This section sets out some useful phrases that you can use and build on when writing your undergraduate or master's level dissertation abstract. As the section, How to structure your dissertation abstract explains, the abstract has a number of components, typically including: (a) study background and significance; (b) components of your research strategy; (c) findings; and (d) conclusions. The phrases below build on these four components.
| COMPONENT #1: | Study background and significance |
| COMPONENT #2: | Components of your research strategy |
| COMPONENT #3: | Findings |
| COMPONENT #4: | Conclusions |
Introductory sentences
This study (dissertation, research)?aims to illuminate?
examines the role of...
explores why...
investigates the effects of...
assesses the impact of...on...
developed and tested the idea that...
I...
investigated the role of...
outline how...
introduce the concept of...
extend prior work on...
examine the relationship between...and...
identify...
evaluate these...by...
In this study (dissertation, research) I...
propose a model of...
Leading with research questions
This study (dissertation, research)...
is motivated by two research questions: (1) [Insert research question one]? (2) [Insert research question two]? To examine these questions, the study?
"[Insert a research question]?" is a fundamental question in [the name of your area of interest]. We suggest [argue] that a new generation of research in this area needs to address the extended question: [Insert your research question]?
Leading with research hypotheses
This study (dissertation, research)...
offers two hypotheses: (1) [insert research hypothesis one]; and (2) [insert research hypothesis two].
tested hypotheses regarding the relationship between...and...
It was
hypothesized that [insert variable] is negatively [positively] related to...
hypothesized that [insert variable] is more negatively [positively] related to [insert variable] than [insert variable].
Leading with a dissertation aim or goals
This study (dissertation, research)...
has three goals: (1) [insert goal one], (2) [insert goal two], and (3) [insert goal three].
Literature component
Previous research (extent research, previous studies, or prior studies)...
indicates that...
offers a descriptive account of...
has shown that...
Literature on [insert area of the literature] has focused almost exclusively on...
Synthesizing [e.g., name of theories], this research built and tested a theoretical model linking...
This model addresses X (e.g., 2) major gaps in the literature.
Drawing on [insert name] research, we argue that...
In bridging the two literature gaps, a model of [insert text] is proposed.
Significance of the study
We develop theory to explain how...
Our most important contribution is...
This study advances our understanding of...
To date, no systematic investigation has considered...
We examine how organisations use [insert text] to overcome...
We conducted...
in-depth case studies of [X number of private/public] enterprises in [country].
a laboratory experiment and a field study to test our hypotheses.
an inductive study of...
We employed...
multiple methods to test...
Using...
a sample of [X number of people, firms, data, objects, e.g., doctors, banks, songs], we collected data from three sources [e.g., X, Y and Z].
comparative case analysis, this research explored the role of...
To illustrate these ideas, [insert company name or type] was used as a case study to show how...
We tested these hypotheses using [e.g., student test score] data to measure [e.g., teacher performance].
We developed a 9-item scale to measure...
Using data from...
The findings from the research...
illustrate how...
show that the impact of [insert text] on [insert text] is more complex than previously thought/assumed.
address a controversial belief among practitioners that...
illustrate the antecedents and consequences of [insert text] and [insert text] in...
suggest that the effect of [variable X] on [variable Y] was moderated over time when...
A predicted, the...
Contrary to our expectations...
The results, implications for managers, and future research are discussed.
Theoretical contributions and managerial implications of the findings are discussed.
The findings...
provide support for the key arguments.
support the prediction that...
support the model:
offer insights into...
prompt a re-thinking of [insert your area of interest]
We conclude that...
If you would like us to add more of these kinds of phrases, please leave us feedback.