Write an Abstract
240:289 Seminar: Writing a Research Paper
20 points

"Writing is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent elimination."
Louise Brooks

The best way to learn how to write well is to learn how to write concisely. There is no room for pedantic verbosity when writing abstracts. This is your opportunity to challenge yourself to write well and write economically.

Your task is to collaborate with your Abstract Partner to write an abstract for an assigned article.

  1. Sign-up for an Abstract Writing Group (Opening page of our eLearning website.)
  2. Go to the Discussion section and open the Abstract Articles posting. Download the article that correlates with your group number. (e.g., Group 1 = Article 1)
  3. Create a Google Docs document for your abstract group. Remember to share your document with leigh.zeitz@gmail.com.
  4. Read your article carefully and write your abstract using the review abstract outline in the APA manual (pg. 14).
  5. Create a title that you consider fitting for this article. It must be academic and succinct.
  6. Follow the rubric below to create the most complete yet concise abstract possible. Both members of each writing group will receive the grade earned.
Criteria 3 2 1
Content
      
Topic
 Paper topic is well-described in a single sentence Paper topic description is general or takes more than one sentence. Paper topic description is vague or takes more than one sentence.
Purpose
 The purpose, thesis or organizing construct is described. The article's scope is included. The purpose, thesis or organizing construct is described. OR The article's scope is included The purpose, thesis or organizing construct is described but vague OR The article's scope is included but vague.
Sources
 All of the sources that were used are described to provide the reader with a feeling of the information's authenticity. Some of the sources that were used are described to provide the reader with a feeling of the information's authenticity. Few of the sources that were used are described to provide the reader with a feeling of the information's authenticity.
Conclusions
 Conclusions drawn in the article are succinctly but completely identified. Conclusions drawn in the article are succinctly but incompletely identified. Conclusions drawn in the article included, but are neither succinct nor incomplete.
Writing Style
 Scholarly writing style is used. Concise and positively written. Uses appropriate vocabulary and phrases. Sentences are

Areas to Improve:
Vocabulary: unnecessary words; repetitive; too simplistic/informal; use terms from article; avoid pronouns/use precise nouns.
Phrases/clauses: eliminate prepositional phrases; use adjectives/adverbs & precise nouns/verbs to replace phrase
Sentences: combine sentences; combine ideas; use parallel clauses; use listing; write in positive format.
Grammar/Spelling
   1 or less error in spelling, grammar or punctuation 2 errors in spelling, grammar or punctuation
Length
   Abstract is 120 words or less  
Title
     Title is academic in format and succinct.
Subtotal
      
Total
      

Submission: Dr. Z will evaluate your abstract and review your partnership work (using the Revision History) in Google Docs, but you will be expected to post your final abstracts to the appropriate posting in the course's Discussion section. You are asked to post it there so that your colleagues can enjoy and admire your work.

January 30, 2009