Effective Abstract Writing

Writing an abstract for a research paper in the English language relatively proves problematic to Thai students and researchers who use English as a foreign language. This is because a good and well-written abstract demands from the writer such a language mastery that helps one to effectively convey both content and writing style. It is indeed important to make the reader understand the meaning, breadth, and depth of the research paper in a clear and succinct abstract.

On July 15, 2023, Chiang Rai Campus held a special lecture for students and the public on abstract writing. Professor Dr. Timothy E. O’Brien, Fulbright Scholar, from Loyola University Chicago, U.S.A. was the guest speaker while Associate Professor Dr. Tipchan Wongchanta, Director of Chiang Rai Campus, acted as an interpreter. The total number of participants was 80.

According to Professor O’Brien, a clear and effective abstract should:
• Have a “hook” that catches your readers,
• Be well-written and follow word limits,
• Be written last,
• Summarizes what’s to come,
• Have same broad-narrow-broad structure as your article,
• Be revised,
• Have appropriate technical writing skills and wording.

The active and friendly discussion between the participants and the guest speaker beautifully concluded the lecture. The participants left the room with more confidence to write, rewrite, and/or embellish their respective abstract in the future.