Titles and abstracts - YouTube

In this video, we’re going to look at how to finish up your paper with a title and abstract.

Now obviously, titles go at the beginning of the paper,

and abstracts usually come right after the title and names.

And they are usually formatted so that they look separate from the main part of the paper.

In your own research paper, which you're typing on a computer,

it's a good idea to maybe single-space the abstract.

Titles should have a balance between length and detail.

Shorter is good, but it needs to be clear,

and usually contains the independent and dependent variables.

You should avoid starting the title with a question word like: what, why, or how.

So, instead of this, you should write this.

OK and next, make sure you capitalize all the key words,

and any word longer than 3 letters.

Short words like: of, a, the, in, and… these words don’t need need to be capitalized.

OK, let’s look at some examples.

These titles all explain the independent and dependent variables. OK.

For example, "time estimation" - that's the dependent variable.

Time estimation performance before, during,and following physical activity.

That's the independent variable.

These titles all explain the main findings.

Red enhances human performance in contests.

Sad music induces pleasant emotion. OK.

So you can see that there are different kinds of styles of writing your title.

Either using the independent and dependent variable.

Or explaining the main result.

And then this style uses the word "effect" or "role"

OK. The role of facial mimicry in the recognition of affect.

A note on the effect of auditory stimulation on the behaviour and welfare of zoo-housed gorillas. OK.

Alright, next, let’s talk about abstracts.

The abstract is a short summary of your research paper, so that people who might want to read it

can decide whether it’s worth reading.

So, it needs to be short, but clear.

And you should contain these things:

first, a summary of the background and purpose, and maybe the method. OK.

next, a summary of the most important result.

and then finally, a summary of what is useful or important about it, like applications,

for example.

OK. So here is the abstract for the paper on... that red enhances human performance

in contests.

We used this paper in a previous video.

Here is the abstract.

And this first part explains the background of the study.

This part explains the main result.

OK. We find that wearing red is consistently associated with a higher probability of winning.

And then this one explains the importance or maybe you could say the application of the result.

OK, next this is a research paper about the effect of eating breakfast on thinking.

And here’s the abstract written in a little bit bigger type

so you can read it more easily.

And as before,

the first 3 sentences here explain the purpose of the study,

and a little bit about the method.

OK.

And then this part explains the results in 2 sentences.

It's a little more detailed than the other example we looked at.

And finally this part is kind of an overall summary of the meaning of the research.

So, you can see that some abstracts are more detailed and some are less detailed,

and the content varies a little from paper to paper,

but keep the main focus in mind:

that you are trying to attract people who might want to read your paper.