General Guidelines

An abstract is a short summary of an article. For research articles, abstracts include the objective and scope of the investigation, the methods, the primary results, and the principal conclusions.3,8 Although readers usually read the abstract of an article first, authors should write this part of their manuscript last. Abstracts should contain the same information as the text of a manuscript—including methods, data, terminology, etc. Manu-scripts often go through several revisions and rounds of corrections before a final draft is complete. If an abstract is written too early in the process, it may contain outdated or even incorrect information.1,2 In How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, Day and Gastel state, “Usually, a good abstract is followed by a good paper; a poor abstract is a harbinger of woes to come.”8 A quality manuscript describes a study, experience, or other type of finding by answering key questions about that study, experience, or finding. A quality abstract will accomplish the same goal by answering the same questions.2 Before drafting their abstract, authors should determine which type of abstract is most appropriate for their manuscript— structured or unstructured—and ensure that they are familiar with conventional guidelines for that abstract type. Structured Abstracts Structured abstracts contain headings and briefly summarize the main sections of an article.8 They are typically required for original research articles (eFigure 1), systematic reviews (eFigure 2), and meta-analyses. The exact names and number of headings will vary depending on article type and journal preferences. In general, abstracts for randomized controlled trials should follow the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials, or CONSORT, checklist for abstracts,11 and abstracts of systematic reviews and meta-analyses Mastering the Art of Abstract