How can you write a compelling abstract and introduction for a food science journal?

1 What is an abstract?

An abstract is a concise summary of your paper that highlights the main purpose, methods, results, and implications of your research. It is usually the first thing that readers and reviewers will see, and it can determine whether they will read your paper or not. An abstract should be clear, accurate, and self-contained, meaning that it can stand alone without referring to other parts of your paper or external sources. An abstract should also be written in a logical and coherent way, using simple and precise language.

2 How to write an abstract?

Writing an abstract requires you to follow the guidelines and format of the journal you are submitting to. It's essential to check the requirements for length, structure, and style of your abstract. Generally, an abstract should be written in the IMRAD structure, which stands for Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. For instance, the introduction should provide the background and context of your research, state the main problem or question you are addressing, and explain why it is important. The methods section should describe the main methods or procedures used in your research. The results section should report the main findings or outcomes of your research. Finally, the discussion section should interpret the meaning and significance of your results and highlight the main implications or contributions of your research.

3 What is an introduction?

An introduction is the first section of your paper that provides the background and context of your research, defines the scope and objectives of your paper, and outlines the structure and organization of your paper. It is also the section that introduces your research question or hypothesis, and explains how you will answer or test it. An introduction should be informative and engaging, and it should motivate the readers and reviewers to read your paper further.

4 How to write an introduction?

Writing an introduction requires a logical and coherent sequence of ideas that guides readers and reviewers from the general topic of your research to the specific question or hypothesis you are investigating. The funnel approach is often used, which means that your introduction should begin with a broad overview of your topic, then narrow down to a specific gap or problem in the existing literature, state your research question or hypothesis, and preview your paper's structure and organization. To write an introduction, you can start by creating a hook: a sentence or paragraph that captures the attention and interest of readers and reviewers. Then, provide the background and context of your research topic, such as history, definitions, concepts, theories, models, frameworks, or trends related to it. After that, review the literature on your topic and identify the main sources, arguments, findings, and gaps in the existing research. Subsequently, state your research question or hypothesis based on the literature review. Finally, preview your paper's structure and organization to tell readers what to expect from each section. Explain how each section will support or answer your research question or hypothesis and contribute to your overall argument or conclusion.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?