How to Write an Abstract for a Dissertation in 500 Words? An Easy Guide

 Dissertation writing is a highly tedious task that students have to spend months working on. After putting in so much effort most students would want their paper to stand out, and the dissertation abstract is the way to do that. The dissertation abstract is the gateway to your paper. If you make it informative enough, potential readers will be able to identify the relevance of your paper. But most students are seen to have little knowledge about how to write an abstract for a dissertation. Even when they do understand the process of writing a dissertation abstract, they struggle due to the word limit. Usually, a dissertation abstract is to be written in 500 words. This is because potential readers of your paper need brief information and therefore want to understand the details quickly in as few words as possible. But students face the challenge of summarizing a lengthy dissertation in merely 500 words. It might look tough but it is doable. Here a guide on how to craft a dissertation abstract in 500 words:

1. Formulate a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a sentence or paragraph that concisely presents the central idea of a piece of writing. This is really helpful for the reader to understand the main idea of a write-up. Formulate a condensed thesis statement and present this in your abstract. This will make sure that the reader understands the gist of the paper in a few lines. 

2. Identify Keywords and Key Points

Since you need to present information within a word limit in your paper, you need to prioritize the information. Identify all the keywords of your research topic and the key points of your research. List them out and choose which information is absolutely important for the reader to know and which is not as significant and can be avoided. This will give you clarity and help you present only the necessary information.

3. Form a Concise Outline

After you have identified the points you need to present in your dissertation abstract, you need to form an outline. Preparing an outline serves two purposes: one is that it makes sure that your writing is logically structured, another is that it makes sure you write concisely and clearly. When you have no order to present your points you usually take up a lot of words to express, but when you have clarity about the order of information, you just need to add a few verbs are and transition phrases to connect them and therefore end up writing to the point.

4. Avoid Complex Language

While writing your abstract, keep in mind that it is not a creative writing task but rather an informative piece of writing. Avoid using complex language and sentences which will confuse the reader and make your writing lengthy. Stick to simple language and express your points straightforwardly.

5. Do Not Give Citations

Providing citations is one mistake that students most commonly commit which makes their abstract lengthy and ineffective. You are not required to provide references to works you have consulted unless your work is directly building on theirs.

Writing a dissertation abstract within a tight word limit is a tough task but you can do it if you take the right approach. These are some points that will guide you on how to write an abstract for a dissertation in 500 words. All the best with your dissertation abstract!