Video: Structured vs. Unstructured Abstracts: Which Should You Choose?

You must have come across both structured and unstructured abstracts in various research papers. Ever wondered which suits your paper best? Watch this video to learn more about these two types of abstracts!

• A structured abstract is divided into sub-sections, typically using the following sub-headings:
  • Introduction 
  • Methods 
  • Results
  • Conclusion
• Unstructured abstracts are often written in a single paragraph. While these abstracts also follow a logical flow, the sub-headings (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusion) are not exclusively specified.

Typically, your target journal’s guidelines will clearly indicate the type of abstract required. But is there anything else that can help you decide which abstract is the most suited for your paper? Well, structured abstracts are more common in scientific and clinical fields. This is because the comparison of studies becomes easier. Conversely, unstructured abstracts are more common in the humanities or any research that has nuanced descriptions and theoretical implications rather than experimental results.

Writing abstracts is the most crucial part of preparing your research paper. Make sure you provide a great first impression to your readers by preparing a compelling abstract!