GUIDELINES FOR WRITING AN ABSTRACT

The abstract is one of the very first parts of an FYP to be read, although it is normally the very last part of the project to be written.

The abstract of an FYP is short, around 100 ¡V 250 words in length and usually includes the following information:
Background information
Aim of the study
Methodology used to carry out the study
Major results
Conclusion(s)
Recommendation(s)

 

Identify the type of information given in each sentence of the abstract by clicking on your selected choice.

1.Hong Kong is one of the modern fashion centres of the world, and as a result fashion magazines play a significant role in announcing the latest fashions to prospective buyers.

Background
Aim
Methodology
Results
Conclusion(s)
Recommendation(s)

 

2.This project analysed the marketing techniques and the business environment of the Hong Kong fashion magazine industry and assessed potential buyers' reading behaviour.

Background
Aim
Methodology
Results
Conclusion(s)
Recommendation(s)

 

3.A reader survey was conducted in four sites and 215 completed surveys were collected.

Background
Aim
Methodology
Results
Conclusion(s)
Recommendation(s)

 

4.An in-depth interview was conducted with two important Hong Kong magazine publishers, the Cosmopolitan Chinese edition and the Marie Claire Hong Kong edition.

Background
Aim
Methodology
Results
Conclusion(s)
Recommendation(s)

 

5.The study concludes that whilst competition is keen in the fashion magazine area, there is still potential for new publications.

Background
Aim
Methodology
Results
Conclusion(s)
Recommendation(s)

 

Verb Tense Usage in an Abstract

The sentences below have been taken from the abstract of several students' FYPs in order to illustrate the tense that is usually used in the various parts of the abstract. It has to be stressed however that the tenses suggested below are not always strictly followed and you may often need to make your own decision about the most appropriate choice of tense.

Background information:  present tense

 

Hong Kong is one of the modern fashion centres of the world, and as a result fashion magazines play a significant role in announcing the latest fashions to prospective buyers.

 

There are two versions of the assessment scheme, one applicable to new office building designs, and the other to existing office buildings

 

Infiltration plays an important role in the ventilation of residential units in Hong Kong.

 

 

Aim:  past tense

 

This project analysed the marketing techniques and the business environment of the Hong Kong fashion magazine industry and assessed potential buyers' reading behaviour.

 

This study aimed to investigate the potential application of renewable energy sources in buildings in Hong Kong.

 

 

Methodology:  past tense (often written in the passive voice)

 

A reader survey was conducted in four sites and 215 completed surveys were collected.

 

An in-depth interview was conducted with two important Hong Kong magazine publishers, the Cosmopolitan Chinese edition and the Marie Claire Hong Kong edition.

 

Key limitations for local application of this assessment tool were identified, ¡K

 

 

Results:  past tense(often written in the passive voice)

 

(No specific results were included in the sample abstract about Hong Kong Fashion Magazines)

 

The profiles of temperature and relative humidity in bus cabins were found to be influenced by the number of passengers and the operation mode of the air-conditioning systems.

 

 

Conclusion(s):  present tense

 

The study concludes that whilst competition is keen in the fashion magazine area, there is still potential for new publications.

The estimates are not accurate enough for reliable estimation of sensor biases as sensitivity and accuracy of the estimates are not high enough.

 

 

Recommendation(s):  present tense/tentative modal verbs

 

The study concludes that whilst competition is keen in the fashion magazine area, there is still potential for new publications.

 

...further development in studies of contribution from both lighting and daylighting design is recommended.

 

The study highlights energy savings in a VAV system that could be achieved if the control parameters are carefully controlled.

 

 

Read the following student abstract and identify the tense of the highlighted verbs and also indicate if the active or passive voice is used.

 

Abstract

 

The population density of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
 
Region (HKSAR) is one of the highest in the world, about 6230
                        
people/km2 (Census and Statistics Department, HKSAR 2000a).
Most Hong Kong residential buildings are high-rise and within
                                                     
dense urban environments. Around 62% of the population live in
                                                                     
the public residential buildings. In these housing conditions,
natural ventilation is usually used to provide acceptable indoor air
                         
quality and thermal comfort environment for the occupants.
In this project, the natural ventilation of public housing
was studied . The Hong Kong Building Regulations, which have impact
on the building design and natural ventilation were reviewed and
                                                               
the essential parameters were also investigated to form a
                                   
ventilation model. A methodology for validating the ventilation
performance was then established.
Full-scale measurement was used to find out the ventilation rate
                                  
and air velocity in two apartments in Tin Shui Wai and Kwai Hing.
By using the measurements and a mathematical model with
meteorological data, the annual ventilation performance of the
apartments was evaluated . When compared to ASHRAE and
                
CIBSE standards, the indoor environmental quality could be
assessed. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation
was then used to examine the ventilation performance of the Kwan
Hing apartment. The result showed that most of the time, the two
                                      
apartments could satisfy the ventilation requirements
recommended by ASHRAE and CIBSE.
It is recommended that consideration in the design of cross
 
ventilation could be adopted in the Building Regulation to enhance
 
the ventilation performance in apartments. Building Regulations
 
 could also be used in order to provide greater flexibility for
 
architects to design the building, and to provide an appropriate
living environment to the occupants.