Abstracts and the Writing of Abstracts

by John M. Swales, Christine Feak

Overview

Today's research world demands a variety of different abstracts to serve different purposes. As a result, writing abstracts can be a difficult task for graduate and international students, researchers, and even practiced authors. Abstracts and the Writing of Abstracts is designed to demystify the construction of this essential writing form and to equip scholars with the skills to summarize their work in clear and compelling ways.

This volume represents a revision and expansion of the material on writing abstracts that appeared in English in Today's Research World.

The Abstracts volume focuses on abstracts for research articles before addressing abstracts for short communications, conferences, and PhD dissertations. It also covers keywords, titles, and author names. Wherever appropriate within the text, Language Focus sections discuss options and provide tips for meeting specific linguistic challenges posed by the writing of different types of abstracts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780472033355
Publisher:	University of Michigan Press
Publication date:	03/09/2009
Series:	Michigan Series In English For Academic & Professional Purposes , #1
Edition description:	Revised/expanded English in Today's Research World
Pages:	104
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.30(d)

Table of Contents

General Introduction to the Volumes ix

Introduction to the Abstracts Volume xiii

A Crucial First Step xiv

Research Article (RA) Abstracts 1

General Analysis of RA Abstracts 3

Specific Analyses 9

Getting Started (Moves 1 and 2) 9

Language Focus: Links between S1 and S2 11

Compressing Methods Descriptions (Move 3) 14

Moving On: Results (Move 4) 16

Language Focus: Main Results and That Clauses in Traditional Abstracts 18

Concluding a Traditional Abstract (Move 5) 21

A Final Issue: A Need to Problematize in the Abstract? 23

Structured Research Article Abstracts 26

Statements of Objective 28

Language Focus: Opening the Conclusion Section 32

Abstracts for Short Communications 35

Conference Abstracts 43

A Closer Look at the Organization of Conference Abstracts 45

The Rating of Conference Abstracts 51

The Role of a Senior Author: An Example 52

The Problem of Promissory Abstracts 55

Conference Abstract Titles 57

Structured Conference Abstracts 60

Conference Program Abstracts or Summaries 63

PhD Dissertation Abstracts 67

Choosing Keywords 79

Appendix: Notes on Cross-Linguistic Issues 81

Sources 85

References 87