Structured Abstracts Act Like Signposts, They Provide
Structured Abstracts Act Like Signposts, They Provide
Structured Abstracts Act Like Signposts, They Provide
In an electronic environment, abstracts are more important that they have ever
been. Sometimes this “snippet” is the only thing a reader or researcher will see
and it is the one chance we have of persuading them to download the full text of
the paper.
Structured abstracts will help the Editor in their preliminary review of a paper and
will certainly help the journal reviewers get an overview of a paper even before
conducting the review.
How to write a structured abstract
Paper type
Please chose a category for your paper. Pick the category which most closely
describes your paper. We understand that some papers can fit into more than one
category but it is necessary to assign your paper to one of the categories - these
are listed and will be searchable within the database.
Research paper: This category covers papers which report on any type of
research undertaken by the author(s). The research may involve the
construction or testing of a model or framework, action research, testing of
data, market research or surveys, empirical, scientific or clinical research.
Conceptual paper : These papers will not be based on research but will
develop and test hypotheses. The papers are likely to be discursive and will
cover philosophical discussions and comparative studies of others' work and
thinking.
Literature review: It is expected that all types of paper cite any relevant
literature so this category should only be used if the main purpose of the
paper is to annotate and/or critique the literature in a particular subject area.
It may be a selective bibliography providing advice on information sources or
it may be comprehensive in that the paper's aim is to cover the main
contributors to the development of a topic and explore their different views.
General review: This category covers those papers which provide an overview
or historical examination of some concept, technique or phenomena. The
papers are likely to be more descriptive or instructional ("how to" papers)
than discursive.
Selecting keywords
Supply up to six keywords for tagging the paper when archived in the database.
Researchers will be more likely to retrieve the paper when conducting a keyword
search of our database if your paper is suitably tagged. In the near future the
controlled list of keywords will appear on the Emerald website and will form part
of the new online content management system so it will be easier then to find the
suitable terms but in the meantime pick keywords which reflect the specificity of
the paper. Avoid overarching terms like "Management" unless the paper
discusses the topic with such a wide focus. Use the most common term for a
concept. Do not make up new terms for an old concept. Try to think broadly; if
the paper discusses performance appraisal in an electronics factory it may be
worthwhile supplying the industry as a keyword. If an activity/research takes
place in a particular country then supply the country's name as a keyword.
To produce a structured abstract for the journal and Emerald database, please
complete the following fields about your paper. There are four fields which are
obligatory (Purpose, Design, Findings and Value); the other two (Research
limitations/implications and Practical implications) may be omitted if they are not
applicable to your paper.
Abstracts should contain no more than 250 words. Write concisely and
clearly. The abstract should reflect only what appears in the original paper.
Purpose of this paper What are the reason(s) for writing the paper
or the aims of the research?
Design/methodology/approach How are the objectives achieved? Include
the main method(s) used for the research.
What is the approach to the topic and what
is the theoretical or subject scope of the
paper?
Findings What was found in the course of the work?
This will refer to analysis, discussion, or
results.
Research If research is reported on in the paper this
limitations/implications (if section must be completed and should
applicable) include suggestions for future research and
any identified limitations in the research
process.
Practical implications What outcomes and implications for
(if applicable) practice, applications and consequences are
identified? Not all papers will have practical
implications but most will. What changes to
practice should be made as a result of this
research/paper?
What is original/value of paper What is new in the paper? State the value
of the paper and to whom.
Findings – The paper provides empirical insights about how change is brought
about during internal brand building. It suggests that successful leaders act as
“integrating forces” on two levels: integrating the elements of corporate identity
structures, and mediating between the corporate branding structures and the
individual.