Abstract

An abstract is an integral part of a dissertation, and is found at the very beginning of the document. Depending on the word limit prescribed by your university, it may contain 300-800 words. It is a very short summary of a dissertation or research paper.

In its primal form, an abstract contains:

• Your research aim and objectives, including why research on this topic is needed
• A brief description of your methodology
• A summary of your most significant results and findings
• Your main conclusions and recommendations

Your abstract is usually followed by 4 or 5 keywords that describe the essence of your dissertation.