Underline every main verb in your abstract. If they all describe what you did (explored, examined, employed, analysed), your abstract describes the study but hides its findings, and an examiner will ask you to revise it. Keep your opening, cut the method to one sentence, and use the space for your three main findings and one sentence on why they matter.

Why your abstract matters more than you think

Before I read a single chapter, I read three pages: the abstract, the last page of the introduction, and the opening of the conclusion. By the time I reach the literature review, I already have an initial view of the thesis. The rest of my reading either backs it up or fights it.

The abstract is the first thing an examiner reads. It's often what the second examiner rereads just before your defense (viva). And once your thesis is online, it's the only part most people will ever read.

The verb test

Read only the main verbs of your abstract, in order.

The abstract in the video comes from a thesis on management in local government. Its verbs are: explored, aimed to examine, focused on, discussing, aimed to address, employed, were explored, were analysed, challenges, considers.

That's about ten verbs, and every one of them tells me what the researcher did. Not one tells me what they found. 61 managers answered a survey and seven were interviewed. So what did they say? You can hear the whole abstract and still not be able to tell me.

Why it gets a revise

It sounds good. It's a sensible length and uses all the right words, which is exactly why it fools candidates. It isn't a weak study: 61 survey responses and seven interviews is a decent piece of work. The page is just hiding the results.

It's also the most common type of abstract I see.

In the examiner's report I'd write: the abstract describes the design and how the study was conducted, but doesn't report its findings. It should be revised to state, at least in its second half, what the survey and interviews showed and what the thesis therefore claims.

The fix

1. Keep your first two sentences.
2. Cut the method down to one sentence.
3. Use the space you've saved for your three main findings. It doesn't need to list every finding.
4. Finish with one sentence on why they matter.

Then run the verb test again. At least half your verbs should now say what you found: showed, revealed, found, demonstrates.

This is the first of the 5 Examiner Questions I use to read every thesis: what's your contribution? Your abstract is the first place an examiner looks for it. See all five at https://www.phdtoprof.com

Professor Emmanuel Tsekleves has read and reviewed over 100 doctoral theses, examined 45+ across 15+ universities, and is Emeritus Professor at Lancaster University.

Submitting in the next six months? The 8-Week Doctoral Submission Programme gets your thesis examiner-ready: https://www.phdtoprof.com/submission