Why Are Abstracts So Abstract?
APA loves it when writers use citations. As other Writing Center bloggers have noted, all statements based on another author’s information, even if paraphrased, should include a citation to tell your reader the source. That usually means you will be citing a lot. In abstracts, though, APA has a few different requirements than the citation usage and formatting in the body of your paper.
When formatting an abstract per APA requirements, ensure that your text
- follows the cover page, with the centered title Abstract in plain text (per APA 2.04)
- is flush left on the page, without indentation (per APA 2.04)
- is a single paragraph and about 150 – 250 words (per APA 2.04)
- expresses all numbers as figures (per APA 4.31)
- does not use abbreviations or acronyms (per APA 4.22)
Remember, your abstract should focus purely on your argument, how you develop that argument in your paper, and any conclusions you draw at the end of the document. Think of the abstract like a summary of your paper rather than an introduction to it, which is what we at the Writing Center often see.
Warning: For many course assignments, an abstract is not necessary. Therefore, it is always best to consult the assignment guidelines or your instructor before writing.
If you are looking for more details on abstracts, particularly those for capstone documents, visit our website. Also, examples of abstracts and an abstract primer are available on the Research Center site.
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This advice is precisely WRONG. Please read the APA 6th Publication Manual on abstracting. It specifically says that any study that "extends or replicates previous research" should include in the abstract a citation including "the author's last name and the year of the relevant report" (p. 26). Your blog is constantly cited by Professors who read Walden's writing center but do not refer back to the APA style-guide, which we are all required to follow. Please delete or update this blog.
ReplyDeleteHi IslandProf! Thanks for bringing this to our attention. You are right that the APA manual does note that citations should be used in the abstracts of any work that adds to, or copies, existing research.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to note is that the guidelines for Walden doctoral students are that they should not include citations in their capstone abstracts. This advice is tailored to Walden students, however, as you point out, this blog is public and shared with students and writers all over the globe. We will update this post to best reflect the APA guidelines and our total audience!
It is also worth pointing out that the blog has been around for quite some time (this post is going on five years old) and occasionally the APA posts will find themselves outdated as new version of the manual come out. We will do our best to keep everything up to date!
Thanks again!
Walden Writing Center