Writing a Dissertation Abstract
Sunday, December 27th, 2009A dissertation abstract is a short and condensed version of a dissertation that summarizes the substance of the research undertaken. A dissertation abstract is an important piece of academic writing as it is used prior to dissertation submission for publication or in the research journals. An abstract helps a reader know what the dissertation offers and decide whether or not the dissertation is useful in his/her research.
It is on the basis of your dissertation abstract will the fate of your dissertation depend.When applying for an academic job or a seminar call for papers, it is your dissertation abstract that represents your entire dissertation research. It is thus very important to communicate the essentials of the dissertation clearly and concisely in your abstract.
Here are a guidelines to write a dissertation abstract that does complete justice to your dissertation.Your dissertation must have the following information to be able to communicate all the aspects of your dissertation.
1. Begin by stating the focus of your research. What is the main idea that is dealt in the dissertation and what are your reasons to pursue a particular topic for research. Avoid rewriting the preface to your dissertation here. Instead, briefly supply the shortcomings of the earlier research projects or their recent development.
2. Now narrow down your focus or area of research and explain your perspective to the subject. This would include the mode applied by the author to deal with the topic.
3. Explain the kind of evidence the author provides to validate his/her findings. This will briefly state the type or style of your dissertation, whether it is analytical, expository or argumentative.
4. State the results arrived at. What are the consequences of applying the data arrived at.
5. Mention of there are any other unforeseen conclusions that were arrived at in the course of the study. Explain the relevance and contribution of the research.
Some Tips to Writing a Dissertation Abstract
1. Compact your thoughts: A dissertation abstract must not be over 300 to 500 words. It must be skillfully written by compressing the common thoughts and avoiding repetition.
2. Stick to the Relevant: Avoid mentioning any irrelevant information that does not lead to the development of your dissertation topic. The abstract must focus on the main focus of your research.
3. Include all the relevant points: You might have the temptation to omit a few points if your abstract gets too long. Make sure you have a priority list and an understanding of the research procedure through which your dissertation progressed. A good understanding of the research process will be an aid in sifting the relevant from the irrelevant.
4. Keep it Formal: A summary doesn’t mean that you have the liberty to use the language of your choice. Keep all the terminologies used in the dissertation and keep your dissertation abstract formal.
