Writing an Abstract

Congratulations, you need to write an abstract! Usually abstracts are required for students who are advancing to District or State competitions, but regardless of the reason, here's a simple way to write an abstract.

An abstract is a short version of a full Science/Engineering Fair. If written correctly it should entice others into wanting to see the entire project. (I think of it like decorations on a birthday cake--make it look so delectable that our mouth is salivating for that first bite. A bad abstract will end up like a cake wreck...both looking bad and tasting just as disgusting.)

Answer the following:

1. What is the purpose of the experiment? (Why should I care about your experiment?)

2. What problem was answered in your experiment?

3. Briefly explain the method for testing the experiment.

4. Tell the results. (What answer did you find?) (Include exact numbers here: list averages.)

5. Conclusion: How does this project change the world?


Most abstracts have a word limit of 150-200 words. Any instructions you may have received otherwise should be followed.

What if I wrote too many words?

• Remember to delete personal pronouns: I, you, we, me, them, etc. 
• Avoid non-specific words: very, small, may, seems, so...
• Use keywords: this will help when someone needs to look-up the experiment. (But avoid heavy jargon, that will only confuse your reader.)
•  Don't use abbreviations in your abstract. 
• No tables or graphs.

Koopman, P., (1997). Carnegie Mellon University.  URL: https://users.ece.cmu.edu/~koopman/essays/abstract.html

Science Buddies (2017).  URL: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_abstract.shtml