Abstracts are key in academic writing, providing a clear summary of your work. However writing with APA formatting can be quite confusing if you’ve never done it before. So, how can you write an APA abstract without facing any issues? I’ve created this simple guide based on my experience. I'll walk you through each step so you can confidently format your APA abstract, ensuring your paper looks professional and meets academic standards.
Why the Abstract Matters: Purpose and Placement in APA Papers
In addition to helping me structure and style my academic paper, APA format enhances an abstract, a short but important section that gives me a quick overview of my main key points throughout the paper. Think of it as a snapshot of your research paper: it briefly covers the purpose, methods, results, and conclusions, all in one paragraph.
In APA format, the abstract plays a vital role by offering a concise summary of your research. According to APA 7th edition guidelines, the abstract APA page should appear immediately after the title page and before the main content of your paper. This standalone section provides a quick overview of your study, including the research topic, methods, key findings, and conclusions, helping readers decide whether your work is relevant to their interests.
A properly formatted APA abstract is typically between 150–250 words and does not include citations or footnotes. It should be written in a single paragraph with no indentation, and the heading “Abstract” should be bold and centered at the top of the page.If you’re new to APA formatting, reviewing an APA example abstract page can be especially helpful. Seeing an APA abstract example gives you a clear idea of how to structure your content, format keywords, and maintain consistency throughout the document. By following these guidelines and reviewing examples, you'll be better equipped to create a polished, professional abstract that meets academic standards.
Your abstract plays a crucial role in how your APA research paper is discovered and perceived. It helps academic databases and search engines index your work, making it easier for others to find when searching for related topics. By including clear, specific language and well-chosen keywords, you improve your paper’s visibility in digital searches and increase the chances of it being read and cited.
Beyond discoverability, a well-written abstract also adds to your paper’s academic credibility. It shows that you understand APA standards and can effectively summarize your research. A clear, properly formatted abstract makes a strong first impression, encouraging others to take your work seriously and engage with it further.
A solid APA abstract is essential for getting your research noticed and cited because it serves as the first and sometimes only part of your paper that readers and researchers see when browsing academic databases or search engine results. A well-crafted abstract provides a clear, concise summary of your study’s purpose, methods, key findings, and significance, allowing others to quickly determine the relevance of your work to their own research.
When your abstract is informative and includes relevant keywords, it improves your paper’s visibility in search results, making it easier for others to find and reference it. In short, a strong abstract not only draws readers in but also positions your work to be cited more often by clearly communicating its value within the academic community.
APA Abstract Format Essentials: 6th Edition vs. 7th Edition
Whether I’m writing a research paper, a thesis, or an essay, the abstract format helps my audience quickly understand what my work is about before diving into the full content. It’s a salient highlight of making my writing clear, professional, and accessible. You will be met with two editions of APA abstract format : 6th one and 7th one, Let me lay out the key differences between both of them in a tabular form for you:
Element |
APA 6th Edition |
APA 7th Edition |
|---|---|---|
Word Count |
150-250 words |
Flexible as per the instructor |
Font |
Times New Roman, 12pt |
Multiple Fonts Allowed |
Line Spacing |
Double-spaced |
Double-spaced |
Running Head |
Required |
Only If Instructed |
Paragraph Indentation |
First line of abstract |
No Indentation |
Keywords |
Italicized, Lowercase, Comma-Separated |
Not Italicized |
How to Write an Effective APA Abstract: Structure & Content
Let me guide you through structuring your APA abstract by focusing on four straightforward questions. These questions will help you organize your thoughts clearly and ensure your abstract covers all the essential points. By answering each one, you’ll create a concise summary that effectively highlights the key aspects of your paper, making it easier for readers to understand the purpose, methods, findings, and significance of your research.
Step 1: You first need to communicate the problem with your readers. It should clearly state the main objective research question or hypothesis.
Example: College students often struggle with time management, which may affect academic performance.
Step 2: Now you need to use your methodologies and design frame to get to a concise conclusion by elaborating how you conducted the research (methods, participants, design).
Example: This study surveyed 200 undergraduates to explore the relationship between time management skills and GPA.
Step 3: Go ahead and present the key results of your study by being specific and brief.
Example: Results showed a strong positive correlation between time management skills and GPA.
Step 4: Finally, you need to explain how your results will be helpful in the hypothesis that you mentioned by drawing the main conclusion or significance of your findings.
Example: The findings suggest that improving time management support in colleges may enhance student success.
Step-by-Step APA Formatting in WPS Office
Once you’ve got a basic understanding of APA 7th edition guidelines, the next step is to start applying them to your writing. To make this process easier, I use WPS Office which is both simple to navigate and has all the formatting features I need. It’s a great option for me because it offers everything I need for APA formatting and the best part is, it’s completely free! I’ll walk you through formatting an apa example abstract while using the WPS Office tutorial.
Step 1: Let's first open the document, where we have our Abstract written and saved, on WPS Writer.
Step 2: Go to the home tab in WPS Writer and select the font to Times New Roman, then set the font size to 12.
Step 2: Now you need to set the line spacing, in the home ribbon and click the line spacing icon. Then select 2.0 to apply double spacing like this.
Step 3: Now click the Page layout tab and make sure the margins are set to 1 inch on all sides.
Step 4: Go to the Insert tab and click Page Break to move to a new page for your Abstract.
Step 5: Now we will go ahead and label the Abstract. At the top of the new page type control E and then type abstract to centre it.
Step 6: Formatting the “Keywords” Line; now you will type “Keywords” in italics, followed by a list of your keywords (not italicized), separated by commas.
Example: Keywords: stress, college students, time management
Step 7: To save the Template in WPS Office after formatting your paper, go to the Menu (top-left) and click “Save As”. now Choose “WPS Writer Template (.wpt)” from the file type dropdown.
Once you complete all these steps one by one, you will be able to submit your abstract paper in proper APA style while polishing your research paper in a professional and academically enhanced manner.
FAQs
Q1: How do you start an abstract in APA?
To write an APA-style abstract, first read your entire paper. Then, write a brief summary that follows the paper’s structure: start with the topic overview, mention relevant prior research, state the hypothesis, outline the methods, present key findings, and end with suggestions for future research. Keep it concise and between 150–250 words.
Q2: How should keywords be written and formatted in APA Abstract?
At the end of your abstract, it's a good idea to add a few keywords especially if your paper might be published or included in a database. These keywords help other researchers find your work more easily when they're searching for topics related to yours. Try to pick three to five words or short phrases that really capture the main focus of your paper, like the subject, method, or group you studied. Choosing the right keywords can make a big difference in how visible and discoverable your research is.
Q3:Can you cite sources in an abstract?
Avoid including citations in your abstract. This is for two main reasons: first, the abstract should highlight your original research, not the work of others; second, it should be self-contained and understandable on its own, without needing to refer to outside sources. However, in some cases, mentioning another study may be necessary—such as when your research directly responds to a specific study or centers on the work of a particular theorist. Even then, citations should be used only when absolutely essential.
Q4: Can the abstract be written in paragraphs?
It's not recommended as The APA summary should be a non-indented whole paragraph.
Q5: What’s the difference between APA 6th and 7th abstract formats?
The main difference is that in APA 7th edition, the label "Abstract" is now in bold and centered, while in APA 6th edition, it was plain and centered. Additionally, APA 7 allows more font options and has slightly updated language guidelines
Q6: How to cite an APA abstract?
APA 7th edition does not give specific rules for citing abstracts. However, if you reference information from an abstract while the full article is available, it's recommended to include “[Abstract]” after the title to clarify your source. If the full text isn’t accessible and you're using an abstract from a database, you may cite it as a secondary source
