How can you write an abstract and add keywords to your report?

1 Why write an abstract and keywords?

An abstract and keywords serve two main functions: they help your readers decide whether your report is worth reading, and they help your report rank higher in online databases and search engines. An abstract and keywords can also help you organize your thoughts and clarify your main message before you start writing the full report. Therefore, writing an abstract and keywords is not only a courtesy to your readers, but also a benefit to yourself.

2 How to write an abstract

Writing an abstract is an important step in the report writing process, and should be done after the main body of the report has been completed, but before your title and introduction. It should be between 150 and 250 words, depending on the length and complexity of your report. The abstract should include a summary of the purpose and scope of your report, the main research question or problem you addressed, the methods or approach you used to collect and analyze data, the key findings or results of your analysis, and the main conclusions or recommendations you derived from your findings. To ensure clarity, it should avoid jargon, acronyms, technical terms that are not widely known, unnecessary details, citations, and references that belong to the main body of your report.

3 How to add keywords

When selecting keywords for your report, it is important to ensure that they are relevant to your report and field of study, specific and descriptive, consistent with the terminology used in your report and literature, and compatible with the keywords used by your target audience and online databases. Generally, between three and six keywords should be listed at the end of your abstract, separated by commas. However, the exact number of keywords may vary depending on the requirements of your publisher or instructor.

4 How to format an abstract and keywords

An abstract and keywords should be formatted according to the style guide or template provided by your publisher or instructor. Different disciplines and organizations may have different preferences for the layout, font, spacing, and alignment of an abstract and keywords. Some common styles are APA, MLA, IEEE, and Harvard. You should follow the instructions and examples given by your style guide or template to ensure consistency and accuracy.

5 How to revise an abstract and keywords

Before submitting your report, you should revise your abstract and keywords to ensure accuracy, completeness, and error-free content. Check the content for essential elements, clarity for simple and precise language, coherence for logical structure, conciseness for brevity, and correctness for grammar and spelling. Additionally, get feedback from peers and instructors to get a fresh perspective. Compare your abstract and keywords with other similar reports to gain further insights. Doing so will help you create an accurate, complete, coherent, concise, and correct abstract and keywords.

6 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?