Anatomy of an Abstract Malika Moutawakkil Bell Education & Human Resources Center for Adaptive Optics University of California Santa Cruz

What is an Abstract? A mini paper One paragraph Describes what you are going to discuss, present or write about Gives reader and overview of the facts Source of new ideas Gets reader interested (ie: at a conference)

Anatomy of an Abstract Introduction Hypothesis/Goal/Problem Observations/Experiment/Methods Results (May not have these by the time you write your abstract) Discussion and Conclusion

Know Your Audience Play up the news Write with a person in mind What forum? Scientific conference School Symposium Journal article SACNAS or AMOS

Questions to Ask Yourself What problem did I solve? What goal did I reach? Why does it matter (to industry, science, etc)? How can my work be applied? How does my work fit in with the work of others? Can I support my claims? Is my result expected or is this a new way of thinking about the subject? What assumptions did I make?

What Must an Abstract Have? Adequate information on which to make a judgment. Brief description Results, observations and a conclusion. Possible applications

How to Write It Sketch out your findings Separate main findings from supporting findings Construct the main sentence Include supporting evidence Add something interesting Tie everything together in logical order with good transition.

What an Abstract Doesn’t Include Description of secondary findings References Jargon and unexplained acronyms Too many words Lots of detail

Before Submitting Your Abstract Discuss each draft with your mentor NO errors or typos Get your institution’s approval (learn their policy as soon as you start work!!!) Follow guidelines of who ever is requesting the abstract

Your Assignment Today Write an abstract about either: The Camera Obscura Inquiry OR The Lenses and Refraction Inquiry Include what we talked about today Due: Friday AM We’ll do peer review in class on Friday AM

Abstracts Within Your Internship Thurs. June 3 1st draft Short Course Abstract Due + Peer Review - Peer review, get staff review at end of day Sat. June 4 2nd draft Short Course Abstract due - Get staff review at end of day Tues. May 30 Anatomy of an Abstract Mon. June 14 Final Short Course Abstract Due - Save for portfolio Fri. July 7 1st draft of Project Abstract Due - Get staff review by July 11th Fri. July 14 2nd draft of Project Abstract Due - Get staff review by July 18th Fri. July 20 Abstract due to SACNAS (if applicable) Fri. July 21 Final of Project Abstract Due

You will do GREAT!!!