APA Abstract Formatting: A Step-by-Step Explanation with Examples

An abstract of a paper is a section that presents the main aspects of your research in a concise way, such as the objectives, methods, results, and conclusion.

The abstract helps both readers and search engines to get the essence of your paper. With a precise and accurate summary, the readers know exactly what the paper is about before going into the details.

Abstracts are optional for student papers. However, it is essential if you are writing a professional paper in APA. 

Read on to learn how to write and format an abstract according to the APA 7th edition guidelines.

Formatting the Abstract in APA

The abstract starts on a separate page. It is the second page of your research paper and comes after the title page. Here are the formatting rules for this section as defined by the APA style.

• Insert a running head (on the top-left corner of the header) and page number (on the top-right corner).
• Bold and center the word "Abstract" at the top of the page.
• Start the abstract from the next line. Do not use first-line indent.
• Use Times New Roman, 12-pt font. Apply double-spacing for the lines.
• Add relevant keywords from the next line after the content. Write the label “Keywords:” (in italics) with a half-inch indent. Add 3-5 keywords separated by commas

The example below demonstrates what a correctly formatted APA abstract looks like:

How to Write the Abstract

An abstract is a snapshot of your research, offering a brief but accurate glimpse of what is covered in the paper. Here are the tips you need to keep in mind for writing a good abstract:

Step 1: Start the Abstract after Completing the Paper

Before you write your abstract, you should write your paper first. This will help you to identify the key points and information that you need to include in your abstract. 

Step 2: Identify the Main Elements of Your Paper

The abstract aims to present the main crux of your paper concisely. For that, you should identify and summarize the key elements of your paper, which include: 

• Objective: What is the main hypothesis, research questions, or research problem that your paper addresses? What is the main goal or objective of your research?
• Methods: How did you conduct your research? What are the main methods or techniques that you used to collect and analyze your data?
• Results: What are the main facts or figures your research established? What are the main findings or outcomes of your research? What is your conclusion?
• Implications: What are the main implications or contributions of your research? Are there recommendations for future research?

Step 3: Write a Draft of Your Abstract

Write two to three sentences covering each of the above elements of your research paper. Use simple and clear, and avoid unnecessary details. You should write your abstract in one paragraph and use transition words to link your sentences and ideas. 

Step 4: Revise and Edit Your Abstract

After you write your draft, you need to revise and edit your abstract. Make sure that the abstract is about 150–250 words. You should also check the content, structure, and style of your abstract and make sure that it is accurate, coherent, and concise. 

Adding the Keywords

The list of keywords after the abstract helps with accurate indexing and categorization of your paper, so you need to choose the most relevant keywords. Here are some points to keep in mind when adding the keywords:

• Aim for using 3-5 keywords is ideal. It helps you to find the most focused keywords. Try not to use more than 7 keywords.
• Select the keywords that are most relevant and specific to the topic and scope of your paper.
• Arrange the keywords in the order of importance or relevance, and use the most important or relevant keyword first.

Let's say your paper is about the effects of social media on self-esteem; your keywords could be:

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