How to Write a Magazine Abstract

On the Internet, an abstract is the first stage in getting someone to read a longer piece of writing. A magazine abstract is a concise summary of a longer article and entices readers to enjoy an entire magazine. Abstracts should be informative and brief, covering the basics and provide an opinion of the article to the reader. Creating a magazine abstract for the Internet is a simple and effective way of streamlining content.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Magazine article
• Computer

1. Select the article you wish to abstract. Pick articles that cover topics familiar to you, as knowing what to expect from an article in terms of content will make summarizing and criticizing the piece a lot easier.
2. Read the article from beginning to end. If you start skipping sections or skimming, there is a chance of missing a critical point for your summary.
3. Write down a couple of sentences that provide a summary of the overall content of the piece. This would be the main theme, main argument or basic topic covered in the article.
4. Note the author's opinion on the article and his/her conclusion of the main argument. This makes your abstract informative rather than descriptive; a sentence or two is more than sufficient.
5. Mark down your opinion of the article. This is where you provide your feelings on the source and content, evaluating its purpose. This should be no more than a couple of sentences.
6. Arrange sentences in a logical order and delete superfluous words not necessary to the flow of the piece. Watch your word count and shorten up the abstract as necessary.
7. Proofread the abstract before submitting it. Spelling and grammar should be perfect and the abstract should have a beginning, middle and end.

Tips & Warnings

• An abstract is usually between 70-300 words in length. This will of course be greater for much longer pieces. Abstracts for the Internet are best at 70-100 words.
• Remember to use key words in your abstract allowing search engines to find the longer article.
• College professors often require academic abstracts from students. Be sure to get requirements before beginning. They may differ greatly from requirements for a magazine article abstract.
• Writers write magazine abstracts with the reader in mind. Oversimplified language is off-putting, as is an abstract that is too wordy or overly sophisticated. Find a happy medium based on the target audience of the magazine.

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