Final Examination on research writing Card 6 What is the aim of Abstract?

Final Examination on research writing

Card 6

1. What is the aim of Abstract?

An abstract is a brief SUMMARY of your work which is capable of being read independently of it. The abstract is important as it is the first thing that your reader will see and they are likely to start forming an opinion of your research project based on your abstract.

An abstract is a concise summary of an academic text (such as a journal article or dissertation). It serves two main purposes:

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  To help potential readers determine the relevance of your paper for their own research.
  

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  To communicate your key findings to those who don’t have time to read the whole paper.
  
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  A well-written abstract serves multiple purposes:
  

an abstract lets readers get the gist or essence of your paper or article quickly, in order to decide whether to read the full paper;

an abstract prepares readers to follow the detailed information, analyses, and arguments in your full paper;

and, later, an abstract helps readers remember key points from your paper.

It’s also worth remembering that search engines and bibliographic databases use abstracts, as well as the title, to identify key terms for indexing your published paper. So what you include in your abstract and in your title are crucial for helping other researchers find your paper or article.

2. The importance of Research tools

Research tool may be defined as: Anything that becomes a means of collecting information for your study is called a research tool or a research instrument. For example, 1.Questionnaires

2. Interviews

3. Schedules

4. Observation Techniques

5. Rating Scales are all classified as research tools
1.Questionnaire

The questionnaire is probably most used and most abused of the data gathering devices

.It is easy to prepare and to administer. The questionnaire is a form prepared and distributed to secure responses to certain questions. It is a device for securing answers to questions by using a form which the respondent will fill by himself.
2.Interviews

The interview brings them both on the same level and an emotional attachment supervenes between them. In an interview all formalities are laid down and the gate is opened for delivering into the intellectuals, emotional and subconscious stirrings of the interviewee.
3.Schedules

When a researcher is using a set of questionnaires for interview purpose it is known as schedule.

By a schedule we cannot, however, obtain information about many things at once. It is best suited to the study of a single item thoroughly.
4.Observation Techniques

This is most commonly used technique of evaluation research. It is used for evaluating cognitive and non-cognitive aspects of a person. It is used in evaluation performance, interests, attitudes, values towards their life problems and situations. It is most useful technique for evaluating the behaviors of children.
5.Rating Scale:

Ratting is term applied to express opinion or judgment regarding some situation, object or character. Opinions are usually expressed on a scale of values; rating techniques are devices by which such judgments may be quantified

3. What is thesis statement?

A thesis statement is a sentence that makes an assertion about a topic and predicts how the topic will be developed. It does not simply announce a topic: it says something about the topic.

Good: X has made a significant impact on the teenage population due to its . . .

Bad: In this paper, I will discuss X.

A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic.

A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire paragraph.

A thesis statement is focused and specific enough to be proven within the boundaries of the paper. Key words (nouns and verbs) should be specific, accurate, and indicative of the range of research, thrust of the argument or analysis, and the organization of supporting information.