: Should I write an abstract for a formal essay? Should I write an abstract for a formal essay? I've heard from different sources that I should, although my instructor didn't specify. And if

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The abstract should have an opening that identifies that particular subject matter and how the research that you have done will provide a solution. It is very important to make this clear in the initial sentence or two of the abstract as people want to know immediately what the essay is about.
An abstract is usually no more than 250 words. It is important to keep the word count in mind when writing an abstract.
Include Information on Methods and Results - Part of the abstract should briefly mention the methods and results that pertain to your topic.
At the close of the abstract it is important to briefly mention how results affect the initial problem that was mentioned in the opening of the abstract.
Review and Update the Abstract.

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It is common practice to include a summary/abstract at the beginning of your document especially if it is going to be for academic purposes. Almost all peer review journal articles have them.

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Does your academic institution follow a style guide? If so, it's probably APA or MLA. Check with either of those. Purdue University has an excellent Online Writing Lab (OWL), which you should explore for definitive answers to questions like these.

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If no abstract is specified and you go to the trouble of writing a 200-250 word abstract, then you're not going to do yourself a disservice

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I wouldn't try to guess on this one, and I wouldn't trust the opinions of people on the internet, unless for some reason you can't get your information from the most logical source - your instructor!

Is there some reason you can't ask him/her for clarification on the expectations of the assignment? You need to know if you even need an abstract, and if you do, you need to ask for clarification on the format.

If for some reason you can't communicate with your teacher, you could probably get a more accurate answer here if you told us your level and field of study, and maybe your general location - academic traditions vary.

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