Abstracts

Descriptive

Purpose & Audience

Content & Format
Style conventions Suggested Process

Descriptive Abstract: Style

A Descriptive Abstract
is written in the 3rd person

"This report contains
"
The author addresses . . ."
"The presenter will begin by discussing . . ."

Verb tenses vary with the nature of the information:

  • Statements about the findings of a study or about an article or paper are generally in the present tense, since these exist beyond the duration of the research process, into present time.
  • Statements about the processes or steps which were carried out in the course of the study/research are generally in the past tense, since the research which led to the findings/paper/article has been completed.
  • Statements about a presentation are generally in the future tense, since the abstract is frequently written many months before the presentation and is meant to inform the reader of what will happen in the presentation.