14 F I S I O T E R A P I E SEPTEM B ER 1 9 7 3 WRITING GOOD ABSTRACTSf IT’S A TOUGH JOB A N N C A R S O N P A L , BS* W h y d oes it seem to be so difficult to w rite a goo d a b s tra c t? K in g a n d R o la n d p ro v id e a n in s ig h t to th e p ro b le m in th e ir b o o k , S c ie n tific W ritin g : “ M o st a u th o rs fin d it q u ite e asy to w rite a long essay, m o re d iffic u lt to w rite a s h o rt essay, a n d m u c h m o re d iffic u lt to w rite a s h o r t g o o d e ssa y .” 1 A w e ll-w ritten essay o f 250 w ords o r less can b e c o m e a n exce lle n t a b s tra c t, b u t it is a d ifficult ta s k to a c c o m p lish . A c c o rd in g to M . T h e re s e S o u th g a te , M D , a b s tra c t w rite rs s h o u ld n o t a llo w th e m ­ selves to b e c o m e to o e a s ily d isc o u ra g e d . I n a n e d ito ria l in J A M A , J o u r n a l o f th e A m e ric a n M e d ic a l A s so c ia tio n , in 1972, she w ro te : “T h e c o m p o s itio n o f th e sy n o p sis- a b s tra c t is o fte n a cross c h ec k o f th e q u a lity o f th e r e p o r t a n d ev en o f th e w o rk ; it b e in g n e x t to im p o s sib le to w rite a g o o d a b s tr a c t f r o m a p o o rly w r itte n a r ti c le .”2 T h e e d ito ria l b o a rd o f P h ysic a l T h e ra p y re co g n ize s th e im p o rta n c e o f p u b lis h in g jo u rn a l a b s tra c ts m o n th ly in o rd e r to h e lp p h y sic a l th e ra p is ts k e e p u p w ith th e e v er-risin g tid e o f lite r a tu r e in th e m ed ic al p ro fessio n s. A b s tra c to rs fo r P h y s ic a l T h e r a p y v o lu n te e r th e ir services, m e a n in g th a t th e y also have ex p ressed a n in te re s t in h e lp in g p h y sic a l th e ra p is ts to sta y in fo rm e d . W h ile serving as a n A P T A In te rn in P u b lic a tio n s re c e n tly , 1 o b se rv ed th a t, s a d ly e n o u g h , a m a jo rity o f th e large n u m b e r o f a b s tra c ts w hich a re received by th e J o u rn a l office a re n o t a c c e p ta b le f o r p u b lic a tio n as su b m itte d . T h e p ro b le m is ra re ly o n e o f p o o r-q u a lity re se a rc h ; th e p ro b le m is th e p o o r w ritin g te c h n iq u e s o f the a b s tra c to rs . A ll to o fre q u e n tly m is ta k e s o c c u r in o rg a n i­ z a tio n a n d w o rd in g , such as th is se ntence: “ O f th irty - five p a tie n ts tre a te d by th is m e th o d , six w e n t to n e cro sis b u t o n ly f o u r re q u ire d re p la c e m e n t.” A b s tra c ts o f c u r re n t lite r a tu r e a re im p o r ta n t to m a n y o f us, y e t it seem s th a t m a n y o f o u r a b s tra c to rs a r e n o t y e t re a lly a b le to c o m m u n ic a te new in fo rm a tio n to us in a m e a n in g fu l fa sh io n . T h is a rtic le su m m a riz e s the p rin c ip le s o f g o o d a b s tra c tin g w ith th e h o p e th a t so m e o f o u r a b s tr a c to r s w ill b e a b le to use th e su g g e stio n s to im p ro v e th e i r w ritin g skills. T h e p rin c ip le s d e sc rib e d c a n a lso b e a p p lie d b y th o se c o n s id e rin g a b s tra c tin g a rtic le s fo r th e i r p e rs o n a l files. S kill in d e te rm in in g th e e ssence o f a n y r e p o rt is a v a lu a b le tim e -s a v e r a n d is a lso a ta le n t w h ic h a n y b u d d in g w r ite r s h o u ld c u ltiv a te . W H A T IS A N A B S T R A C T ? A jo u rn a l a b s tr a c t fu n c tio n s as a b r ie f d e s c rip tio n o f th e c o n te n ts o f a n a r tic le so th a t th e b u sy th e r a p is t can q u ic k ly g ra s p th e “m e a t” o f th e a rtic le . A c c o rd in g to L o is D e B a k e y in h e r b o o k , T h e S c ie n tific J o u rn a l, a jo u rn a l a b s tra c t is d istin g u ish e d fro m a s u m m a ry by th e fa c t th a t it s ta n d s a p a r t f r o m th e o rig in a l a rtic le . * A t th e tim e th is a rtic le w as w ritte n , M rs. P a l w as an A d m in is tr a tiv e I n te r n in P u b lic a tio n s a t th e h e a d ­ q u a r te r s o f th e A m e ric a n P h y s ic a l T h e r a p y A s s o c ia ­ tio n , W a s h in g to n , D C 20005. S he is c u rre n tly a staff p h y sic a l t h e r a p is t fo r G ir lin g H o m e H e a lth S ervices, In c , 1404 W N o r th L o o p , A u s tin , T X 78756. t R e p r in te d f r o m P H Y S IC A L T H E R A P Y (V o lu m e 58: 1 7 5 - 1 7 7 , F e b r u a r y 1978) w ith th e p e rm is s io n o f th e A m e ric a n P h y s ic a l T h e r a p y A s so c ia tio n . D r. D e B a k e y w rite s : “ B e ca u se th ese a b s tra c ts stand a p a r t fro m th e o rig in a l a rtic le , th e y s h o u ld b e com ­ p le te ly se lf-c o n ta in e d , a n d so m e tim es, th e re fo re , m ay in c lu d e m o re in f o r m a tio n th a n (c o n c u rre n t a u th o r a b s tr a c ts ) .” K in g a n d R o la n d f u r th e r c la rify the n a tu r e o f th e jo u r n a l a b s tra c t b y re m in d in g us th a t a g o o d a b s tra c t “ p re se rv e s th e f o r m o f th e p a p e r in m in i a tu r e ” a n d n e v e r c o n ta in s m a te ria l w h ic h is n o t in th e p a p e r, such as th e c ritic is m s o r o p in io n s o f the a b s t r a c to r .1 T E C H N I Q U E W h a t d oes o n e do w h e n w ritin g a n a b s tr a c t? M aizellj S m ith , a n d S in g e r su g g est th a t th e a b s tr a c to r sh ould b e g in w ith a q u ic k p r e lim in a r y scan o f th e article , n o tin g th e su b je c t m a tte r a n d le n g th a n d s p e c ia l fe a tu re s such as ta b le s, illu s tra tio n s , o r re fe re n c e s. A se c o n d very c a re fu l re a d in g s h o u ld fo c u s o n r e a d in g th e first a nd last p a ra g ra p h s , re a d in g k e y se c tio n s, a n d u n d e rlin in g k e y w o rd s a n d p h ra s e s in th e a r ti c le .4 A t th is p o in t, the a b s tr a c to r h a s tw o c h o ic es: to e x tr a c t o r to p a ra p h ra s e . G e n e ra lly th e p a ra p h ra s e , w ritte n in th e p a s t tense, is th e m o re e ffective a n d w id e ly used c h o ic e o f style fo r a jo u r n a l a b s tra c t. E x tra c ts a re sim p ly se lec te d q u o ta ­ tio n s fro m th e a rtic le . E x tr a c ts m a y b e a p p r o p r i a te if u se d a s a s u p p le m e n t to p a ra p h ra s e s o r if th e a r tic le is a lite r a tu r e su rv e y a n d n o t a re se a rc h re p o rt. W h a te v e r th e c h o ic e o f w ritin g style, m o s t a b s tra c to rs p re fe r to w rite th e ir ro u g h d ra fts w ith a fu ll c o p y o f the a rtic le b e fo re th em . T h e final ste p is to p u t th e a b stra c t a w a y a n d re re a d it a few h o u r s o r a few d a y s later. F in a l c o p y s h o u ld be ty p e d a c c o rd in g to th e r e q u ir e ­ m e n ts o f th e S ty le M a n u a l o f th e A m e ric a n P hysical T h e ra p y A s so c ia tio n (A P T A ).5 W h e n d o in g th e final re a d in g , th e a b s tr a c to r m u st p o n d e r th e q u e stio n , “ C an 1 u n d e rsta n d w h a t this a rtic le is a ll a b o u t fro m w h a t is w ritte n h e re ? ” If th e a n sw e r is “ N o ” , P h ysical T h e r a p y re a d e rs will n o t be a b le to u n d e rs ta n d the a b s tr a c t e ither. C O N T E N T A c c o rd in g to th e A P T A S ty le M a n u a l a n a b s tra c t sh o u ld c o n ta in n o m o re th a n 250 w o r d s .5 G e n e ra lly fe w e r w o rd s a r e n e e d e d to a d e q u a te ly d e s c rib e an a rtic le . D r. S o u th g a te ’s e d ito r ia l s u m m a riz e s th e m a tte r o f c o n te n t c o n cise ly , c itin g f o u r q u e s tio n s w h ic h the a b s tr a c to r m u st a sk : (1) W h a t w as th e p ro b le m ? (P ro b le m ); (2) H o w w as it so lv e d ? (M e th o d ); (3) W h a t w as f o u n d ? (R e su lts ); (4) W h a t w a s le a rn e d ? (C o n c lu ­ sio n s ).1 N o m o re th a n o n e se n te n c e is u su a lly n e e d e d to a n sw e r e ac h q u e stio n . T h e o r d e r in w h ic h th e s e esse n tia l ite m s a re w ritte n d oes n o t m a tte r, a lth o u g h it is a good id ea to g e n e ra lly fo llo w th e o r d e r in w h ic h th e y o c c u r in th e a rtic le b e in g a b s tra c te d . A g o o d a b s tr a c t is a c o lle c tio n o f fa cts, n o t g e n e ra litie s. S u c h le a d -in p h ra ses as “T h e a u th o r s c o n c lu d e d . . a re d e a d w o o d in an a b s tra c t. I t is b e tte r to s im p ly say “T h e c o n clu sio n s w e re . . . ” T h e f o u r e sse n tia l q u e s tio n s a lso a p p ly to a rtic le s w hich a re lite r a tu r e surveys. T o illu stra te : T h e p ro b le m R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. ) SEPTEMBER 1978 P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y 15 may h a v e b een to fin d o u t w h a t h a s been w ritte n in th e oast 20 y e a rs a b o u t c erv ica l tra c tio n . T h e m e th o d m ay have b een to review the lite r a tu r e (m e n tio n in g w ell- i;now n a u th o rs ). T h e re su lts m a y h a v e b e en to d isc o v e r that little d o c u m e n ta tio n exists o n th e basis f o r tre a tin g cervical sp in e p ro b le m s w ith m o to riz e d in te rm itte n t tra c tio n in the sittin g p o sitio n . T h e c o n c lu sio n m a y have been th a t re se a rc h on a p p ly in g c erv ica l tra c tio n , o r 0n the e ffe c ts o f a p p ly in g c erv ica l tra c tio n in th e sitting position, is n eeded. Som e specific fa c ts w h ic h n e ed to b e in c lu d e d in an a b s tra c t o f a re se a rc h a r tic le a r e ( 1) th e n u m b e r and c h a ra c te ris tic s o f e x p e rim e n ta l su b je c ts; (2 ) th e full hames o f a n y s ta n d a rd tests o r s ta tis tic a l m e th o d s u se d ; (3) the fu ll n a m e s o f a n y a p p a r a tu s u sed; a n d (4) th e generic n a m e s, if p o ssib le , o f a n y d ru g s u s e d .6 L ast, b u t c e rta in ly n o t least, th e a b s tr a c to r m u s t select facts fo r in c lu sio n in th e a b s tr a c t w h ic h a re p e r tin e n t to the field o f p h y sic al th e ra p y . T h e r e is no p la c e in th e journal a b s tr a c t fo r a p e rs o n a l c ritiq u e b y th e a b s tr a c to r of the a r tic le ’s a p p lic a b ility to th e p h y s ic a l th e ra p y -profession, b u t it is e n tire ly e th ic a l a n d n e c e ssa ry to 1 ("hoose a n d o r ie n t th e fa cts p re se n te d to o u r p ro fe s s io n . The re a d e rs th em se lv es m u s t d e c id e w h e th e r a n a rtic le is p e rtin e n t a n d w o r th a c lo s e r re a d in g . A fte r all, is n ’t that th e real re a so n f o r p u b lis h in g jo u r n a l a b s tra c ts ? S T Y L E M a ize ll, S in g e r, a n d S m ith re m in d us th a t th e lead sentence o f th e a b s tra c t is v e ry im p o rta n t, a n d sh o u ld give th e “ g is t” o f th e a r tic le .4 A c le a r, c o n cise sty le is a ne ce ssity if an a b s tr a c t is to be lim ite d to o n e se n ten c e a b o u t e ac h o f th e f o u r e sse n tia l q u e s tio n s (p ro b le m , m ethod, re su lts, c o n c lu sio n s). A b s tr a c to r s sh o u ld d isc a rd jarg o n fro m th e o rig in a l a rtic le ; f o r e x a m p le , a “ sp in a l cord in ju re d p a ti e n t ” is re a lly a “ p a tie n t w ith a sp in a l cord in ju r y .” G e n e ra lly th e p a s t te n s e is re q u ir e d fo r verbs. S tro n g a n d p re c ise la n g u a g e h e lp s th e r e a d e r to u n d e rsta n d th e im p o rta n c e o f th e c o n te n t o f th e a b s tra c t. All a b b r e v ia tio n s u sed s h o u ld b e sp e lle d o u t th e first tim e th e y a p p e a r in th e tex t a n d fo llo w e d by the a b b re v ia tio n in p a re n th e se s. E X A M PL E S T h e fo llo w in g tw o a b s tra c ts fulfil m o st o f th e r e ­ q u ire m e n ts f o r g o o d q u a lity w h ic h h a v e b e e n c ited here: ^ F a c to rs p re v io u s ly a ss o c ia te d w ith m o to r n e u ro n d ise ase w e re c o m p a re d in 25 p a tie n ts w ith a m y o ­ tr o p h ic la te ra l sc le ro s is (A L S), 25 p a tie n ts w ith o th e r n e u ro lo g ic diseases, a n d 25 n o r m a l c o n tro l subjects. A s ta n d a rd fo rm w a s u se d to re c o rd e x p o s u re to m eta ls, a th le tic p a r tic ip a tio n , m ilk in g e s tio n , c h ild ­ h o o d a n d a d u lt illnesses, b o n e f ra c tu re s , m a la b s o r p ­ tio n , tra u m a , e le c tric sh o c k , h y p o g ly c e m ia , a n d o th e r fa cto rs. G r o u p s w e re m a tc h e d f o r a g e a n d sex. T h e A L S g ro u p h a d a sig n ific a n tly h ig h e r n u m b e r o f p a tie n ts w ho r e p o rte d e x p o s u re to h e a v y m eta ls, p a r tic ip a tio n in a th le tic s , a n d in g e s tio n o f la rg e q u a n ­ titie s o f m ilk . T h e a u th o r s p o s tu la te d th a t A L S p a tie n ts m a y h a v e g e n e tic a lly d e te rm in e d d y s fu n c tio n in m o to r n e u r o n m e ta b o lis m w h ic h is m a d e w o rs e by e n v iro n m e n ta l fa c to rs o r b y m o to r n e u r o n f a tig u e .7 E le c tro p h y s io lo g ic stu d ie s w e re p e rfo rm e d o n 17 p a tie n ts w h o h a d p re -e x istin g u re m ic n e u r o p a th y a n d h a d su c c essfu l k id n e y tra n s p la n ts . C lin ic a l signs b e fo re tr a n s p la n ta tio n ra n g e d f r o m m ild to se v e re a n d in ­ c lu d e d d ista l w e ak n e ss, re d u c tio n o f te n d o n reflexes, n u m b n e s s a n d tin g lin g , a n d loss o f v ib r a to r y sense a n d tw o -p o in t d is c rim in a tio n . E le c tro p h y s io lo g ic signs c o rre la te d w ell w ith c lin ic a l sy m p to m s. S e n so ry a n d m o to r c o n d u c tio n v e lo c itie s w e re d e c re a s e d a n d m u sc le c o m p o u n d a c tio n p o te n tia ls w e re d e p ressed . I m p ro v e m e n t in c lin ic a l signs b e g a n w ith in tw o m o n th s a f te r tra n s p la n ta tio n . M ild n e u r o p a th ie s sh o w ed c o m p le te c lin ic a l re c o v e ry in s ix m o n th s , w h ile m o d e r a te to se v e re n e u ro p a th ie s sh o w e d c o n ­ tin u e d im p ro v e m e n t f o r as lo n g as tw o y e a rs. C o n ­ d u c tio n v e lo c ity d id n o t show sig n ific a n t im p ro v e ­ m e n t w ith in tw o m o n th s , b u t, in t h e tw o -y e a r fo llo w - u p , s u s ta in e d in c re a s e in m o to r a n d se n so ry c o n d u c ­ tio n v e lo c ity w as n o ted . F o u r p a tie n ts re q u ir e d a se c o n d tr a n s p la n t w ith s im ila r im p ro v e m e n t in c lin ic a l a n d e le c tro p h y s io lo g ic sig n s .8 W e m a y in fe r fro m th e se c o n d a b s tra c t t h a t th e a u th o rs d id n o t a tte m p t to d ra w c o n c lu sio n s f r o m th e ir stu d y re su lts. S U M M A R Y A g o o d jo u r n a l a b s tr a c t is a n im m e n se ly v a lu a b le to o l f o r th e p h y sic a l th e ra p is t. I t c an e n a b le a r e a d e r to q u ic k ly g ra s p th e e ssence o f a p u b lis h e d a r tic le a n d h e lp th e r e a d e r d e c id e w h e th e r to p u r s u e th e a r tic le fo r d e ta ile d re a d in g . A n in e x p e rie n c e d w r ite r c an “ p r a c tic e ” v a lu a b le sk ills a n d w ritin g style b y a tte m p tin g to w rite a n a b s tra c t. T h e se le c tiv e re a d in g p ro c e ss b e g u n by re a d in g a b s tra c ts h e lp s m a n y t h e ra p is ts k e e p u p w ith th e g ro w in g b o d y o f m e d ic a l kn o w le d g e. T h e J o u r n a l p u b lis h e s m o s t a b s tra c ts if th e fo rm , o r g a n iz a tio n , a n d sty le a r e re la tiv e ly c le ar, a n d as lo n g as th e a b s tr a c to r d oes n o t in je c t o p in io n s in to th e tex t. It is u p to a b s tra c to rs to m a k e th e m a te ria l m e a n in g fu l f o r th e re ad e rs! R eferen ces 1. K in g , L . S., R o la n d , C. G .: S c ien tific W ritin g . C h ic a g o , D iv is io n o f S cien tific P u b lic a tio n s , A m e r i ­ c an M e d ic a l A s s o c ia tio n , 1968. 2. S o u th g a te , M . T .: E d ito r ia l : O n w ritin g th e sy nopsis a b s tra c t. J A M A 222: 1307, 1972. 3. D e B a k e y , L .: T h e S c ien tific J o u r n a l: E d it o r ia l P o li ­ cies a n d P ra c tic e s. St. L o u is . T h e C. V . M o s b y C o., 1976, p p 54 - 56. 4. M a iz e ll, R . E ., S m ith , J. F „ S in g e r T . E . R .: A b s tra c tin g S c ien tific a n d T e c h n ic a l L ite r a t u r e : A n I n tr o d u c to r y G u id e a n d T e x t f o r S c ie n tists, A b s tra c ­ to rs, a n d M a n a g e m e n t. N e w Y o r k , J o h n W ile y & S ons, In c , 1971, p p 40 - 102. 5. Style M a n u a l, ed 4. W a s h in g to n , D C , A m e ric a n P h y s ic a l T h e r a p y A s s o c ia tio n , 1976, p p 2 7 - 2 8 . 6 . G u id e f o r V o lu n te e r A b s tra c to rs , ed. 2. W a s h in g to n , D C , P s y c h o lo g ic a l A b s tra c ts I n f o r m a t io n S ervices, A m e ric a n P s y c h o lo g ic a l A s so c ia tio n , 1976. p. 4. 7. A b s tra c ts o f C u r r e n t L ite r a tu r e : S u m m a rie s of a rtic le s in o th e r jo u rn a ls . A b s tr a c t by J o a n F ly n n . P h ys. T h e r. 57: p 97, 1977. 8 . A b s tra c ts o f C u r r e n t L ite r a tu r e : S u m m a rie s o f a rtic le s in o th e r jo u rn a ls. A b s tra c t b y J o a n F ly n n . P h ys. T her. 57: p 201. 1977. R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. )