Preparing Your Abstract for the Graduate School
Topic 3: Preparing for Defense

Other researchers will look to your abstract first to determine whether your study will be useful in their work. Therefore, a complete abstract which reflects your entire study is required. The abstract is the first and sometimes only representation during a search process. In this activity, you will draft your abstract for submission to the Graduate School. Guidelines for completing the abstract are as follows:
  1. State the theoretical framework
  2. State the purpose of the study and relevant research questions
  3. Describe the methods employed in the study by including:
    1. Participants
    2. Research design
    3. Data collection
    4. Data analysis
  4. Describe the study’s general findings
  5. Describe implications and conclusions
Abstract Guidelines Handout (.pdf)


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