Write an abstract to quickly survey the content of your paper and decide whether it pertains this area of study.
Per Chapter 2 of the manual, your abstract should describe:
the problem or relation(s) under investigation
study eligibility criteria; type(s) of participants included in primary studies
main results (including the most important effect sizes) and any important moderators of these effect sizes
conclusions (including limitations)
implications for theory, policy, and/or practice
The abstract should be:
accurate: do not include information that does not appear in the body of the manuscript
nonevaluative: do not add to or comment on what is in the body of the manuscript
coherent and readable: use the active voice; present tense to describe conclusions drawn or results with continuing applicability; past tense to describe
specific variables manipulated or outcomes measured
concise: begin the abstract with the most important points, and include only the most important concepts, findings, or implications
Word Count: one paragraph with a minimum of 150 words and a maximum of 250 words