Research Abstracts, Grants, and Theses: More Resources to Help You Write Effectively

Before you worked in a lab, it's likely that nothing prepared you for just how busy you are on a daily basis. Contrary to what some on the outside looking in might think, researchers do a lot more than just research. Here's a quick review of all of the “things” researchers work on:

• Scheduling Planning Reading
• Reviewing papers Studying Meetings
• Presenting your work More meetings Managing budgets
• Managing projects Mentoring others Writing and editing manuscripts
• Writing abstracts Writing grants and fellowships Writing theses and dissertations

And more!

Since the manuscript is the primary way researchers share their work with the world, the AJE Author Resource Center has many resources to help with preparing them. However, it's the last 3 elements of writing on the list above (abstracts, grants, and theses) that we want to focus on here.

1. How to Write a Good Abstract

Whether you're working on your very first abstract or have written many, information on how to refine that text can always be useful. No matter how times we practice writing concisely on Twitter, it can still be a challenge to come in under a word limit!

• Ways to Reduce the Word Count in an Abstract
• 6 Tips for Writing a Strong Abstract

2. Resources for Writing Grants and Fellowships

Crafting a better grant or fellowship application leads to increased chances of receiving the funding that you need. Of course, your project needs to be aligned with the grant/fellowship you are applying for, but for many of us, writing the application is a major hurdle. Here are some resources that can help you write a well-received proposal:

• What to Consider When Writing a Grant Proposal
• Writing a Successful Graduate Fellowship Application, a collaboration with Bitesize Bio

3. Finish Your Thesis or Dissertation!

If there is one thing that writing a thesis or dissertation can prepare you for, it's for the task of writing that you will carry with you throughout your research career. It can be easy to let writing these massive documents overwhelm you, but don't. Push through the lull that can easily set in, and be intentional about implementing a productivity plan. Here are some resources to get you started:

• 6 Tips for Productive Writing
• The Easier Way to Write a PhD Thesis, a collaboration with Bitesize Bio

Bonus Resources:

As you well know, the results of your research represent only a fraction of what you work on. As you build your career, you will find yourself needing to be an effective communicator not only in your manuscript, abstracts, grants, and theses; you will also often have to write well in a myriad of other ways. These may include responses to peer reviewers, cover letters to journal editors, slides for research presentations, and even emails to colleagues or for position inquiries. Follow these links for some templates and examples you can use in the future.

At AJE, we understand that you do much more than write manuscripts. That is why our English editing, translation, and figure/illustration services are designed to help you write the best abstracts, grant and fellowship applications, and dissertations. Whatever you are embarking on, let us support you on your path.