COMPOSING ABSTRACTS:

INFORMATION AND LANGUAGE CONVENTION

By: Rishan Azhari, S.Pd., M.Pd.

Abstract holds a very important role either in academic research and article
or in nonresearch report. It is not only a logic language exercise which combines
conciseness and comprehensiveness, but also a significant research tool other
scientists in the related field use. In many cases, the abstract is the only part of
article someone reads to find out the summary of the academic research a scientist
conducted.
How to compose an abstract relies on the kinds of academic report the
scientist had conducted. This hand-out is composed to describe the guideline to
write an English abstract of an academic research as well as nonresearch report,
and of a thesis and dissertation.

Abstract of Research
The abstract of research is the summary of the most important details or
ideas containing the research problem and objective, the research procedure (in
qualitative research, the subject of research is also described), and summary of the
research result (if it is necessary, the research conclusion and implication are also
written). The result of the research is given more emphasize. Meanwhile, the
hypothesis, discussion, and suggestion are not presented. It is suggested to
compose the abstract in English. The good abstract contains less than 200 words
and typed in one paragraph. The abstract is typed by using singled-spaced and the
format used is narrower than the main text (the right and left margins are 1,2 cm
deeper than the main text).
The key words are the words or terms which are used to describe the
problem area of the research. The key words used are 3 to 5.
Abstract of Nonresearch
The abstract of nonresearch is the summary of the article. It is not
comments of the editor. It is suggested to compose the abstract in English. The
good abstract contains less than 200 words and typed in one paragraph. The
abstract is typed by using single-spaced and the format used is narrower than the
main text (the right and left margins are 1,2 cm longer than the main text).
The key words are the words or terms which are used to describe the
problem area of the article. The key words used are 3 to 5. They are used in the
academic data in computerization system.

Abstract of Thesis and Dissertation

The word abstract is typed symmetrically with capital letters without
period on the centre of the page. The writer’s name is written two spaces under
the word abstract, on the left side of paper: family name followed comma, first
name, and (if available) middle name, ended by period. The name is followed by
graduation year and period. The title is typed with italic word and ended by
period. All letters in the title but the initial of each word is typed with small
letters. The title is followed by the word thesis (for undergraduate or graduate
study) or dissertation (for postgraduate study), comma; the names of the subject,
faculty, university are typed complettely and ended by period. The names of the
first and second advisors, and the third advisor (for dissertation) including their
academic degree are written.
It is also written in the abstract some key words (3 to 5). The key words
are necessary for academic data in the computerization system. By using the key
words, other scientist can find the title of the composition and its abstract easily.
The precise and good abstract is the summary of a thesis and dissertation
containing the background, objective, method, result, conclusion, and suggestion
of the thesis or dissertation.
The texts in the abstract are typed by using single-spaced and not longer
than two pages of A4 paper size.
Guide to Abstract Editing
A comprehensive abstract must contain its components (background,
objective, method, result, conclusion), appropriate words (including keywords),
employ correct tenses and sentence construction, and use passive voice.

Verb Tense
Element Tense
Background Present
Objective Past
Method Past
Result Past
Conclusion Present

PRESENT PAST

Is Was
Am Was
Are Were
Will Would
Can Could
Shall Should
May Might
Has / Has to Had / Had to
Have / Have to Had / Had to
Do Did
Does Did
Verb 1, e.g: Verb 2, e.g:
Conduct Conducted
Study Studied
Take Took
 Examples:
Passive Voice Active:
The researcher conducted the study in
Subject + Be + Verb 3 2005.
Passive:
The study was conducted in 2005.

TASK
1. Arrange these sentences into a paragraph contains an abstract of a
research!
A. Results indicated that some versions, even upon first using them,
were at least as good as traditional methods of handwriting and
dictating.
B. An aim of our experiments was to determine if an imperfect
listening typewriter would be useful for composing letters.
C. With a listening typewriter, what an author says would be
automatically recognised and displayed in front of him/ her.
D. Isolated word speech with large vocabularies may provide the basis
for a useful listening typewriter.
E. They did this with simulations of listening typewriters that
recognised either a limited vocabulary or unlimited vocabulary.
F. However, speech recognition is not yet advanced enough to
provide people with a reliable listening typewriter.
G. Participants dictated letters, either in isolated words or in
consecutive word speech.

The good abstract arrangement is:

(A) B-C-A-G-F-D-E (C) C-F-B-G-E-A-D
(B) B-G-C-A-D-E-F (D) C-F-G-E-A-B-D

2. Fill in the missing words with the appropriate verb!

A. There ……… a growing body of evidence that abnormalities of the
cell membrane, particularly depletion of n-3 essential fatty acids,
……. Found in patients suffering from schizophrenia.
B. The research ……. a prospective design, over a period from 2
months to 8 years. The symptoms of child conduct disorder and
hyperactivity …… rated by maternal report at age 5 and 8 year.
Assignment for Bahasa Inggeris:
1. Get an Indonesian abstract! It could be from a journal, research,
thesis, or internet reference.
2. The abstract must contain BOMRC (Background, Objective,
Method, Result, Conclusion)!
3. Translate the abstract to English on a double-pholio-sized paper!
4. Submit the hand-written translation next meeting!
thanks