一篇好的摘要能让读者在读完后，快速掌握文章的主要内容，而一篇不佳的摘要则会让读者在读完后感到困惑。本文将简单介绍摘要的架构与摘要撰写的注意事项并提供范例。
摘要应是整篇论文的概要，也可以说是各章节的浓缩，包括引言、方法、结果与讨论。
摘要的引言：现在式或简单过去式
摘要的引言用一、两句话解释研究背景并说明研究目的。摘要应尽量避免过于详细的叙述研究目的，此类细节应在正文中详细解释。因为研究已完成，摘要里的引言应使用现在式或简单过去式。
例句：Faster basketball players are more likely to evade defenders and score in a fast break. This study analyzed the relationship between the top speed of basketball players and their fast break points per game.
摘要中的方法叙述：简单过去式
摘要中的方法叙述通常也只有一句到两句话，简单叙述研究使用的材料和方法即可，不用详细解释选择特定研究方法的原因或比较不同研究方法的优劣。摘要中的方法叙述通常使用简单过去式。
例句：This study recruited 40 professional basketball players as research subjects and compared their 50 m sprint time and their fast break points per game.
摘要的结果：现在式或简单过去式
摘要里的结果是较重要的部分，能让读者了解研究成果，因此作者应尽量用精辟语言凸显研究的发现及其重要意义。如果研究结果较多，作者应挑选最重要的部分或最具指针性的部分。摘要里的结果应使用现在式或简单过去式。
例句：The results demonstrate that basketball players with a 50 m sprint speed under 6.2 seconds could score an average of 3.1 more points per game.
摘要的讨论：现在式
摘要里的讨论包含研究结论、研究限制与未来研究建议。摘要的讨论应使用现在式。
例句：This study concludes that faster basketball players score more points. However, this study only investigated the performance of professional basketball players. Future studies can analyze other types of basketball players to improve the generalizability of this study.
为求精简，摘要应避免使用被动语态、过长的句子、艰涩的用语或过于详细的叙述。此外，一篇好摘要务必精确陈述，避免笼统的词句，例如只说明研究目的和问题却不说明结果或结果过于笼统。
错误：What type of quality makes basketball players score more points was the research problem investigated by this study.（此例句较长且使用被动语态使得研究目的较笼统。）
正确：This study analyzed the relationship between the top speed of basketball players and their fast break points per game.
错误：The results demonstrate that faster basketball players score more points.（此例句过于笼统，因此建议当作研究的结论而非研究成果。）
正确：The results demonstrate that basketball players with a 50 m sprint speed under 6.2 seconds could score an average of 3.1 more points per game.
