Write your dissertation abstract first, then cut it down to fit the word limit. Skip formatting tricks like tiny fonts or extra spacing, institutions catch them. Read it aloud or have someone else check it so your purpose and findings actually land.
I recommend to people, write the abstract. And then look at it with the requirements more tightly. Oh, well, it says I can only have 230 words, or it can only be a page. Now I can start compressing. And you can't use tricks like, I'm going to change the font, or I'm going to change the spacing, or things like that. You know, those were tricks that, you know, we all thought were really cool tricks that nobody else knew about. But everybody knew about, especially your professor. And the university is going to say, look, it's got to be a 12-point font, and it's got to be Times New Roman, or whatever it is. They've dictated that for you, so that trick is gone. You can't use it. There's one technique that people say is a good one, and that's read out loud. Read this out loud. Read it or have someone else read it who didn't have anything to do with the study to see if they understand what you did and what you found. Those can be key things. If you would like help with your abstract or any part of your dissertation, join our free dissertation help community.
