Abstract Writing Guidelines

                                                                                                                                           Last revised: 12 January 2026

The abstract provides a concise and accurate summary of the manuscript and serves as a primary entry point for readers, editors, reviewers, and indexing services. It plays a decisive role in determining the visibility, accessibility, and perceived relevance of an article and therefore requires careful attention.

The guidance presented below draws on and summarises principles outlined in a resource developed by Elsevier Researcher Academy:
Foreman, H. (n.d.). How to write an abstract and improve your article. Elsevier Researcher Academy. Retrieved January 1, 2026, from https://researcheracademy.elsevier.com/writing-research/fundamentals-manuscript-preparation/write-abstract-improve-article

Purpose and Role of the Abstract

Readers typically encounter a scientific article first through its title and abstract. The abstract strongly influences whether a reader decides to engage with the full text and therefore has a direct impact on readership and potential citation.

From an editorial perspective, the abstract also contributes to initial assessments of relevance and scholarly value. During the peer-review process, potential reviewers often base their decision to accept or decline a review invitation primarily on the title and abstract. Abstracts that lack clarity, focus, or essential information may discourage reviewer engagement and delay the evaluation process.

Following publication, articles are indexed in search and discovery platforms such as Google Scholar and publisher databases. In many cases, particularly for subscription-based publications, the title and abstract remain freely accessible while the full text is restricted. As a result, the abstract must be sufficiently informative to distinguish the article from others and communicate its contribution clearly.

When to Write the Abstract

As the abstract summarises the entire manuscript, it is best written after the main text has been completed. This approach reduces the need for repeated revisions and ensures consistency with the final content of the article.

A recommended writing sequence is:
Figures / Tables → Methods → Results → Discussion → Conclusion → Introduction → Title / Abstract / Keywords (current section)

Structure and Content of the Abstract

The abstract should present all essential aspects of the study in a single, coherent paragraph. While wording may vary across disciplines, effective abstracts typically include:

• Brief contextual background or problem framing
• Clear statement of the study aim or research question
• Description of the methodological approach
• Key results or principal findings
• Main conclusions or implications

The abstract should reflect the logical structure of the manuscript and allow readers to understand what was studied, how it was conducted, and what was found.

Keywords and Discoverability

Keywords play an important role in indexing and retrieval. Authors should provide 4–6 keywords in the Keywords section, selecting precise and meaningful terms that accurately reflect the content of the article.

In addition to the formal keyword list, authors should ensure that the abstract text itself contains a broad and appropriate range of discipline-specific terms, naturally embedded within sentences. These terms support search and indexing processes and improve discoverability, even though they are not listed separately as keywords.

Length, Style, and Language

Abstracts should normally fall within a range of 150–250 words, unless otherwise specified by the journal. Exceeding the word limit may indicate non-compliance with author guidelines and can result in requests for revision or rejection.

Abstracts should be concise, focused, and written in clear academic language. Active voice is generally preferred, as it improves clarity and precision. Vague or overly general wording should be avoided. Excessive hedging (e.g. may, might, could, possibly) often reduces clarity and unnecessarily increases word count.

Bullet points or highlighted lists should not replace a coherent abstract. Each sentence should contribute meaningfully to the summary of the study.

Authors writing in English as a non-native language are encouraged to seek linguistic support to ensure accuracy, clarity, and appropriate academic style.

Common Issues to Avoid

Abstracts should avoid:

• Purely descriptive background without reporting results
• Inconsistencies with the main text
• Excessive methodological detail
• Promotional or evaluative language
• Claims not supported by the manuscript

Clear, direct wording strengthens the abstract and improves its effectiveness for both readers and indexing services.

This example is developed in accordance with the principles and recommendations outlined in:
Pottier, P., Lagisz, M., Burke, S., Drobniak, S. M., Downing, P. A., Macartney, E. L., Martini, A. R., Mizuno, A., Morrison, K., Pollo, P., Ricolfi, L., Tam, J., Williams, C., Yang, Y., & Nakagawa, S. (2024). Title, abstract and keywords: A practical guide to maximize the visibility and impact of academic papers. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291, 20241222. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.1222

Pre-Submission Review and Refinement

Informal feedback from colleagues, mentors, or supervisors prior to submission can significantly improve the clarity and quality of an abstract. Authors are encouraged to assess such feedback critically and decide which suggestions best serve the manuscript.

Multiple rounds of revision, ideally with breaks between edits, support careful refinement. Authors are advised to approach criticism analytically rather than personally. In some cases, professional language editing may also be beneficial, particularly for manuscripts written in a non-native language. Poorly written or unclear abstracts may negatively affect editorial decisions, regardless of the quality of the underlying research.