CHAPTER FIVE

Identification of purposes, layout, styling,

evaluation and standards in abstracting.
Outline discussion
 Introduction

 Identification of purposes,
 Layout,

 Styling,

 Evaluation and
 Standards in abstracting.
Introduction
 The term abstract signifies a brief, objective representation
of the contents of a primary document or an oral presentation.
 The term abstract should not be confused with the related but
distinct terms:
 annotation is a brief explanation of a document or its contents,
usually added as a note to clarify a title.
 Summary is a brief statement of the main point of something.
 Synopsis is a brief summary of something.
Cont..

 There are three aspects of preparation that enhance an

abstract’s usefulness. These are:
1. purpose,
2. location, and
3. authorship of abstracts
1. Purpose
 A well-prepared abstract enables readers :

 to identify the basic content of a document quickly,

 to determine its relevance to their interests, and

 to decide whether they need to read the document in its

entirety.
Cont..
 The abstract may facilitate a closer reading of the primary document
by providing an introductory overview of its topic or argument, or,
for readers to whom the document is of marginal interest,
 The abstract may provide enough information to make a reading of
the full document unnecessary.
 Abstracts also may render the primary content of a document in
another language accessible in the language of the abstract.
 An abstract also facilitates free-text searching in an electronic
environment and supports the application of controlled indexing
vocabularies in access services.
 Since abstracts originally intended to accompany a primary
publication may also be used by access services, these objectives
should be considered from the outset.
2. Location
 In a journal an abstract should be placed on the first page of each
abstracted item between the title and the beginning of the text.
 In a separately published document an abstract should be placed
between the title page and the text
 In access publications and databases, or whenever an abstract is
reproduced separately from the document to which it refers, it should
be accompanied by a full bibliographic reference for the original
document.
3. Authorship

 When an abstract is used by an access service, its authorship

may be attributed or indicated, normally following the
abstract, in one of the following ways:
Author
Author (edited)
Author (revised)
Name of the access service or other source providing the
abstract
Name or initials of the abstractor
How to make abstract
 To make an abstract follow some consideration. These are:
1. Stress content not intent
 Abstract should summerize the content of the article not the

intent of the writers.

 It should contain only what is specifically reported in the

manuscript.
2. Assume a knowledgeable reader
 In all writing there is always the question of the knowledge

level of the reader.

 In writing the abstract assume a knowledgeable reader.
 Abstracts require rethinking and reformulating.
Cont..
3. Write the abstract last
 After you write your manuscript and let it ferment, you should be able

to write a terse (concise), but exact, description of each of the four

foundation points based on the content of the written manuscript.
 If you cannot formulate a four-to-eight-sentence abstract, maybe you

should reexamine your manuscript.

 It may not be doing its job and should be revised.

4. Avoid passive voice

 Sentences structured with "is presented," "was done," "is given," "is

developed," etc. are easy to write, terrible to read, and convey

essentially nothing to the reader.
 To avoid a conflict between intent, content, and extra baggage, it is

very helpful to write in the active voice.

Cont..
5. Keep it short
 your abstract does not need to be longer than an eight sentence maximum.
 It is stressed rare.
 You should complete your abstract in one paragraph only.
 It should not have multiple paragraphs.
 If it does, again, you probably have excess baggage.
 Because of this length restriction, your abstract may not be smooth and
flowing.
 Ease of reading is not a requirement, because the main requirement is
conveying content.
Cont..
6. Make quantitative not qualitative statements
 It is very annoying to read that A is bigger or smaller, faster or
slower, longer or shorter, more or less porous or permeable, etc.,
than B without knowing how much or to what extent.
7. Don't use equations or other mathematical notation
 It should be obvious that equations and mathematical notation have
no place in an abstract, but some writers refuse to recognize this.
 Remember, the abstract must be able to stand alone.
 Give names to parameters not mathematical symbols.
Cont..
8. Empathize with the first-time reader
 Your abstract is short and can be edited easily.
 at the end, remember that your intent in writing an abstract is to
showcase your work in a direct and lean manner.
 The abstract should give the casual reader a bit of useful
information and the interested reader a prod to continue and
read the article.
 An abstract must be structured to stand alone.
 Remember, your abstract is your showcase.
Identification of purposes
 Because of their abbreviated character, abstracts can serve
many purposes:
 abstracts serve as current awareness tool a quick way to stay
up to date;
 they also provide information seekers with access to a large
body of literature that can be scanned quickly including
material in foreign languages.
 Allowing users to access and evaluate a larger volume of
source data and information by providing summarized
surrogates to search.
 Allowing users to evaluate individual source materials more
easily by providing summaries of key data and information.
Cont..
 An abstract usually includes a bibliographic citation indicating
where the entire text of an item can be located. It can be quite
detailed or brief, but generally it attempts to describe key
aspects of the document.
 An abstract should summarize the content of the article not the
intent of the writer(s).
 It should contain only that which you are specifically
reporting in the manuscript.
Cont..
 An abstract should have at most one or two sentences on each
of the four foundation points of your work. These are:
 principal objectives and scope of the work,
methodology,
results, and
 conclusions.
Cont..
A complete abstract contains specific elements. These are:
1. principal objectives and scope of the work
 State in the abstract the primary objectives and scope of the study or
the reasons the document was written. Because abstracts are often
expected:
 to be read in conjunction with the title,
 to avoid the use of statements that are, or closely resemble, verbatim
versions of the title.
 Refer to earlier research literature only if doing so is essential in
order to clarify the purpose of the document.
 Cont..
2. Methodology
 Describe techniques or approaches only to the degree necessary for
comprehension.
 Report new techniques or applications-when emphasized in the original document.

3. Results
 Describe results as concisely and informatively as possible.
 They may be experimental or theoretical results obtained, data collected,
relationships and correlations noted, effects observed, etc.
 When results are too numerous for all of them to be included, those pertaining to
new and verified events or that contradict previous theories should receive priority.
Cont..
4. Conclusions
 Describe the implications of the results, especially how they
relate to the purpose of the investigation or the reason for
preparing the document.
 Conclusions can be associated with recommendations,
evaluations, applications, suggestions, new relationships, and
hypotheses accepted or rejected.
Cont.…
5. Collateral and Other Information
 Findings or information incidental to the main purpose of the document
but of value outside its major subject area may be included.
 Report these clearly but in such a way that they do not 'distract from the
main theme.
 Do not exaggerate in the abstract their relative importance in the source
document.
 Cite background information from the document sparingly if at all.
 Do not include information or claims not contained in the document
itself.
 Access services may choose to include further details about the
document, such as the presence of extensive tables, illustrations,
indexes, and the number of bibliographic references.
Layout
 Abstracts are generally described as either informative or indicative,
reflecting the mode or perspective in which they are written.
 In the informative mode, the original document is condensed,
reflecting its tone and content.
 In the indicative mode describes rather than paraphrases the original
document and its contents.
 The mode employed in a particular situation depends on the purpose
of the abstract.
 Both types of abstracts should present as much as possible of the
essential information contained in the text.
Abstracting Guidelines
 The basic principle to keep in mind while writing an abstract, is
that the abstract may be the only text that users search and
consult, if they choose not to retrieve the original data or
information.
 It help the abstractor focus on the key elements and select
terminology to be included.
Steps for Writing Effective Abstracts
Where an abstractor is given a work to abstract must observe the
following steps:
 The abstractor must read or listen to the entire paper/manuscript long
enough for it to percolate and brew up a clear vision of what the paper
is all about.
 He must also re-read the article, paper, or report with the goal of
abstracting in mind.
 After he has finished re-reading the article, paper or report, he should
write a rough draft without looking back at what you are abstracting.
You should just summarize the information in a new way.
Cont..
 The abstractor should revise the rough draft to:
 Correct weaknesses in organization;
 Drop unnecessary information;
 Add important information you left out;
 Fix errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation;
 Flavour with style (avoid verbosity, use of active voice than
passive voice, condense parts if possible);

 Print the final copy and read it again to catch any glitches that
you find.
Cont..
 Tell what it means (discussions and conclusions)
 Be informative but brief
 Be extract, concise and unambiguous
 Use short, complete sentences
 Avoid unnecessary words
 Describe conclusions in the present tense
 Use abbreviation sparingly
 Cite bibliographic date completely.
Cont..
Abstract entry consists of the following:
 Name of author(s)
 Address of author
 Title of the document (including sub-titles if any)
 Indication of the language of the document
 Bibliographical specification of the document (This is what is called
imprints in librarianship).
 Abstract proper
 Information about the bibliography included in the original document.
Cont..
 There are two primary types of abstracts and selection of the
appropriate type is dependent upon the nature of the material
being described, and the intended use of the abstract.
 The indicative abstract contains generalized statements to
convey (indicate) to the user what the described item is about.
 It is very brief, and does not contain specific findings.
 Its purpose are:
 to acquaint (inform) users with the subject content of the
resource and
to help them decide whether or not to consult the original
Cont..
 The informative abstract is generally longer and contains
more complete and precise information about the resource,
such as scope, objectives, and purpose of the work,
methodologies used, key quantitative data, and any
conclusions and recommendations.
 Its purpose is to serve as a true substitute for or surrogate of
the resource.
Cont..
 Regardless of the type, an abstract should be:
 able to serve as a stand-alone description which provides a
complete picture of the resource at the selected level of specificity;
 comprehensive in its representation of the key concepts or
significant content that are present in the resource;
 concise, precise, and accurate in its use of terminology;
 written in a clear, terse, non-critical style; and
 logically structured in its presentation of the selected data and
information.
Cont..
Examples of abstracts
Informative Abstracts
McCluskey, James J.; Parish, Thomas S. A comparative study of
cognitive skills in learning hyper card by right-brain dominant, left-
brain dominant, and mixed-brain dominant students. Education. 113(4):
553-555; 1994.
 In the present study 24 undergraduate students were found to be

left-brain dominant (N=15), right-brain dominant (N=3), or mixed-

brain dominant (N=6). Subsequently, these students were taught
how to design/develop HyperCard stacks. The findings generally
supported the notion that right-brain dominant individuals
outperformed their left-brain and mixed-brain dominant
counterparts. Future studies are encouraged to survey greater
numbers of subjects in order to reduce some statistical limitations
imposed on the present study from surveying a small number of
students.
Cont..
Indicative Abstracts
Example A.
Southworth, Michael. Theory and practice of contemporary
urban design. Town Planning. 60(4): 369-402; 1989.
 The field of urban design in the United States, and how it is

changing were evaluated, primarily through study of urban design

plans. The research examines the goals, environmental quality
concerns, analytical content, analytical methods, degree and type of
public involvement, implementation techniques, theoretical
foundations, and impacts of 70 urban design plans for 40 towns and
cities in the United States prepared between 1972 and 1989.
Comparisons are made with similar plans prepared between 1960
and 1972. Recommendations are made for education and
professional practice.
The Abstracting Process

 There are several steps involved in the process of writing an

abstract of a data or information resource.
These are:
 Record citation information as required by local rules. this
may include author, publisher, and other information.
 Conduct content or subject analysis to determine the key
concepts, characteristics, or significant content within the
resource which need to be represented.
 Using the abstracting guidelines noted earlier, construct a
narrative incorporating all of the elements identified during
content analysis.
 Edit the narrative to remove extraneous language which may
hinder effective retrieval.
Cont..
 It is likely that while creating the abstract, an abstractor will
select or suggest appropriate keywords which will be used for
indexing and retrieval.
 Complete the metadata record according to local rules. This
should include documenting authorship of the abstract, as well
as referencing the sources of information used in creating the
abstract and other metadata. It should be clear to users where
obtain additional detail regarding the metadata.
 Examine the abstract from a system-wide viewpoint
Style

 The style in writing can be defined as the way a writer writes.

 it is the technique which an individual author uses in his writing.
 It varies from author to author and depends upon one’s syntax, word
choice, and tone.
 An abstract must be intelligible to a reader without reference to the
document it represents.
 For clarity, avoid using footnotes, lists of references, or references to the
text of the original document.
 Retain the balance and emphasis of the original documents, except in a
slanted abstract.
 Be concise, fulfill content requirements, but do not be cryptic or obscure.
 For coherence, use transitional words and phrases.
 Types of Style 

There are four basic literary styles used in writing.

1. Expository or Argumentative style
 It is a subject-oriented style.

 the writer focus to tell the readers about a specific subject or topic

and at the end the author leaves out his own opinion about that
topic.
 2. Descriptive style 
 In descriptive writing style, the author focuses on describing an

event, a character or a place in detail.

 Sometimes, descriptive writing style is poetic in nature in, where

the author specifies an event, an object or a thing rather than

merely giving information about an event that has happened.
 Cont..
3. Persuasive style 
 It is a category of writing in which the writer tries to give reasons
and justification to make the readers believe his point of view .
 The persuasive style aims to persuade and convince the readers. 
4. Narrative style
 Narrative writing style is a type of writing where the writer
narrates a story to. It includes short stories, novels, novellas,
biographies and poetry.
Length
The length of an abstract differs according to the type of document being
abstracted and the ways the abstract is to be used.
If length is not specified the following lengths are usually adequate:

 papers, articles, portions of  250 words

monographs
 notes, short communications  100 words
 editorials, letters to the editor
 30 words
 single page, 300 words
 Long documents such as monographs
and thesis

• To avoid biasing retrieval results, an abstract’s length and the number

of keywords appearing in it should be appropriate to the potential
usefulness of the document abstracted.
Maximum Length of Abstract
Paragraphing and Structured Abstracts
 Generally, write the abstract as a single paragraph.

 In structured abstracts, however, the major points of the text are

presented in several labeled paragraphs rather than a single one.

 Complete Sentences
 Generally, use complete sentences.

 Where incomplete sentences are used, they should be clear and

coherent.
 First Sentences
 In the first sentence of an abstract, avoid naming the type of

document (e.g., “This article evaluates,” “This essay examines,”

or “This study presents”) this information may be inferred from
the title, bibliographic reference, or the text of the full abstract.
Terminology
 Avoid unfamiliar terms, acronyms, abbreviations, and symbols,
or define them the first time they occur in an abstract.
 Words or phrases used as descriptors or identifiers may also be
included in the abstract.
 For the purposes of electronic retrieval, abstracts should have
terminology that:
 expresses terms both in their abbreviated form and in their
spelled out form (it is common to present the fully spelled out
form on the first use of the term),
does not use negatives (e.g., “unhealthy” or “sick” rather than
“no healthy”), and
 places words directly adjacent to other words to represent
concepts (e.g., "middle class and working class” rather than
“middle and working class”).
Standards in abstracting

 An abstract should be included as part of each standard,

whether international, regional, national, or industrial.
 The abstract should contain information on the object and
field of application of the standard (NISO, 1997).
END
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