How-to · Step-by-step
Dissertation abstract
The abstract is a short, self-contained summary of your whole dissertation — often the only part a reader sees before deciding to read on.
The step most authors miss
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Step by step
How to do it
1.Write it last
Draft the abstract only when the dissertation is essentially finished, so it reflects what you actually found and concluded. Trying to write it early almost always means rewriting it once the results and conclusions change.
2.State the problem and aim
Open with the research problem and the aim or question — a sentence or two establishing what the study addresses and why. This orients the reader before any detail.
3.Summarise the methods
Briefly describe how the research was carried out — the approach, design and main methods — enough for the reader to judge the basis of your findings, without procedural detail.
4.Report the key results
State the main findings concisely and concretely. The results are usually what readers most want from an abstract, so give the headline outcomes rather than promising that results "will be discussed".
5.Give the conclusion
Close with the principal conclusion and its significance — what the findings mean and why they matter. This is the takeaway the reader should leave with.
6.Check length and add keywords
Trim to the specified word limit, keep the abstract self-contained with no citations, abbreviations or undefined jargon, and add the required keywords to aid indexing and discovery.
Common questions
FAQ
How long should a dissertation abstract be?+
It is set by your institution, commonly a few hundred words — often in the region of 150 to 350, though doctoral abstracts can be longer. Treat the stated limit as firm. The discipline of a tight word count forces you to include only the problem, methods, key results and conclusion, which is exactly what a good abstract should contain.
Should an abstract include citations or references?+
Generally no. An abstract should be self-contained and understandable on its own, so citations, footnotes and references are normally omitted, as are undefined abbreviations and tables. If a particular source is genuinely central, mention it in words rather than as a formal citation. Save full referencing for the body of the dissertation.
What is a structured abstract?+
A structured abstract uses explicit labelled sections — such as Background, Methods, Results and Conclusions — rather than a single flowing paragraph. It is common in health and some scientific fields and required by many journals. Whether to use one depends on your discipline and institution; even an unstructured abstract should cover the same elements in the same order.
