What are the best practices for writing a food science journal article abstract?

1 Purpose and scope

The first step in writing a food science journal article abstract is to define the purpose and scope of your research. What is the main question or problem that you are trying to answer or solve? What is the context and significance of your research? What are the main objectives and hypotheses of your study? These are some of the questions that you should address in the first sentence or two of your abstract. You should also specify the type and scope of your research, such as whether it is experimental, theoretical, descriptive, or applied, and whether it covers a specific food product, process, or system.

2 Methods and materials

The next step in writing a food science journal article abstract is to describe the methods and materials that you used to conduct your research. How did you design your experiment or analysis? What are the main techniques, instruments, or models that you used? What are the main variables, parameters, or factors that you measured or controlled? What are the main sources of data or information that you used? These are some of the questions that you should answer in this section of your abstract. You should provide enough details to allow the reader to understand how you performed your research, but avoid unnecessary details that are not relevant to your main findings.

3 Results and discussion

The third step in writing a food science journal article abstract is to report the results and discussion of your research. What are the main findings or outcomes of your study? How do they support or reject your hypotheses or objectives? What are the main implications or contributions of your research? How do they compare or contrast with previous studies or literature? These are some of the questions that you should answer in this section of your abstract. You should present the most important and relevant results, using numbers, statistics, or graphs if possible, but avoid overinterpreting or exaggerating your findings. You should also highlight the main limitations or uncertainties of your research, and suggest possible directions for future research.

4 Conclusion and recommendations

The final step in writing a food science journal article abstract is to provide a conclusion and recommendations based on your research. What are the main takeaways or messages that you want the reader to remember from your study? What are the main practical or theoretical implications or applications of your research? What are the main recommendations or suggestions that you have for other researchers, practitioners, or policymakers in your field? These are some of the questions that you should answer in this section of your abstract. You should summarize the main points and findings of your research, and emphasize how they contribute to the advancement of food science knowledge or practice.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?