Chapter 4 Abstract Edits

Exercise 4.1 (Abstract edits) Using what we’ve covered so far, begin editing your own abstract as well as your partner’s. Use the following pointers as a guideline:

• Can you find phrases that can be shortened or simply deleted?

• Are hedge words, -ly adverbs, and emphasising words used appropriately?

• Underline jargon terms. Can you replace them with a more generally understandable synonym?

• Are any of the problems words discussed in the previous chapter used in an unclear way?

• Can you find any noun clusters?

• Are there any buried verbs which you can convert to an active verb.

In anticipation of structuring sentences, consider the following:

• What are the key words in this abstract. Are they repeated and kept consistent?

• Find a sentence which has a large gap between the subject and verb (or the verb and the object). Re-write the sentence, closing this gap.

• Can you rewrite any sentences to make them easier to understand?