Month: August 2019

An abstract is not considered such a large-scale work as a term paper or a diploma. Requirements for an abstract are softer, protect it without a commission. But the essay must be properly executed so that the teacher accepts it and puts a decent mark.

How to write an abstract

The main parts that should be part of the abstract:

• Title page.
• Content in which you indicate all sections and subsections of the abstract.
• Start with the introduction (determine the choice of topic, the relevance of the topic, the purpose of the work).
• Further, the main part (here you are relying on authoritative sources, analyze the topic, state your point of view).
• Finish with conclusions (conclusions or conclusions summarize all of the above). Provide a list of sources used (list the literature, sites, etc. The more, the better, but for a standard essay, 5 or more sources are enough).

In terms of volume, the introduction should consist of 1-2 pages, the main part is 12-15, the conclusions are 1-2. You can include tables and diagrams, diagrams, etc. in the abstract. Sometimes large volumes of essay are required of students, but this is a teacher’s whim, unconditioned by state standards. In order for the work to be properly built, adhere to the following procedure. This will facilitate writing and design. First you decide on a topic, after which you study literature, choosing the most interesting thoughts and information. Carry out an analysis, and then present the information logically and clearly.

The correct design of the title page of the abstract in 2019

The title page is the first thing a person who picks up an abstract sees it. Errors in the design of the title page are striking in the first place. The title page should contain the information necessary for searching and processing the document.

The list of details that are written on the title page of the abstract is slightly reduced in comparison with the full list. It is enough to indicate:

• The name of the parent organization in relation to the one on the basis of which this essay is performed.

Example 1

For most institutions of secondary vocational education, this is the Ministry of Education, for most higher education institutions – the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. For sectoral universities, a higher organization may be another ministry – this must be clarified before completing the essay. A sample can be any intra-university document (methodological manual, order, etc.), on which this attribute is also indicated.

• The name of the organization in which the abstract is written. A sample design of this name is available for students on the university website or on a tablet in front of the university entrance.

Example 2

On the title page, the full name must be indicated, in addition, an abbreviated name can be indicated.

• Type of document (Abstract).
• Theme of the abstract. How to title the abstract is indicated in the assignment issued by the teacher?
• The discipline within which the abstract is written.
• Information about the contractor (s) and the work manager.
• City and year of writing the abstract.

Proper presentation of the content of the abstract

The second page (after the title page) at registration of the essay is the content. Sometimes it is called a “table of contents”. There are requirements for what information should be indicated:

• Introduction
• Names of sections and their parts available in the abstract — having the name of subsections and paragraphs. Abstracts usually use one-level or two-level division (two sections, two subsections), the selection of the third level is impractical due to the small amount of work.
• Conclusion
• List of sources used.
• Names of applications.

The content (if there are no applications in the abstract) looks something like this:

Introduction

1. Title of the first chapter

1.1. First paragraph

1.2. Second paragraph

2. The second chapter

2.1. First paragraph

2.2. Second paragraph

Conclusion

Bibliography.

On the sheet with the contents not only the names are indicated, but also the page numbers on which the corresponding structural elements begin. The requirements for how this abstract should look like differ in different institutions: somewhere they require the use of a placeholder (dots or lines) between the name of the section and the page number, somewhere they forbid it to be done.

To correctly draw up an abstract, it is best to take a sample prepared specifically for your university.

Design of the main parts of the abstract

The content is followed by an introduction in which the student should describe the goals and objectives of his research in such a way as to interest the reader. The volume of the introduction is from 1 to 3 sheets.

In the main part of the abstract, the student should describe the analysis of sources on a given topic, research methods and its results. It is not necessary to completely rewrite the sources, it is important that the text is unique, and there are no grammatical errors in it. All chapters should be approximately the same in volume.

At the end of the study, a brief conclusion should be made. In conclusion, the student’s task is to express precisely his opinion on the solution of the task. He must draw this conclusion after studying the publications of other authors. The volume of the conclusion should be slightly larger than the volume of introduction.

How to draw up abstract text

The design of the entire text has the same requirements:

• To correctly print the abstract, you need to use A4 white paper. Printing is done on one side.
• The text is executed in a single font. It is allowed to use other fonts only to highlight significant elements, but this is undesirable. Most often, an abstract is drawn up in Times New Roman font.
• The font size in the abstract should be at least 12 pt., in most cases 14 pt. is used.
• The requirements of the university for the design of the abstract contain the parameters of the paragraphs. A sample of such requirements: one and a half line spacing, indentation of the first line 1.25 cm, alignment in width, there are no indents on the right and left, the interval before and after the paragraph is zero. The correct paragraph indentation in the abstract is enough to configure once and use throughout the text.
• It is forbidden to highlight bold headings (using bold in research reports is generally prohibited). The headings of the structural elements – introduction, conclusion, list of used sources and chapters – can be printed in capital letters. The headings of the subsections begin with an uppercase letter, followed by lowercase letters (as in the usual sentence). After the number of the section or subsection, as well as at the end of the heading, a dot is not put. The use of dots is permissible only if the name consists of two sentences.
• Mandatory pagination in the abstract. The title page is considered the first, but the number is not put on it.

An example of the design of the list of references in the abstract

The list of references (or the “list of sources used”) is the most strictly regulated element of the essay. Each source should be described according to a specific template, which is determined by the type of this source (the requirements for the design of printed books, articles in periodicals, and electronic sources differ). These requirements should allow unambiguous identification of the source and correspond to reality: you cannot write the year of publication 2016 for a book published in 1996.

All sources indicated in the bibliographic list should be referenced in the text of the work. Links can be made either in square brackets with the number of the source and page, or footnotes.

Tips for writing an abstract in Word

Text editors – such as Microsoft Word and similar office applications – allow you to beautifully draw up an abstract using special tools. Despite their convenience and ease of use, it’s almost impossible to download a properly formatted essay: students still do everything manually, which leads to numerous errors.

If a typewriter had to press the space bar a certain number of times to make a “red line,” now only people who do not know how to use a computer do this. The correct indentation in Word for the abstract can be set in the “Paragraph” dialog box.

Substantially facilitated and design content. If the headings in the text are executed in the appropriate style (heading of the first or second level), then just insert a special object – an automatically collected table of contents. Word will determine the page numbers of the relevant sections and update them when changes are made (if you add or reduce one of the sections).

Automation has affected both the formatting of lists (bulleted and numbered), and the implementation of links and footnotes. All these tools allow you to automate the update as much as possible when making changes, which reduces the likelihood of making a mistake: for example, in a numbered list, numbers are guaranteed to go in order, without omissions and duplications; an automatically installed link will always lead to the desired source in the list of references.

Applications in the research paper are quite rare, so finding a design sample can be difficult. Moreover, the requirements are no different from the requirements for the design of applications in other scientific papers.

What is placed in the annex to the research paper

Before considering the design of applications in the research paper, you need to understand what can fit in them. This directly depends on the content of the research paper.

Research papers are of two types:

• Productive.
• Reproductive.

Productive essays suggest that the author makes a critical reflection or comparison of several positions, points of view of different scientists or schools, directions, and draws his own conclusions. Alternatively, a critical analysis of one source of information may be carried out. Reproductive essays are a summary (brief retelling) of the primary source, which can be a book, article, study.

The easiest way is with applications in reproductive research papers: if there were important applications in the original source, they can also be placed in the research paper.

Example 1

For example, a research paper is written on the basis of an article on art history, as illustrations of which reproductions of paintings are given – they can also be placed in the research paper’s appendices.

In productive research papers, borrowing applications from sources can be performed, as well as adding own applications.

Example 2

Let us give an example of the logic of adding an application: one scientific trend claims that inflation is connected with the money supply, the second – that it is mainly influenced by other factors. The author of the essay gives both points of view, and then takes real statistics for verification, taking statistics figures (voluminous tables) into the application.

The general principle of how to write the application correctly in the research paper: large (more than 1/3 – 1/2 sheets) pictures, tables, intermediate calculations and documents of an auxiliary character are taken out of the text from the application.

How to draw up applications in the research paper

Registration of applications to scientific documents – including research papers – is regulated by certain standards. The main provisions of this standard are:

• In most cases, the appendices form a single whole with the main text, acting as a continuation (after the list of references). Page numbering is not interrupted.
• All applications must be referenced in the text. If the application is really needed, there are no problems with this. If the link is not inserted anywhere, it is better to simply remove such an unnecessary application.
• The order of placement of applications is determined by the order of their first mention in the text.
• Each application is printed from its page (even if there is a lot of space left on the last sheet).
• In the upper line of the first sheet in the center it says: “ANNEX” and its designation, for example, “ANNEX A”. On the next line (also in the center), a heading is placed that reflects the contents of the application.
• For designation of applications use letters, but not numbers. The first application is designated A, the second B, etc. If the application is only one, it still has its own designation (APPENDIX A).
• Appendices are indicated in the table of contents (contents) of the document.

Design individual elements of applications

Applications can be “heterogeneous” – that is, within the framework of one application, both text and tables with illustrations and formulas can be used. In this case, the inserted objects should be executed according to the rules similar to their design within the main text:

• After the illustration, the name and explanation are written. The peculiarity is that the numbering includes the designation of the application and the number of the figure within this application: “Figure D.2 – Worm robot”. The caption text is placed in the middle of the line.
• Application tables are also indicated in a double way (application number, then dot, table number), but the signature is placed not after the table, but before it: “Table A.1 – Monthly exchange rate of the dollar against the euro in 2010-2018.”
• Formulas are written in the middle of the line, and their numbers (also double) are right-aligned and are framed by parentheses. No special words (formula, equation) are used in this case: (B.4).

All inserted objects must be referenced in the text. This requirement is also not application specific.

How to technically design applications in a research paper

After completing the list of references, you need to insert a page break (this is better than using a lot of jumps to a new line using the Enter key, because after making the changes the applications will not slip), set the center alignment, the font format is all uppercase, and type “APPENDIX A “. After pressing Enter, type the title of the application, and then its text.

Difficulties arise with applications that the author of the essay does not write himself, but takes from some source. Materials may be issued on paper. To design an application in a research paper, you can do the following:

• If applications are textual (numerical, tabular) in nature, they can be re-enumerated.
• If it is precisely the images (drawings, diagrams, financial statements with signature and seal) that are valuable, you can scan them and paste them after the heading as a picture.
• If the image quality is not very good and when scanning and printing deteriorates to unreadable, or the document has a larger format (A3, A2 …) than the available scanner can handle, you can directly sign the title and heading in black letters in black letters on the document, and below – page number. In this case, you will have to take care of the correct inclusion of such an application in the table of contents of the research paper.

Requirements for the font (headset and size), as well as paragraph parameters, are more loyal for the application than for the main document.

A research paper is not as large as a diploma or a term paper, but it is still a scientific work, and for scientific works an introduction is an obligatory element. Therefore, the question is whether an introduction is needed in the research paper, the answer is unequivocal: necessary.

What should be in the introduction of the research paper

We list what you need to write in the introduction of the research paper:

• Justification of the relevance of the topic. This is an explanation of why it makes sense to research the chosen topic.

Example 1

Most often, the topic for the essay is given by the teacher in a forced manner (at best, providing the opportunity to choose from the list), and the topics do not change for years. Nevertheless, in any topic you can find something interesting and useful.

• This is what the author of the work plans to achieve as a result of its implementation. To be completely honest, the goal of most research papers is to get a mark on the classification or intermediate certification, but this is not at all what can be written in the introduction of the research paper. The correct goal is to study, analyze, compare, systematize something.
• Tasks of work. They represent steps towards a goal. Tasks are associated with the points of the research paper plan: each point is a separate task.
• The object and subject of the study is not necessary (the introduction to the research paper may not include them if the sample issued by the teacher does not have these items).
• Overview of sources. In this part of the introduction, the research paper should write about the works of which authors were used. It is not necessary to list the entire list of references; it is enough to mention a few of the most significant sources.

Thus, the introduction to the research paper contains the same points as in other scientific works, adjusted for the secondary nature of the work (in this regard, it makes no sense to indicate research methods, scientific novelty).

How to draw up an introduction to the research paper

Introduction of the research paper is written on a separate sheet following the content.

The first line is the heading – “Introduction”.

The design of the introduction as a whole coincides with the design of the rest of the research paper: as the text of the chapters is written, the introduction to the research paper is also written:

• The introduction page is numbered (usually its number 3: the first is the title page on which the number is not put, the second is the table of contents).
• The margins of the introduction page are the same as on the other pages.
• The title is drawn in the same way as the headings of other structural parts of the research paper (center alignment or paragraph indentation can be used, highlighting the title in capital letters is permissible).
• The text of the introduction is written in the same way as the text of the paragraphs. The standard for research papers is 14 Times New Roman font with one and a half line spacing and indentation of the red line 1.25 cm.
• The names of the points of introduction do not stand out in bold or italics.

How to start an introduction to the research paper

Many students are faced with the problem of how to start a research paper. Introduction is the first text section (the title page and the table of contents are made using examples or templates, and the introduction requires a creative approach). Let’s give some tips on how to write an introduction to the research paper:

• Read on the Internet what the introduction looks like in other essays. Even if the topic does not exactly match yours, you can borrow general starting phrases: “In modern conditions, the importance is increasing …”, “In recent years, there has been a trend …”.
• The first sentences should lead the reader to the relevance of the topic of work, but not yet to describe it. It is necessary to use more general characteristics, to consider a wider field.

Example 2

So, if the essay is devoted to value added tax, you can write several proposals on the taxation system as a whole, and only then move on to the role of the tax in question.

How to make an introduction to the research paper

By studying how the introductions are written in the research paper, one can identify typical phrases, the use of which will facilitate the task. Here are the design patterns that will tell you how to write an introduction to the research paper. Examples of phrases to justify relevance:

• The interest of researchers in this topic is due to the fact that …
• The relevance of the topic of work is due to the fact that …
• The problem … seems relevant in connection with …
• Questions … play an important role in …

It is even easier to solve the problem of how to write a goal and tasks in the introduction of a research paper. Sample wording:

• The aim of this work is …
• The purpose of the essay is …
• To achieve the goal, it seems necessary to solve the following tasks: …
• In accordance with the stated goal, the tasks are formulated as follows: …

Moreover, the goal practically repeats the topic of work, and the tasks correspond exactly to the chapters of the essay (each chapter represents a solution to a specific task). To get the wording of the tasks, you need to add the verbs to the titles of the chapters:

• To study.
• To systematize.
• To characterize.
• To consider.
• To analyze.
• To classify.
• Compare.

When writing an introduction, it is necessary to adhere to a scientific style, using the pronoun “I” and colloquial (slang) words is unacceptable.

How to make an introduction to the research paper easier

There are several secrets to simplify the introduction:

• Find a thesis or dissertation on a related topic. In these works, relevance is substantiated very qualitatively and voluminously, it will not be difficult to select a few sentences and retell them in your own words (so that the originality of the work when checking for anti-plagiarism is high).
• Do not rush to write an introduction. After the main part of the work is written, it is much easier to do than at the very beginning. The topic will already be familiar to you, you will be able to come up with your own ideas about what’s interesting in it (perhaps, when selecting material, you will encounter some scientific disputes or information about active changes and transformations of the subject of research). There will be clarity with the tasks and with the sources used.

Term paper along with the mandatory parts may include additional, added at the request of the author. These optional parts include applications.

Why insert the application in the course

Term paper with applications has several advantages over term paper without applications. Examples of cases when applications are useful:

• The volume exceeds the set. As a rule, managers impose rather specific requirements on the volume of term paper, and the restriction is made both from above and from below (in other words, not only the minimum but also the maximum amount is indicated).

Example 1

Excess volume is regarded as the student’s inability to choose the most important and leads to a decrease in the score. At the same time, there is a loophole for students: the volume of applications is not included in the scope of work, applications can be as large as desired. This allows you to make some extra fragments from the main part, where instead of placing the material itself, you simply make references to applications.

• In the term paper can be developed a project, build a drawing. Applications allow you to use not only A4 sheets accepted in the main part, but also larger ones. Also in the application is placed the source code of programs (which is typed in a font that is convenient for the perception of the code, and not accepted for regular text Times New Roman).
• Making a link to the application in the course is appropriate in the event that they fit a large array of “raw” data.

Example 2

For different disciplines, these data may be of a different nature: the results of experimental measurements, financial statements, primary accounting documents, contracts, court rulings. The main part in this case is only a generalization, analysis of these data, and not themselves.

What can be done in the course application

Applications may contain materials that are related to the term paper being done, but which for one reason or another cannot be included in the main part.

You do not need to add to the application materials related to the term paper very distantly related.

Example 3

So, if the term paper is devoted to calculations with suppliers and contractors, the annex may include a contract with the supplier of the analyzed company (to illustrate what conditions for the calculations it contains), the invoice, the act, and similar source documents for work performed, services rendered, invoices for goods.

It seems appropriate and the inclusion of the financial statements of the company, which was used to analyze the financial situation. And the inclusion of an employment contract with employees will naturally raise the question of why it is needed.

Applications may contain:

• Formulas, intermediate mathematical calculations and proofs.
• Auxiliary digital data in tabular form.
• Description of instruments and apparatus used in experiments and trials.
• Protocols of experiments and tests.
• Auxiliary illustrations.
• Techniques and instructions.
• Acts of implementation.

Application design in the course

The basic requirements for how to properly arrange the application in the course:

• The rules for the design of applications in the term paper involve the placement of applications after the list of references (at the very end of the course).
• Be sure to have a link to each application in the course.
• The order in which you need to specify the application in the course, is determined by the order of their mention in the text.
• Each application begins with a new page, and it is necessary to sign (headline) all applications in the course.
• The numbering of applications in the term paper is carried out using capital letters of the alphabet. A common question is whether a single application is numbered in a term paper. It is referred to as “Appendix A”.

Technical issues of application design

Designing applications created (like the main text of the work) using text editors is usually not a problem. Application headers are made in the same heading style as the heading of the course — this allows you to include them in the automatically generated table of contents.

Difficulties arise in how to design applications obtained in finished form. For example, in an enterprise a student may be given copies of financial statements. In this case, there are two ways:

• Sign at the top of the application header black pen. Use the same pen to number the pages.
• Scan the available sheets and paste the resulting images into a text editor, after preparing the headings.

Example 4

If the volume of the application is not very large, and the quality of the printout is satisfactory, the second option is preferable – such applications look neater and allow adjustments if necessary. If, however, when scanning and printing the application loses readability, you can use the first method.

When writing a course student, one has to formulate many different tasks, goals, objects, objects, methods, etc. We will talk about the latter in more detail. Research methods – this is how you will approach the study of the topic of their work. It is important to correctly formulate research methods, since the assessment of the entire study will depend on it. An example of research methods in the term paper, as well as explanations are given below.

Definition of the “research method”

This is a combination of ways to get new information, knowledge, ways to solve the tasks.

The method also includes systematization, evaluation of new information.

What are the methods

Methods are generally divided into two groups:

• Theoretical (scientific data processing)
• Empirical (practical data processing)

We can distinguish the following theoretical methods that you can use:

• Logical statements – theory
• Assertion requiring proof – hypothesis
• Clear statement is law
• Thoughtful statements – idealization
• The result of the thinking process is formalization.
• The study of phenomena – reflection
• The transition of study from the general to the particular and vice versa – deduction and induction
• The study of one side of the object in order to identify its properties – abstraction
• The process of combining objects into groups – classification

The following empirical methods can be distinguished, which you can use:

• Actions to prove the hypothesis – an experiment
• The perception of subjects for the purpose of description – observation
• Quantitative Study – Measurement

There are several other methods that students use when writing papers:

• The division of the subject into parts for the purpose of general study – analysis
• Combining individual characteristics to create a solid description – synthesis
• Creating conclusions about the subject on the basis of similarity with other subjects – analogy
• Creating an artificial model to demonstrate its functions – modeling

How to choose the right methods for your term paper?

Of all the existing methods, you should choose a few that will be suitable for your research. So what will the choice be based on?

When choosing methods, consider first of all that they must be useful and adequate to the object and subject of work, and also allow to perform the tasks assigned.

Do not use outdated methods. Use more modern.

You need to understand where the research method will lead you. Will he get the desired result?

In the work you will use more than one method. All of them must be interconnected, all must create a whole work, support each other.

You can use examples of research methods in your term paper to see which ones are right for you. Sometimes it happens that a student, without knowing it, studies the subject using a certain method, but does not indicate it in the introduction. After writing the work, review them again and add, if necessary.

You can also use the methodological recommendations of the department to write term papers. It indicates the most used methods. This will help with the wording.

If you have difficulties with the definition of research methods or writing the work as a whole – contact our specialists. They have extensive writing experience and sufficient qualifications to prepare excellent term paper. We will be happy to assist you!