Research

How to Write an Abstract That Reviewers Actually Read

5 min read · For Canadian students

Abstract template for Canadian academic papers.

Abstracts are read first, often first and only.

Structure: background, objective, methods, results, conclusion.

Write the abstract last.

APA expects 150–250 words. Some programs require structured abstracts.

Numbers belong in the results sentences.

Keywords: 4–6 matching controlled vocabularies (MeSH, PsycInfo).

Test it: if a reader can decide whether to read the paper from your abstract, you've done it well.

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