This section explains some of the broader rules to think about when writing your dissertation abstract. In particular, your abstract should be: (a) well structured; (b) properly weighted; (c) internally consistent; and (d) fluid.
The dissertation abstract needs to be well structured because you have such a short word count to communicate so much about your dissertation. Typically, the dissertation abstract contains a number of basic structural components. These include:
The problem being addressed/the rationale for the research.
The significance of the study.
The key theories underpinning the dissertation.
The components of your research strategy that you adopted.
The main results/findings
The principal conclusions
Not all of these structural components are always used. It will depend on the type of dissertation you are writing. However, each component aims to help you summarise the core aspects of your dissertation, from the problem being addressed and the significance of your study, which are communicated in Chapter One: Introduction, through to the research strategy guiding the research (Chapter Three: Research Strategy), and eventually, the conclusion and/or recommendations sections (Chapter Five: Discussion/Conclusion). To understand more about each of these components and how to clearly structure your dissertation, read the section: How to structure your dissertation abstract.
The word count that you dedicate to each component of your dissertation abstract (e.g., key theories used versus methodological components) should reflect their importance to the dissertation as a whole. For example, if your research was more theoretical in nature, or focused on extending a particular theory, a greater proportion of the abstract should be dedicate to explaining the role of such theory in your research. Alternately, if your dissertation aimed to extend some previous empirical research, or use a method not typically employed, it may be worth dedicating more of the abstract to discussing these aspects of your research. Basically, it's a balancing act where you need to decide how to spread your available word count across each of the components you have to discuss in your abstract. Some components will justify more words than others. In order to recognise the most important aspects of your dissertation, which should receive greater focus in your abstract, ask yourself: What is significant about my study?
A dissertation abstract can have a clear structure, and include all the necessary components (i.e., the research problem, components of your research strategy, etc.), but fail because it does not capture what the research is about or confuses the reader. This is about the internal consistency of your abstract. You should think about such internal consistency when comparing your abstract with the dissertation title and the main body of your document:
The dissertation title
Like the abstract, but with far fewer words, the dissertation title is supposed to highlight the purpose of the study, as well those components that are particularly important to the research (e.g., a theoretical framework, the method used, specific outcomes, etc.). As the first section to be read following the dissertation title, the focus of the abstract must be consistent with what is being communicated in the title. For example, take the title:
Barriers to Internet banking adoption: A qualitative study among corporate customers in Thailand
From the second part of the title, it is clear that the authors want to emphasise the fact that their research used a qualitative research design, as well as focusing on corporate customers in a particular geographical location, Thailand. Therefore, there would be a lack of internal consistency if the abstract for this piece of research (a) stated that a mixed methods research design was used, (b) failed to highlight that the customers targeted were corporate customers, and/or (c) mentioned that Thailand was not the focal location for the research. This would lead to confusion for the reader from the outset.
The main body of your dissertation
Just as it is important to have consistency between the abstract and dissertation title, it is similarly important to ensure that the abstract is consistent with the main body of your dissertation (i.e., Chapter One: Introduction through to Chapter Five: Discussion/Conclusion). It is not uncommon for students to state in the abstract that they used a particular methodological approach (e.g., grounded theory, case study) or certain research methods (e.g., focus groups, interviews), but then present a different approach and/or methods in Chapter Three: Research Strategy. This seems like an obvious thing to say, but it happens a lot, even in academic research.
Simply check that each component of your dissertation title and the main body of your dissertation reflects the research you performed. Being consistent with the language you use is a good start.
Each of the components of the dissertation abstract (e.g., the research problem, components of research strategy, etc.) will consist of one or more sentences. Whilst these components must be clearly expressed in and of themselves, there must also be logical, fluid connections between each of these components. These connections help to bridge the information within each component.
In addition to your abstract needing to be well structured, properly weighted, internally consistent and fluid, a dissertation abstract should not: (a) provide new information; (b) include in-text citations; (c) over-exaggerate and/or over-generalise; and (d) use abbreviations, acronyms and initials.
No new information should be included in the dissertation abstract. To do so would suggest that the main body of your dissertation is missing some vital information. The dissertation abstract is simply an informative summary of the information already produced in the main body of the dissertation.
Leave the use of in-text citations, such as Clarke (2009) or (Clarke, 2009), to the main body of the dissertation. In the abstract, providing such specific referencing should not be required. The only exception is where your research builds on the work of a particular author(s) or even a quotation made by a particular author(s). To see where this may be acceptable, read the abstracts of the following articles:
The search for social cohesion: From Durkheim to the European Commission
Schumpeter and Galbraith: A comparative analysis on the modern corporate economy
There is often a temptation to make a dissertation sound more important, more groundbreaking, and more significant than it actually is. With the dissertation abstract being the first place to tell the reader the significance of your research, this can often lead to over-exaggerations and over-generalisations. It is important to only make generalisations that can be backed up by your findings.
Unless you feel it is particularly necessary, leave the use of any abbreviations, acronyms and/or initials to the main body of the dissertation where there is space to clarify any such abbreviations, acronyms and/or initials. Your dissertation abstract should be understandable not just to experts within your field, but a much wider audience.
To understand how to structure your dissertation abstract, you may find the next section, How to structure your dissertation abstract, helpful.
Cramer, D. L., & Leathers, C. G. (1988). Schumpter and Galbraith: A comparative analysis on the modern corporate economy. History of Economics Society Bulletin, 10, 47-56.
Pahl, R. E. (1991). The search for social cohesion: From Durkheim to the European Commission. European Journal of Sociology, 32, 345-360.
Rotchanakitumnuai, S., & Speece, M. (2003). Barriers to Internet banking adoption: A qualitative study among corporate customers in Thailand. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 21(6/7), 312-323.