Structured abstracts: guide for authors:
From volume 45 issue 3 (winter 2005) Educational Research will be using structured abstracts in all articles and short reports. Educational Research is the first education journal to make this move towards improving the quality of abstracts. Articles submitted without a structured abstract after December 2005 may not be accepted for review.
The purpose of the structured abstract is to provide clear, detailed and consistently presented information to readers, giving all the important information relating to the article so that the reader can determine the relevance of the article. This will also be very useful to researchers and readers when searching databases of abstracts. Finally, a structured abstract will help authors to structure their articles to include all the relevant sections.
The structured abstract should be 300 to 500 words long (this is separate from the word count allowed for the article itself) and should use sub-headings to alert the reader to different sections. Different sub-headings will apply for different types of article (see examples below).
For empirical studies
| Background | A statement concerning the context of the study |
| Purpose | The main research aims/questions addressed in the article |
| Programme description (if relevant) |
For evaluation studies, include brief details of the programme/intervention under investigation |
| Sample | Sample details, including number of participants, geographical location/type of setting, age and stage of education and other demographic information pertinent to the study (e.g. gender, ability/attainment, ethnicity, special educational needs) |
| Design and methods | Study design and methods, including dates of data collection, sampling method, methods of data collection and analysis |
| Results | Main findings in relation to the research aims/questions |
| Conclusions | Main conclusions arising from the research. |
For a literature review
| Background | A statement concerning the context of the review |
| Purpose | The main research aims/questions addressed in the article |
| Design and methods | Literature review design and methods, including parameters and inclusion criteria (e.g. dates and type of material), search strategy and procedure (databases used, internet and hand searches, contact with experts), type and number of included studies/pieces of literature, methods of analysis |
| Conclusions | Main conclusions arising from the review, in relation to the research aims/questions and comment on the quality of the evidence-base. |
For a theoretical/discussion piece
| Background | A statement concerning the context of the article |
| Purpose | The main aims/questions addressed in the article |
| Sources of evidence | Basis for the theory or argument put forward (this might include literature review, empirical study and/or personal experience) |
| Main argument | Main elements of the argument, theory or model being proposed in relation to the stated aims/questions |
| Conclusions | Main conclusions arising from the theory/argument including its application/contribution to the field. |
If your article does not fit any of the structures presented here, please use an appropriately similar structure for your abstract.
For further information, including some worked examples of structured abstracts, please see the attached document.
