Help readers decide if they should read an entire article
Help readers and researchers remember key findings on a topic
Help readers understand a text by acting as a pre-reading outline of key points
Index articles for quick recovery and cross-referencing
Allow supervisors to review technical work without bogging down in details
Bibliographic Citation or Identification
Processes for Writing Abstracts
Key Issues in Preparing Abstracts
Reviewing Employees' Technical Work
Back to Purposes for AbstractsAlthough many managers and supervisors will prefer the less technical executive summary, some managers need to keep abreast of technical work. Research shows that only 15% of managers read the complete text of reports or articles. Most managers, then, rely on the executive summary or abstract as the clearest overview of employees’ work.
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