Abstract

The abstract is a brief summary description of the (a) problem, (b) methods, (c) results, and (d) conclusions. The purpose of the abstract is to give a short account of the experiment so readers can determine if it is relevant to what they are interested in (and thus if they should read the rest of the article).

In general, follow these guidelines in preparing the abstract.

  1. The abstract page is numbered 1 in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Keep the abstract short; 100 to 150 words are typical.
  3. The first sentence should be a statement of the problem being investigated or the purpose of the experiment.
  4. The next two or three sentences should discuss methodology; they might include a description of the subject population (number, type, age, sex, weight, or in general whatever is relevant to the experiment); a statement about the task and/or apparatus; and, where appropriate, an indication of the procedure or design.
  5. Next comes a statement of the results. This is a general statement and should not include the results of statistical tests.
  6. The last sentence or two should give the reader some indication of the context in which the results were discussed (for example, what theory the results support).

Introduction

The main body of the experimental report begins on page 2 with the introduction. Since, by convention, the introduction begins a report, it is not necessary to label it as such. However, the title is repeated at the top of the introduction's first page.


Three Basic Considerations
When writing the introduction, consider three basic points:

  1. What is the point of the experiment; what is the problem I am trying to solve?
  2. How is the experiment I have performed related to other research that has been done in the area?
  3. How will the methods and design I am using help solve the problem?

It is important to cover each of these points. If you have difficulty in covering any of them, you might question why you did the experiment in the first place. (These are often good questions to ask before performing a study.)


General Format

When writing the introduction, you might proceed in the following manner. First, give a few general statements about the particular problem you are trying to solve. For example, in my report I might write a statement or two about how students seem to learn more in small classes than in large lectures and how methods should be developed to facilitate large-lecture learning. Next, go on to discuss the work other people have done in this area. This is called the literature survey and requires your having read the previous literature (how you go about finding experiments in a particular area will be discussed in the section "The Literature Survey"). This survey might include a discussion not only of the experiments but also of the theories in a particular area. You should then discuss how your work is related to other research and, more importantly, how it is different. That is, how will your methods and procedures yield information that other research has not provided? This section is of particular importance, because it represents the rationale and the logic behind your experiment.

The last paragraph of your introduction should present the hypothesis you have tested.

Length

The length of the introduction is primarily determined by how much literature you survey (how many experiments and theories you discuss). The literature survey need not be exhaustive, but it should be representative. With the exception of a few general references at the beginning of the introduction, the studies you cite should be directly related to your investigation. An analogy to a fast-tapering funnel seems appropriate. The beginning considers studies of broad interest. but the survey quick]y gets down to highly relevant experiments.