A Perfect Research Summary

Writing guide
Posted on August 4, 2015

Basic Lines on Writing a Perfect Research Summary

Summary is an important structural part of every research. The author summarizes the contents of their work and includes the most important results and/or conclusions of their research. Summaries provide other researchers with the opportunity to form an overview of the work in order to decide whether to include it in their study of literature or not. The value of the summary is demonstrated by the fact that summaries (along with titles and authors’ names) are included in the index database of scientific journals.

Thus a poor summary can give the wrong impression for a good job and vice versa.
Summary is usually found after the title of the work and may be accompanied by keywords. Keywords identify the scientific framework of the paper and help other researchers to understand immediately if they are interested in the subject or not.

Perfect Research Summary’s Structure

In some cases, a summary is required and must have a specific structure. Below is an example of a structured research work summary:

  • Objective: This heading indicates the goal of the work – What is the author trying to achieve with his research?
  • Methodology: This heading presents which method was used in order to collect the data (e. g. experimental data, questionnaires, etc).
  • Findings: What are the major findings of the author’s work? From these findings will occur the final conclusions.
  • Practical Application: Is there any practicability of the findings or conclusions of the work? In what circumstances and in which way?
  • Originality/Contribution: Are the conclusions, findings or methods developed in the paper original? How much does current knowledge change?
    research summary

Tips on Writing a Perfect Research Summary

  1. Summary is designed to briefly present the paper, describing the study subject, the method used, the results and their implications.
  2. A good summary should be written accurately, be independent (there should not be any abbreviations, terms and/or tests not explained), be concise and concrete (should not exceed the amount of 120 words; beginning with the most basic information and containing only the most important ideas, discoveries and extensions).
  3. To make the summary more comprehensive and understandable follow the tips shown below:
    – write the numbers with digits, unless it is the beginning of the sentence;
    – avoid using references;
    – use active rather than passive voice – but avoid using personal pronouns (for example, ‘the researchers gave participants the instructions below……’ instead of ‘participants were given the instructions below ……’).
  4. Use past tense when referring to the methodology and present tense when referring to the results.
  5. In the description of the participants certainly mention their demographic data, such as number, age, sex and group to which they belong.

Finally, it is good to write this section last, after you finish writing the rest of the study.
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