How to Write a Research Abstract in English

The IMRaD Abstract Structure

Most scientific abstracts follow the IMRaD structure: Introduction → Methods → Results → Discussion. Each component answers a specific question.

• Introduction (1–2 sentences): What problem does this study address? Why does it matter?
• Methods (1–2 sentences): What did you do? (participants, design, key measures)
• Results (2–3 sentences): What did you find? (include specific numbers or key findings)
• Discussion/Conclusion (1–2 sentences): What do the findings mean? What are the implications?

Word and Length Guidelines

Most journals specify 150–300 words. Common targets: 150 words (letter/short report), 200 words (clinical/empirical), 250–300 words (review articles). Always check the specific journal's instructions for authors.

Example: This study examined the effect of sleep deprivation on working memory in healthy adults [Intro]. Forty participants (20 male, 20 female) underwent a counterbalanced within-subjects design, completing memory tasks after normal sleep and after 24 hours of sleep deprivation [Methods]. Sleep deprivation significantly reduced working memory capacity (d = 0.72, p < .001) and increased error rates by 34% [Results]. These findings suggest that even one night of total sleep deprivation substantially impairs cognitive function, with implications for professions requiring sustained mental performance [Conclusion].

Common Abstract Mistakes

• Including information not in the paper
• Vague results ('significant differences were found') — always include specific statistics
• Unexplained abbreviations — define all acronyms on first use
• Citations in the abstract — generally not allowed
• Future tense for completed work — 'we will examine' should be 'we examined'