Write an abstract for the “Gravimetric Determination of Calcium” experiment you just

Write an abstract for the “Gravimetric Determination of Calcium” experiment you just
completed using the guidelines below. Because of the simplicity of the experiment performed, your
abstract should be between 150 and 250 words, which is less than the typical abstract.
As before, your written abstract should be typed, double spaced, and written using college-level
English (e.g. complete sentences, proper grammar and spelling). Again, try to use the active voice as
much as possible in your writing. The passive voice should be used as needed to maintain cohesion in
your writing but should not be the default. In addition, your abstract should be written in the past tense,
as you are summarizing work you have already completed.
The Purpose of an Abstract
If the title of your report is like a movie title, then the abstract is like the trailer you might see on
television or before another movie. A well written abstract will help readers decide whether or not they
want to read the rest of the paper or to come see your presentation or poster at a conference.
Currently, digital copies of abstracts are freely available for searching and review through online
databases (such as PubMed or SciFinder). These databases use terms in the abstract as category labels
when cataloging articles. As a result, there should be enough key information about your methods,
results, and conclusions to make your abstract functional and attractive to readers. Remember that few
people go see a movie that has a poorly made trailer.
Structure:
The abstract is a short summary (often in a single paragraph) placed before the introduction
which covers a brief review of the major aspects of your paper (e.g. methods, results, and conclusion).
The typical standard length of an abstract for most journals is 200-300 words, meaning you will need to
restrict yourself to around two or three sentences on each section of your paper. Obviously this risks
being too vague or unclear on the work being performed; to avoid this, reread your abstract once it is
written and ask yourself if it accurately represents the work you completed. Would you be willing to
share the abstract with a favorite science professor or an interview committee at a graduate school as
an example of the type and quality of your work?
Abstracts are a text-only section of the paper. Never include a figure, table, or illustration in
your abstract. In fact, don’t mention them even if they are part of your paper. Give simple, numeric or
text descriptions of your results. The entire abstract should be written in the past tense, as you are
discussing work that has been completed. In addition, use of the active voice is suggested as much as
possible, although in many cases, the passive voice will be essential to quickly summarize your work.
Abbreviations and confusing terms should be avoided if at all possible; simple common abbreviations CHEM 2200 Writing Assignment #2
Abstract
2
such as mL for milliliter or M for molarity are generally acceptable. Most importantly, get to the point
quickly using short, complete sentences.
A good abstract will contain the following essential information in the order given below:
Information Adapted from?
1. The purpose, hypothesis, or question should be clearly stated in the
first or second sentence. Introduction
2. Clearly explain the basic methodology of the experiment, expressing
key techniques without being excessively detailed. Methods
3. Summarize all important quantitative results which answer the
question inherent in your purpose or hypothesis.
4. Briefly identify trends, changes, or differences from expected results
Results and
Discussion
5. Summarize any conclusions drawn and interpretations made of the
results, along with any important implications. Conclusion
A good abstract will NOT contain the following:
 Background information – this should be left for the introduction alone
 References to other literature – the abstract is about your work and your results
Although it is the first section of your paper, your abstract should be the very last thing you write
because you must have a complete understanding of everything else in the paper before you can write
an abstract that will be representative of the entire document. If you are struggling to get started, an
easy trick is to select key sentences from each of the important sections of your paper and modify them
for use in the abstract. Use those as a framework around which to build and rearrange information until
it is clear, cohesive, and organized. Once you have had a chance to write a few abstracts in this manner,
you will find it becomes easier to write an abstract from scratch.
Sample Abstract:
As before, a sample abstract has been included on the next page. This abstract was written for a
different experiment but should still give you an idea of what is expected from you.