important component to be included in your abstract is on the value of your results. Again, do not exaggerate here. Represent a fair analysis of the value of your research in your opinion. It is also wise to ask one or two of your peers to assess whether you have judged the value of your results correctly, before you submit your article to the Journal. Limitations to your research can also be discussed here. You may also decide to pose a question or opinion on what the next step in this research might include.