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Who this is for: students and researchers preparing a paper in APA Style (7th edition, 2020) who need to know whether an abstract is required, how to format it, and what to put in it. Style rules below are as stated by two university library guides, read 2026-11-07; the authority for APA Style is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition, and an instructor’s or journal’s instructions override any general guide.
Does APA 7 require an abstract?
Usually not for student papers, and often yes for professional-version papers. The Justice Institute of British Columbia library guide says most student papers do not need one while professional-version papers often do; the Buena Vista University library guide says an instructor may ask for one on some student papers. In both cases the practical rule is the same: follow the assignment or the journal’s instructions.
APA abstract format at a glance
| Element | What the guides say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Placement | Its own page after the title page (page 2) | Buena Vista University |
| Heading | “Abstract”, bold, centered, title case, top of the page | Both guides |
| Paragraphs | A single paragraph | Both guides |
| First line | Not indented | Both guides |
| Length | Up to 250 words (“typically no more than 250”) | Both guides |
| Keywords | One line below the abstract, only if requested | Both guides; “if requested” from Buena Vista |
Line spacing, font and page numbers follow the general paper setup; see whether APA format is double-spaced. The abstract sits after the title page.
APA abstract template
Copy this skeleton onto page 2. Replace each bracket with your own content.
Abstract
[Single paragraph, no first-line indent, up to 250 words:
purpose, method, main results, implications.]
Keywords: [keyword one], [keyword two], [keyword three]
Filled example (fictional)
This example is entirely invented for illustration. The study, participants and findings do not exist. The labels in the example show the structured-abstract variant; for a plain paragraph abstract, remove the labels and keep the order.
Abstract (centered, bold)
Background: Many first-year students report difficulty summarizing their own coursework. Objective: This fictional study examined whether a weekly one-paragraph summary habit changes self-reported confidence in academic writing. Method: Sixty invented participants at an imaginary university were randomly assigned to a summary-habit group or a control group for ten weeks, and completed a confidence questionnaire before and after. Results: Both groups reported higher confidence, but the summary-habit group’s gain was larger by an invented margin. Implications: Instructors may wish to test short, regular summary tasks in larger samples before changing course design.
Keywords: academic writing, summarization, student confidence, writing instruction
Word-count check: the example abstract is 91 words, well inside the 250-word ceiling. Count your own with your word processor after removing the heading and keywords line.
What goes in an abstract? The “5 components”
APA does not publish a fixed list of five components in the sources checked here. A common convention, used in the example above, is: background, objective, method, results and implications. This is an editorial convention, not an APA rule. The guides agree on the core: the Justice Institute of British Columbia guide says the abstract covers purpose, methods and main findings, and the Buena Vista University guide says to include only the four or five most important concepts, findings or implications. The same Buena Vista guide adds that a good abstract is accurate, nonevaluative (report rather than evaluate), coherent and concise, that it uses the active voice, and that it uses the present tense for conclusions or results and the past tense for variables manipulated or outcomes measured. Those style points come from that one guide.
Student paper or professional paper?
| Question | Student paper | Professional-version paper |
|---|---|---|
| Is an abstract required? | Usually not; only if the instructor asks | Often yes |
| Who decides? | The instructor | The journal or publisher |
Paragraph or structured abstract?
The Buena Vista University guide says abstracts may be paragraph or structured. Both are one paragraph without indentation; a structured abstract inserts labels for each section, such as Objective, Method, Results and Conclusions. Use labels only if your instructor or journal wants them. For a related reporting framework, see Journal Article Reporting Standards (JARS) and the IMRaD structure that many abstracts mirror.
How to start an abstract in APA
Begin with the most important point. The Buena Vista University guide advises being brief and starting with the most important points, and the Justice Institute of British Columbia guide notes the abstract is written after the paper is complete. It also says to spell out an abbreviation the first time it appears, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses.
APA abstract keywords: format and how many
Place the keywords one line below the abstract, start with the label Keywords: in italics, and indent that line 0.5 inches. The Justice Institute of British Columbia guide adds: lowercase except proper nouns, separated by commas, no final period, no quotation marks, and a wrapped second line is not indented. Neither guide states how many keywords to use, so use the number the assignment or journal asks for.
Is the abstract indented in APA?
No. The abstract paragraph has no first-line indent. Only the keywords line is indented 0.5 inches.
Pre-submission checklist
- Abstract requested by instructor or journal?
- On its own page after the title page.
- “Abstract” heading bold, centered, title case.
- One paragraph, first line not indented, at most 250 words.
- Covers purpose, method, results and implications; nothing that is not in the paper.
- Abbreviations spelled out at first use.
- Keywords line (if requested): italic label, 0.5 in indent, lowercase, commas, no final period.
The abstract itself is defined in the abstract entry; the ANSI/NISO standard for abstracts is covered under ANSI/NISO Z39.14 guidelines for abstracts.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 5 components of an abstract?
By common convention: background, objective, method, results and implications. This is not an APA-mandated list; the library guides stress purpose, methods and main findings.
Does APA 7 require an abstract?
Not for most student papers; often for professional-version papers. Follow your instructor or journal.
What is an example of an abstract?
See the fictional filled example above, with its keywords line.
What is APA Style?
APA Style is the writing and citation format published by the American Psychological Association in its Publication Manual; this page covers the 7th edition (2020).
Sources
- Justice Institute of British Columbia library, APA abstract guide (last updated July 21, 2026), libguides.jibc.ca/apa/formatyourpaper/abstract, read 2026-11-07.
- Buena Vista University library, “APA Citations (7th ed.): Abstracts” (last updated September 17, 2026), bvu.libguides.com/apa/abstracts, read 2026-11-07.
- American Psychological Association, Publication Manual, 7th edition (2020), the governing authority.
