How to Write an Abstract for a Dissertation or Research Paper (With Examples)

Open with one sentence on the topic and the problem, then state your aim clearly. Avoid long background explanations; one sentence of context is usually enough.

State your research design (for example qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods), your sample (who and how many), how you collected data (survey, interviews, secondary data) and how you analysed it (for example regression in SPSS or thematic analysis).

Report your most important results specifically. In a quantitative study, mention the key relationships or differences. In a qualitative study, name the main themes. Avoid vague phrases such as "interesting results were found".

End with what your findings mean for theory, practice or policy, and, if useful, one recommendation. Keep it in proportion to the size of your study.

"Social media influencers are widely used in fashion marketing, but evidence on how trust in influencers affects purchase intention among young UK consumers remains limited. This study examined the relationship between perceived influencer credibility and purchase intention among consumers aged 18 to 25. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used, with an online questionnaire completed by 214 respondents recruited through social media. Credibility was measured across trustworthiness, expertise and attractiveness, and the data were analysed using correlation and multiple regression in SPSS. Trustworthiness was the strongest predictor of purchase intention, while attractiveness had no significant effect once the other dimensions were controlled for. The findings suggest that fashion brands should choose influencers whose audiences regard them as honest rather than simply popular. Because the sample was self-selected and limited to one age group, further research with broader samples is recommended."

"Newly qualified nurses often describe their first year in practice as stressful, and preceptorship programmes are intended to support this transition. This study explored newly qualified nurses' experiences of preceptorship on adult wards in one NHS trust. A qualitative descriptive design was used, with semi-structured interviews conducted with eight nurses in their first year of practice, and the transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: protected time as the foundation of support, the preceptor as a role model, and learning to ask for help. Participants valued preceptorship most when meetings were protected from ward pressures, and several felt unsupported when staffing shortages cancelled sessions. The findings indicate that the value of preceptorship depends less on its formal content than on whether time is reliably protected. Trusts may strengthen support by scheduling preceptorship time in advance and monitoring cancellations."

"Retrieval practice, in which learners recall information from memory, is widely promoted in UK schools, but its effectiveness in everyday secondary classrooms is less clear than in laboratory studies. This dissertation reviewed classroom-based research on retrieval practice in secondary education published between 2010 and 2025. A systematic search of ERIC and the British Education Index identified 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria, which were appraised for quality and synthesised thematically. Most studies reported improved recall of factual knowledge, particularly when low-stakes quizzes were spaced over time. Evidence for benefits to higher-order skills, such as extended writing, was limited and mixed, and few studies followed students for longer than one term. The review concludes that retrieval practice is a useful strategy for consolidating knowledge, but that claims about wider benefits are not yet well supported. Longer-term classroom studies across a wider range of subjects are recommended."

Mention the design, sample size, main variables and the key statistical results in plain terms, for example that a positive relationship was found between two variables or that one group scored higher than another. Avoid reporting every statistic; one or two key figures are enough if your field expects them.

Describe the participants, the method of data collection (such as semi-structured interviews or focus groups) and the analysis approach, then name the main themes. Show briefly what each theme means rather than listing theme titles only.

Explain how you selected and analysed the sources, for example a systematic search of named databases with clear inclusion criteria, then summarise the main patterns, gaps and conclusions you identified.