Dear Joseph Ayi Otu,
There’s no absolute global standard for constructing an abstract, but there are common conventions. Most abstracts include the problem, methodology, findings, and implications—yet their structure varies across disciplines and contexts. The goal is always clarity and conciseness, but the way ideas are framed depends on academic traditions and expectations. Rather than seeking strict uniformity, it’s more meaningful to embrace the diversity of expression, allowing knowledge to flow across different perspectives.
Best,
Zylfije Tahiri
An abstract gives a brief analysis of the state of previous research, or a description of the background to the work. It then gives a description of the experiment or research that has been undertaken. The results are described, and then the implications of those results are stated. Generally speaking, no references should be written in an abstract, unless your paper/work relies (or is based) on the work(s) of some scholar.
See also:
Morton, R. 1999. Abstracts as authentic material for EAP classes. ELT Journal, vol. 53 (3) Oxford University Press.
You can refer to a scholar if your research is built on their theory, or your results dismantle / question the validity of the idea(s) held by the author quoted. If not, quoting should be avoided
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