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LANGUAGE CORNER: ABSTRACT OR SUMMARY
When translating scientific papers, we often do not know all of the necessary guidelines and structures that need to be maintained. Such an example is the use of the terms abstract and summary that can be, at first glance, used interchangeably, but when it comes to science, that is not the case.
An abstract is a highly condensed overview of the document, while a summary is a standalone version of the thesis in miniature.
An abstract is a brief encapsulation of a document. Abstracts are quite limited in length (often about 200 words) and they must be very concise, clear statements that convey a few key ideas: the topic and significance of the research, the research question, the methods used to answer the question, and the findings and implications of the research.
Summaries are longer than abstracts, often running 2–5 pages. They summarize a document’s purpose, methods, results, conclusions, and recommendations such that someone who reads only the summary can glean a solid understanding of the research as a whole. Unlike abstracts, summaries can include citations and references.
In conclusion, a summary should be a shorter, more concise version of the original document/paper that still includes all important information and effectively translates the message from the original.
Sources:
www.nps.edu (02/08/2024)
www.mimijournal.com (02/08/2024)