• Purpose: 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 limitations/implications (if applicable): If research is reported on in the paper this section must be completed and should include suggestions for future research and any identified limitations in the research process.
• Practical implications (if applicable): What outcomes and implications for practice, applications and consequences are identified? How will the research impact upon the business or enterprise? What changes to practice should be made as a result of this research? What is the commercial or economic impact? Not all papers will have practical implications.
• Social implications (if applicable): What will be the impact on society of this research? How will it influence public attitudes? How will it influence (corporate) social responsibility or environmental issues? How could it inform public or industry policy? How might it affect quality of life? Not all papers will have social implications.
• Originality/value: What is new in the paper? State the value of the paper and to whom.

Keywords

Using keywords is a vital part of abstract writing, because of the practice of retrieving information electronically:

• Supply approximately 6-10 words or phrases which will be used for tagging the paper in SK’s database. Keywords act as the search term.
• Use keywords that are specific, and that reflect what is essential about the paper.
• Put yourself in the position of someone researching in your field: what would you look for? Consider also whether you can use any of the current “buzzwords”.
• Researchers will be more likely to retrieve the paper when conducting a keyword search of our database if the paper is suitably tagged.
• Pick keywords that 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.