It is important to know what is the difference between an abstract and an introduction when you are writing a research paper. Although you don’t necessarily need an introduction and an abstract in every paper you write, knowing their differences will help you decide when and how to use them. Anyhow, let’s check below what is the difference between abstract and introduction.
Difference Between Abstract and Introduction
Abstract: A brief summary is written at the start of a thesis or scholarly article that explains the purpose and the main conclusion.
Introduction: It is located at the beginning of every piece of writing and serves to whet the readers’ appetite for more. An introduction in a novel is more creative than an academic paper.
Where to Find Abstracts and Introductions
If you attend a conference, abstracts will be available of all lectures. An abstract will be included in your masters or PhD thesis, and any other scholarly article you find in a journal ranging from medicine to sociology.
The introduction is the first part of any piece of writing. Non-fiction books have introductions, as do novels. An introduction is a way to get you interested in a newspaper or magazine article. Introductions are part of research papers for undergraduates and high school. They act as abstracts but are also included in the main body.
Introductions and Abstracts: The Main Purposes
Abstracts are a great way to save time for your readers. Academic journal readers are often a specialized reader and want to make the most out of their time. A one-page abstract can tell them whether it is worthwhile to continue reading the 60-page paper.
Introductions “” are intended to excite the general reader and encourage him to continue reading. They can be anecdotal or contain a compelling quote. You can present them as factual or anecdotal, but they should be written in a way that makes the reader want to read on. They will often combine all three.
Summary:
- Both introductions and abstracts can be found at the start of any piece of writing.
- Introductions and abstracts are intended to help the reader prepare for further reading.
- Abstracts achieve point 2 by explaining the purpose of the paper. Introductions do it by drawing the attention of the reader.
- Abstracts should be placed at the start of scholarly work. However, introductions can be found at the end of any type of written work. An abstract is, in fact, an introduction.
