writing the title and abstract for a research paper being concise precise and meticulous is the key

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Publications
Account settings
My Bibliography
Collections
Citation manager

Save citation to file

Email citation, add to collections.

Create a new collection
Add to an existing collection

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search, create a file for external citation management software, your rss feed.

Search in PubMed
Search in NLM Catalog
Add to Search

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Affiliation.

1 Department of Pediatrics, Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
PMID: 30930712
PMCID: PMC6398294
DOI: 10.4103/sja.SJA_685_18

This article deals with formulating a suitable title and an appropriate abstract for an original research paper. The "title" and the "abstract" are the "initial impressions" of a research article, and hence they need to be drafted correctly, accurately, carefully, and meticulously. Often both of these are drafted after the full manuscript is ready. Most readers read only the title and the abstract of a research paper and very few will go on to read the full paper. The title and the abstract are the most important parts of a research paper and should be pleasant to read. The "title" should be descriptive, direct, accurate, appropriate, interesting, concise, precise, unique, and should not be misleading. The "abstract" needs to be simple, specific, clear, unbiased, honest, concise, precise, stand-alone, complete, scholarly, (preferably) structured, and should not be misrepresentative. The abstract should be consistent with the main text of the paper, especially after a revision is made to the paper and should include the key message prominently. It is very important to include the most important words and terms (the "keywords") in the title and the abstract for appropriate indexing purpose and for retrieval from the search engines and scientific databases. Such keywords should be listed after the abstract. One must adhere to the instructions laid down by the target journal with regard to the style and number of words permitted for the title and the abstract.

Keywords: Abbreviations; aims; article; author; conclusions; database; indexing; keywords; manuscript; medical writing; message; methods; paper; research; results; summary.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Publication types

Search in MeSH

LinkOut - more resources

Full text sources.

Europe PubMed Central
Medknow Publications and Media Pvt Ltd
Ovid Technologies, Inc.
PubMed Central
Citation Manager

NCBI Literature Resources

MeSH PMC Bookshelf Disclaimer

The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited.

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Publications
Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

Advanced Search
Journal List
Saudi J Anaesth
v.13(Suppl 1); 2019 Apr

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Milind s. tullu.

Department of Pediatrics, Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

This article deals with formulating a suitable title and an appropriate abstract for an original research paper. The “title” and the “abstract” are the “initial impressions” of a research article, and hence they need to be drafted correctly, accurately, carefully, and meticulously. Often both of these are drafted after the full manuscript is ready. Most readers read only the title and the abstract of a research paper and very few will go on to read the full paper. The title and the abstract are the most important parts of a research paper and should be pleasant to read. The “title” should be descriptive, direct, accurate, appropriate, interesting, concise, precise, unique, and should not be misleading. The “abstract” needs to be simple, specific, clear, unbiased, honest, concise, precise, stand-alone, complete, scholarly, (preferably) structured, and should not be misrepresentative. The abstract should be consistent with the main text of the paper, especially after a revision is made to the paper and should include the key message prominently. It is very important to include the most important words and terms (the “keywords”) in the title and the abstract for appropriate indexing purpose and for retrieval from the search engines and scientific databases. Such keywords should be listed after the abstract. One must adhere to the instructions laid down by the target journal with regard to the style and number of words permitted for the title and the abstract.

Introduction

This article deals with drafting a suitable “title” and an appropriate “abstract” for an original research paper. Because the “title” and the “abstract” are the “initial impressions” or the “face” of a research article, they need to be drafted correctly, accurately, carefully, meticulously, and consume time and energy.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ] Often, these are drafted after the complete manuscript draft is ready.[ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 9 , 10 , 11 ] Most readers will read only the title and the abstract of a published research paper, and very few “interested ones” (especially, if the paper is of use to them) will go on to read the full paper.[ 1 , 2 ] One must remember to adhere to the instructions laid down by the “target journal” (the journal for which the author is writing) regarding the style and number of words permitted for the title and the abstract.[ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 12 ] Both the title and the abstract are the most important parts of a research paper – for editors (to decide whether to process the paper for further review), for reviewers (to get an initial impression of the paper), and for the readers (as these may be the only parts of the paper available freely and hence, read widely).[ 4 , 8 , 12 ] It may be worth for the novice author to browse through titles and abstracts of several prominent journals (and their target journal as well) to learn more about the wording and styles of the titles and abstracts, as well as the aims and scope of the particular journal.[ 5 , 7 , 9 , 13 ]

The details of the title are discussed under the subheadings of importance, types, drafting, and checklist.

Importance of the title

When a reader browses through the table of contents of a journal issue (hard copy or on website), the title is the “ first detail” or “face” of the paper that is read.[ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 13 ] Hence, it needs to be simple, direct, accurate, appropriate, specific, functional, interesting, attractive/appealing, concise/brief, precise/focused, unambiguous, memorable, captivating, informative (enough to encourage the reader to read further), unique, catchy, and it should not be misleading.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 12 ] It should have “just enough details” to arouse the interest and curiosity of the reader so that the reader then goes ahead with studying the abstract and then (if still interested) the full paper.[ 1 , 2 , 4 , 13 ] Journal websites, electronic databases, and search engines use the words in the title and abstract (the “keywords”) to retrieve a particular paper during a search; hence, the importance of these words in accessing the paper by the readers has been emphasized.[ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 12 , 14 ] Such important words (or keywords) should be arranged in appropriate order of importance as per the context of the paper and should be placed at the beginning of the title (rather than the later part of the title, as some search engines like Google may just display only the first six to seven words of the title).[ 3 , 5 , 12 ] Whimsical, amusing, or clever titles, though initially appealing, may be missed or misread by the busy reader and very short titles may miss the essential scientific words (the “keywords”) used by the indexing agencies to catch and categorize the paper.[ 1 , 3 , 4 , 9 ] Also, amusing or hilarious titles may be taken less seriously by the readers and may be cited less often.[ 4 , 15 ] An excessively long or complicated title may put off the readers.[ 3 , 9 ] It may be a good idea to draft the title after the main body of the text and the abstract are drafted.[ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]

Types of titles

Titles can be descriptive, declarative, or interrogative. They can also be classified as nominal, compound, or full-sentence titles.

Descriptive or neutral title

This has the essential elements of the research theme, that is, the patients/subjects, design, interventions, comparisons/control, and outcome, but does not reveal the main result or the conclusion.[ 3 , 4 , 12 , 16 ] Such a title allows the reader to interpret the findings of the research paper in an impartial manner and with an open mind.[ 3 ] These titles also give complete information about the contents of the article, have several keywords (thus increasing the visibility of the article in search engines), and have increased chances of being read and (then) being cited as well.[ 4 ] Hence, such descriptive titles giving a glimpse of the paper are generally preferred.[ 4 , 16 ]

Declarative title

This title states the main finding of the study in the title itself; it reduces the curiosity of the reader, may point toward a bias on the part of the author, and hence is best avoided.[ 3 , 4 , 12 , 16 ]

Interrogative title

This is the one which has a query or the research question in the title.[ 3 , 4 , 16 ] Though a query in the title has the ability to sensationalize the topic, and has more downloads (but less citations), it can be distracting to the reader and is again best avoided for a research article (but can, at times, be used for a review article).[ 3 , 6 , 16 , 17 ]

From a sentence construct point of view, titles may be nominal (capturing only the main theme of the study), compound (with subtitles to provide additional relevant information such as context, design, location/country, temporal aspect, sample size, importance, and a provocative or a literary; for example, see the title of this review), or full-sentence titles (which are longer and indicate an added degree of certainty of the results).[ 4 , 6 , 9 , 16 ] Any of these constructs may be used depending on the type of article, the key message, and the author's preference or judgement.[ 4 ]

Drafting a suitable title

A stepwise process can be followed to draft the appropriate title. The author should describe the paper in about three sentences, avoiding the results and ensuring that these sentences contain important scientific words/keywords that describe the main contents and subject of the paper.[ 1 , 4 , 6 , 12 ] Then the author should join the sentences to form a single sentence, shorten the length (by removing redundant words or adjectives or phrases), and finally edit the title (thus drafted) to make it more accurate, concise (about 10–15 words), and precise.[ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 9 ] Some journals require that the study design be included in the title, and this may be placed (using a colon) after the primary title.[ 2 , 3 , 4 , 14 ] The title should try to incorporate the Patients, Interventions, Comparisons and Outcome (PICO).[ 3 ] The place of the study may be included in the title (if absolutely necessary), that is, if the patient characteristics (such as study population, socioeconomic conditions, or cultural practices) are expected to vary as per the country (or the place of the study) and have a bearing on the possible outcomes.[ 3 , 6 ] Lengthy titles can be boring and appear unfocused, whereas very short titles may not be representative of the contents of the article; hence, optimum length is required to ensure that the title explains the main theme and content of the manuscript.[ 4 , 5 , 9 ] Abbreviations (except the standard or commonly interpreted ones such as HIV, AIDS, DNA, RNA, CDC, FDA, ECG, and EEG) or acronyms should be avoided in the title, as a reader not familiar with them may skip such an article and nonstandard abbreviations may create problems in indexing the article.[ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 12 ] Also, too much of technical jargon or chemical formulas in the title may confuse the readers and the article may be skipped by them.[ 4 , 9 ] Numerical values of various parameters (stating study period or sample size) should also be avoided in the titles (unless deemed extremely essential).[ 4 ] It may be worthwhile to take an opinion from a impartial colleague before finalizing the title.[ 4 , 5 , 6 ] Thus, multiple factors (which are, at times, a bit conflicting or contrasting) need to be considered while formulating a title, and hence this should not be done in a hurry.[ 4 , 6 ] Many journals ask the authors to draft a “short title” or “running head” or “running title” for printing in the header or footer of the printed paper.[ 3 , 12 ] This is an abridged version of the main title of up to 40–50 characters, may have standard abbreviations, and helps the reader to navigate through the paper.[ 3 , 12 , 14 ]

Checklist for a good title

Table 1 gives a checklist/useful tips for drafting a good title for a research paper.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 12 ] Table 2 presents some of the titles used by the author of this article in his earlier research papers, and the appropriateness of the titles has been commented upon. As an individual exercise, the reader may try to improvise upon the titles (further) after reading the corresponding abstract and full paper.

Checklist/useful tips for drafting a good title for a research paper

The title needs to be simple and direct

It should be interesting and informative

It should be specific, accurate, and functional (with essential scientific “keywords” for indexing)

It should be concise, precise, and should include the main theme of the paper

It should not be misleading or misrepresentative

It should not be too long or too short (or cryptic)

It should avoid whimsical or amusing words

It should avoid nonstandard abbreviations and unnecessary acronyms (or technical jargon)

Title should be SPICED, that is, it should include Setting, Population, Intervention, Condition, End-point, and Design

Place of the study and sample size should be mentioned only if it adds to the scientific value of the title

Important terms/keywords should be placed in the beginning of the title

Descriptive titles are preferred to declarative or interrogative titles

Authors should adhere to the word count and other instructions as specified by the target journal

Some titles used by author of this article in his earlier publications and remark/comment on their appropriateness

Title	Comment/remark on the contents of the title
Comparison of Pediatric Risk of Mortality III, Pediatric Index of Mortality 2, and Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 Scores in Predicting Mortality in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit	Long title (28 words) capturing the main theme; site of study is mentioned
A Prospective Antibacterial Utilization Study in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Referral Center	Optimum number of words capturing the main theme; site of study is mentioned
Study of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit	The words “study of” can be deleted
Clinical Profile, Co-Morbidities & Health Related Quality of Life in Pediatric Patients with Allergic Rhinitis & Asthma	Optimum number of words; population and intervention mentioned
Benzathine Penicillin Prophylaxis in Children with Rheumatic Fever (RF)/Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD): A Study of Compliance	Subtitle used to convey the main focus of the paper. It may be preferable to use the important word “compliance” in the beginning of the title rather than at the end. Abbreviations RF and RHD can be deleted as corresponding full forms have already been mentioned in the title itself
Performance of PRISM (Pediatric Risk of Mortality) Score and PIM (Pediatric Index of Mortality) Score in a Tertiary Care Pediatric ICU	Abbreviations used. “ICU” may be allowed as it is a commonly used abbreviation. Abbreviations PRISM and PIM can be deleted as corresponding full forms are already used in the title itself
Awareness of Health Care Workers Regarding Prophylaxis for Prevention of Transmission of Blood-Borne Viral Infections in Occupational Exposures	Slightly long title (18 words); theme well-captured
Isolated Infective Endocarditis of the Pulmonary Valve: An Autopsy Analysis of Nine Cases	Subtitle used to convey additional details like “autopsy” (i.e., postmortem analysis) and “nine” (i.e., number of cases)
Atresia of the Common Pulmonary Vein - A Rare Congenital Anomaly	Subtitle used to convey importance of the paper/rarity of the condition
Psychological Consequences in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Survivors: The Neglected Outcome	Subtitle used to convey importance of the paper and to make the title more interesting
Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease: Clinical Profile of 550 patients in India	Number of cases (550) emphasized because it is a large series; country (India) is mentioned in the title - will the clinical profile of patients with rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease vary from country to country? May be yes, as the clinical features depend on the socioeconomic and cultural background
Neurological Manifestations of HIV Infection	Short title; abbreviation “HIV” may be allowed as it is a commonly used abbreviation
Krabbe Disease - Clinical Profile	Very short title (only four words) - may miss out on the essential keywords required for indexing
Experience of Pediatric Tetanus Cases from Mumbai	City mentioned (Mumbai) in the title - one needs to think whether it is required in the title

The Abstract

The details of the abstract are discussed under the subheadings of importance, types, drafting, and checklist.

Importance of the abstract

The abstract is a summary or synopsis of the full research paper and also needs to have similar characteristics like the title. It needs to be simple, direct, specific, functional, clear, unbiased, honest, concise, precise, self-sufficient, complete, comprehensive, scholarly, balanced, and should not be misleading.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 17 ] Writing an abstract is to extract and summarize (AB – absolutely, STR – straightforward, ACT – actual data presentation and interpretation).[ 17 ] The title and abstracts are the only sections of the research paper that are often freely available to the readers on the journal websites, search engines, and in many abstracting agencies/databases, whereas the full paper may attract a payment per view or a fee for downloading the pdf copy.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 14 ] The abstract is an independent and stand-alone (that is, well understood without reading the full paper) section of the manuscript and is used by the editor to decide the fate of the article and to choose appropriate reviewers.[ 2 , 7 , 10 , 12 , 13 ] Even the reviewers are initially supplied only with the title and the abstract before they agree to review the full manuscript.[ 7 , 13 ] This is the second most commonly read part of the manuscript, and therefore it should reflect the contents of the main text of the paper accurately and thus act as a “real trailer” of the full article.[ 2 , 7 , 11 ] The readers will go through the full paper only if they find the abstract interesting and relevant to their practice; else they may skip the paper if the abstract is unimpressive.[ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 13 ] The abstract needs to highlight the selling point of the manuscript and succeed in luring the reader to read the complete paper.[ 3 , 7 ] The title and the abstract should be constructed using keywords (key terms/important words) from all the sections of the main text.[ 12 ] Abstracts are also used for submitting research papers to a conference for consideration for presentation (as oral paper or poster).[ 9 , 13 , 17 ] Grammatical and typographic errors reflect poorly on the quality of the abstract, may indicate carelessness/casual attitude on part of the author, and hence should be avoided at all times.[ 9 ]

Types of abstracts

The abstracts can be structured or unstructured. They can also be classified as descriptive or informative abstracts.

Structured and unstructured abstracts

Structured abstracts are followed by most journals, are more informative, and include specific subheadings/subsections under which the abstract needs to be composed.[ 1 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 18 ] These subheadings usually include context/background, objectives, design, setting, participants, interventions, main outcome measures, results, and conclusions.[ 1 ] Some journals stick to the standard IMRAD format for the structure of the abstracts, and the subheadings would include Introduction/Background, Methods, Results, And (instead of Discussion) the Conclusion/s.[ 1 , 2 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 17 , 18 ] Structured abstracts are more elaborate, informative, easy to read, recall, and peer-review, and hence are preferred; however, they consume more space and can have same limitations as an unstructured abstract.[ 7 , 9 , 18 ] The structured abstracts are (possibly) better understood by the reviewers and readers. Anyway, the choice of the type of the abstract and the subheadings of a structured abstract depend on the particular journal style and is not left to the author's wish.[ 7 , 10 , 12 ] Separate subheadings may be necessary for reporting meta-analysis, educational research, quality improvement work, review, or case study.[ 1 ] Clinical trial abstracts need to include the essential items mentioned in the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials) guidelines.[ 7 , 9 , 14 , 19 ] Similar guidelines exist for various other types of studies, including observational studies and for studies of diagnostic accuracy.[ 20 , 21 ] A useful resource for the above guidelines is available at www.equator-network.org (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research). Unstructured (or non-structured) abstracts are free-flowing, do not have predefined subheadings, and are commonly used for papers that (usually) do not describe original research.[ 1 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]

The four-point structured abstract: This has the following elements which need to be properly balanced with regard to the content/matter under each subheading:[ 9 ]

Background and/or Objectives: This states why the work was undertaken and is usually written in just a couple of sentences.[ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 ] The hypothesis/study question and the major objectives are also stated under this subheading.[ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 ]

Methods: This subsection is the longest, states what was done, and gives essential details of the study design, setting, participants, blinding, sample size, sampling method, intervention/s, duration and follow-up, research instruments, main outcome measures, parameters evaluated, and how the outcomes were assessed or analyzed.[ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 ]

Results/Observations/Findings: This subheading states what was found, is longer, is difficult to draft, and needs to mention important details including the number of study participants, results of analysis (of primary and secondary objectives), and include actual data (numbers, mean, median, standard deviation, “P” values, 95% confidence intervals, effect sizes, relative risks, odds ratio, etc.).[ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 ]

Conclusions: The take-home message (the “so what” of the paper) and other significant/important findings should be stated here, considering the interpretation of the research question/hypothesis and results put together (without overinterpreting the findings) and may also include the author's views on the implications of the study.[ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 ]

The eight-point structured abstract: This has the following eight subheadings – Objectives, Study Design, Study Setting, Participants/Patients, Methods/Intervention, Outcome Measures, Results, and Conclusions.[ 3 , 9 , 18 ] The instructions to authors given by the particular journal state whether they use the four- or eight-point abstract or variants thereof.[ 3 , 14 ]

Descriptive and Informative abstracts

Descriptive abstracts are short (75–150 words), only portray what the paper contains without providing any more details; the reader has to read the full paper to know about its contents and are rarely used for original research papers.[ 7 , 10 ] These are used for case reports, reviews, opinions, and so on.[ 7 , 10 ] Informative abstracts (which may be structured or unstructured as described above) give a complete detailed summary of the article contents and truly reflect the actual research done.[ 7 , 10 ]

Drafting a suitable abstract

It is important to religiously stick to the instructions to authors (format, word limit, font size/style, and subheadings) provided by the journal for which the abstract and the paper are being written.[ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 13 ] Most journals allow 200–300 words for formulating the abstract and it is wise to restrict oneself to this word limit.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 22 ] Though some authors prefer to draft the abstract initially, followed by the main text of the paper, it is recommended to draft the abstract in the end to maintain accuracy and conformity with the main text of the paper (thus maintaining an easy linkage/alignment with title, on one hand, and the introduction section of the main text, on the other hand).[ 2 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 ] The authors should check the subheadings (of the structured abstract) permitted by the target journal, use phrases rather than sentences to draft the content of the abstract, and avoid passive voice.[ 1 , 7 , 9 , 12 ] Next, the authors need to get rid of redundant words and edit the abstract (extensively) to the correct word count permitted (every word in the abstract “counts”!).[ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 13 ] It is important to ensure that the key message, focus, and novelty of the paper are not compromised; the rationale of the study and the basis of the conclusions are clear; and that the abstract is consistent with the main text of the paper.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 , 22 ] This is especially important while submitting a revision of the paper (modified after addressing the reviewer's comments), as the changes made in the main (revised) text of the paper need to be reflected in the (revised) abstract as well.[ 2 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 22 ] Abbreviations should be avoided in an abstract, unless they are conventionally accepted or standard; references, tables, or figures should not be cited in the abstract.[ 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 ] It may be worthwhile not to rush with the abstract and to get an opinion by an impartial colleague on the content of the abstract; and if possible, the full paper (an “informal” peer-review).[ 1 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 17 ] Appropriate “Keywords” (three to ten words or phrases) should follow the abstract and should be preferably chosen from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) list of the U.S. National Library of Medicine ( https://meshb.nlm.nih.gov/search ) and are used for indexing purposes.[ 2 , 3 , 11 , 12 ] These keywords need to be different from the words in the main title (the title words are automatically used for indexing the article) and can be variants of the terms/phrases used in the title, or words from the abstract and the main text.[ 3 , 12 ] The ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors; http://www.icmje.org/ ) also recommends publishing the clinical trial registration number at the end of the abstract.[ 7 , 14 ]

Checklist for a good abstract

Table 3 gives a checklist/useful tips for formulating a good abstract for a research paper.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 , 22 ]

Checklist/useful tips for formulating a good abstract for a research paper

The abstract should have simple language and phrases (rather than sentences)

It should be informative, cohesive, and adhering to the structure (subheadings) provided by the target journal. Structured abstracts are preferred over unstructured abstracts

It should be independent and stand-alone/complete

It should be concise, interesting, unbiased, honest, balanced, and precise

It should not be misleading or misrepresentative; it should be consistent with the main text of the paper (especially after a revision is made)

It should utilize the full word capacity allowed by the journal so that most of the actual scientific facts of the main paper are represented in the abstract

It should include the key message prominently

It should adhere to the style and the word count specified by the target journal (usually about 250 words)

It should avoid nonstandard abbreviations and (if possible) avoid a passive voice

Authors should list appropriate “keywords” below the abstract (keywords are used for indexing purpose)

Concluding Remarks

This review article has given a detailed account of the importance and types of titles and abstracts. It has also attempted to give useful hints for drafting an appropriate title and a complete abstract for a research paper. It is hoped that this review will help the authors in their career in medical writing.

Financial support and sponsorship

Conflicts of interest.

There are no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgement

The author thanks Dr. Hemant Deshmukh - Dean, Seth G.S. Medical College & KEM Hospital, for granting permission to publish this manuscript.

Sign into My Research
Create My Research Account
Company Website
Our Products
About Dissertations
Español (España)
Support Center

Select language

Bahasa Indonesia
Português (Brasil)
Português (Portugal)

Welcome to My Research!

You may have access to the free features available through My Research. You can save searches, save documents, create alerts and more. Please log in through your library or institution to check if you have access.

Translate this article into 20 different languages!

If you log in through your library or institution you might have access to this article in multiple languages.

Get access to 20+ different citations styles

Styles include MLA, APA, Chicago and many more. This feature may be available for free if you log in through your library or institution.

Looking for a PDF of this document?

You may have access to it for free by logging in through your library or institution.

Want to save this document?

You may have access to different export options including Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive and citation management tools like RefWorks and EasyBib. Try logging in through your library or institution to get access to these tools.

Document 1 of 1
More like this
Scholarly Journal

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

No items selected.

Please select one or more items.

Select results items first to use the cite, email, save, and export options

You might have access to more details...

Try and log in through your library or institution to see if they have access.

You have requested "on-the-fly" machine translation of selected content from our databases. This functionality is provided solely for your convenience and is in no way intended to replace human translation. Show full disclaimer

Neither ProQuest nor its licensors make any representations or warranties with respect to the translations. The translations are automatically generated "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" and are not retained in our systems. PROQUEST AND ITS LICENSORS SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES FOR AVAILABILITY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, COMPLETENESS, NON-INFRINGMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Your use of the translations is subject to all use restrictions contained in your Electronic Products License Agreement and by using the translation functionality you agree to forgo any and all claims against ProQuest or its licensors for your use of the translation functionality and any output derived there from. Hide full disclaimer

Full text options

Suggested sources.

About ProQuest
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy

DOI: 10.4103/sja.SJA_685_18
Corpus ID: 86807171

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Published in Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia 1 April 2019
Education, Computer Science

Tables from this paper

59 Citations

Writing manuscript better – part ii (title, abstract, keywords, references, and miscellaneous), anatomy of effective abstracts, the principles of biomedical scientific writing: title, the ‘title’ of a manuscript: guidelines for its construction, the ‘abstract’ of a manuscript: art of eloquently conveying a riveting story, the principles of biomedical scientific writing: abstract and keywords.

Highly Influenced

Writing an Academic Paper for the Purpose of Publication

Peer reviewing an original research paper, writing a scientific review article: comprehensive insights for beginners, how to choose a title, 31 references, effective writing and publishing scientific papers, part ii: title and abstract..

Highly Influential
10 Excerpts

Writing an Abstract for a Research Manuscript: Providing an Honest, Succinct and Complete Summary.

Writing good abstracts, writing style: abstract thoughts, writing the title, abstract and introduction: looks matter, the title says it all., writing a research abstract: eloquence in miniature., current findings from research on structured abstracts: an update., formulating the right title for a research article., how to write a good abstract for a scientific paper or conference presentation, related papers.

Showing 1 through 3 of 0 Related Papers

Published in Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia 2019

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn more about DOAJ’s privacy policy.

Hide this message

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security.

The Directory of Open Access Journals

Quick search.

Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia (Jan 2019)

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Milind S Tullu

Affiliations

Read online

Abbreviations; aims; article; author; conclusions; database; indexing; keywords; manuscript; medical writing; message; methods; paper; research; results; summary

WeChat QR code

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Chat with Paper

Determining the informativeness of comments: a natural language study of F1000Research open peer review reports

Peer reviewing an original research paper, content analysis of metadata, titles, and abstracts (camta): application of the method to business and management research, the 'title' of a manuscript: guidelines for its construction., a tool for assessing the comprehensiveness of outcome reporting within clinical trials in pregnancy., success in publishing: selecting an appropriate journal and braving the peer-review process, writing a model research paper: a roadmap., abstract: the trailer of scientific communication, the abstract and the elevator talk: a tale of two summaries, current findings from research on structured abstracts: an update., related papers (5), scientific writing and communication in agriculture and natural resources, experiences of patients living with chronic wounds, review of the book of alexander melnikov "risk analysis in finance and insurance", the barnhart abbreviations dictionary, 1998 conference on hazardous waste research author's style guide, trending questions (3).

The paper provides guidelines for creating a good research title. The title should be descriptive, direct, accurate, appropriate, interesting, concise, precise, unique, and should not be misleading.

The paper provides guidelines for writing an effective title for a research paper. The title should be descriptive, direct, accurate, appropriate, interesting, concise, precise, unique, and should not be misleading.

The guidelines for writing a research title include being descriptive, direct, accurate, appropriate, interesting, concise, precise, unique, and avoiding misleading information.

Generate accurate APA citations for free

Knowledge Base
APA Style 7th edition
How to write and format an APA abstract

APA Abstract (2020) | Formatting, Length, and Keywords

Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on January 17, 2024.

An APA abstract is a comprehensive summary of your paper in which you briefly address the research problem , hypotheses , methods , results , and implications of your research. It’s placed on a separate page right after the title page and is usually no longer than 250 words.

Most professional papers that are submitted for publication require an abstract. Student papers typically don’t need an abstract, unless instructed otherwise.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

How to format the abstract, how to write an apa abstract, which keywords to use, frequently asked questions, apa abstract example.

Formatting instructions

Follow these five steps to format your abstract in APA Style:

Insert a running head (for a professional paper—not needed for a student paper) and page number.
Set page margins to 1 inch (2.54 cm).
Write “Abstract” (bold and centered) at the top of the page.
Do not indent the first line.
Double-space the text.
Use a legible font like Times New Roman (12 pt.).
Limit the length to 250 words.
Indent the first line 0.5 inches.
Write the label “Keywords:” (italicized).
Write keywords in lowercase letters.
Separate keywords with commas.
Do not use a period after the keywords.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

The abstract is a self-contained piece of text that informs the reader what your research is about. It’s best to write the abstract after you’re finished with the rest of your paper.

The questions below may help structure your abstract. Try answering them in one to three sentences each.

What is the problem? Outline the objective, research questions , and/or hypotheses .
What has been done? Explain your research methods .
What did you discover? Summarize the key findings and conclusions .
What do the findings mean? Summarize the discussion and recommendations .

Check out our guide on how to write an abstract for more guidance and an annotated example.

Guide: writing an abstract

At the end of the abstract, you may include a few keywords that will be used for indexing if your paper is published on a database. Listing your keywords will help other researchers find your work.

Choosing relevant keywords is essential. Try to identify keywords that address your topic, method, or population. APA recommends including three to five keywords.

An abstract is a concise summary of an academic text (such as a journal article or dissertation ). It serves two main purposes:

To help potential readers determine the relevance of your paper for their own research.
To communicate your key findings to those who don’t have time to read the whole paper.

Abstracts are often indexed along with keywords on academic databases, so they make your work more easily findable. Since the abstract is the first thing any reader sees, it’s important that it clearly and accurately summarizes the contents of your paper.

An APA abstract is around 150–250 words long. However, always check your target journal’s guidelines and don’t exceed the specified word count.

In an APA Style paper , the abstract is placed on a separate page after the title page (page 2).

Avoid citing sources in your abstract . There are two reasons for this:

The abstract should focus on your original research, not on the work of others.
The abstract should be self-contained and fully understandable without reference to other sources.

There are some circumstances where you might need to mention other sources in an abstract: for example, if your research responds directly to another study or focuses on the work of a single theorist. In general, though, don’t include citations unless absolutely necessary.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2024, January 17). APA Abstract (2020) | Formatting, Length, and Keywords. Scribbr. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/apa-abstract/

Is this article helpful?

Raimo Streefkerk

Other students also liked, apa headings and subheadings, apa running head, apa title page (7th edition) | template for students & professionals, scribbr apa citation checker.

An innovative new tool that checks your APA citations with AI software. Say goodbye to inaccurate citations!

Get new issue alerts Get alerts
Submit a Manuscript

Secondary Logo

Journal logo.

Colleague's E-mail is Invalid

Your message has been successfully sent to your colleague.

Save my selection

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper

Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key.

Tullu, Milind S.

Department of Pediatrics, Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Address for correspondence: Dr. Milind Tullu, “Sankalp Siddhi,“ Block No. 1, Ground Floor, Kher Nagar, Service Road, Bandra (East), Mumbai - 400 051, Maharashtra, India. E-mail: [email protected]

Introduction

This article deals with drafting a suitable “title” and an appropriate “abstract” for an original research paper. Because the “title” and the “abstract” are the “initial impressions” or the “face” of a research article, they need to be drafted correctly, accurately, carefully, meticulously, and consume time and energy.[ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ] Often, these are drafted after the complete manuscript draft is ready.[ 2 3 4 5 9 10 11 ] Most readers will read only the title and the abstract of a published research paper, and very few “interested ones” (especially, if the paper is of use to them) will go on to read the full paper.[ 1 2 ] One must remember to adhere to the instructions laid down by the “target journal” (the journal for which the author is writing) regarding the style and number of words permitted for the title and the abstract.[ 2 4 5 7 8 9 12 ] Both the title and the abstract are the most important parts of a research paper – for editors (to decide whether to process the paper for further review), for reviewers (to get an initial impression of the paper), and for the readers (as these may be the only parts of the paper available freely and hence, read widely).[ 4 8 12 ] It may be worth for the novice author to browse through titles and abstracts of several prominent journals (and their target journal as well) to learn more about the wording and styles of the titles and abstracts, as well as the aims and scope of the particular journal.[ 5 7 9 13 ]

The details of the title are discussed under the subheadings of importance, types, drafting, and checklist.

Importance of the title

When a reader browses through the table of contents of a journal issue (hard copy or on website), the title is the “ first detail” or “face” of the paper that is read.[ 2 3 4 5 6 13 ] Hence, it needs to be simple, direct, accurate, appropriate, specific, functional, interesting, attractive/appealing, concise/brief, precise/focused, unambiguous, memorable, captivating, informative (enough to encourage the reader to read further), unique, catchy, and it should not be misleading.[ 1 2 3 4 5 6 9 12 ] It should have “just enough details” to arouse the interest and curiosity of the reader so that the reader then goes ahead with studying the abstract and then (if still interested) the full paper.[ 1 2 4 13 ] Journal websites, electronic databases, and search engines use the words in the title and abstract (the “keywords”) to retrieve a particular paper during a search; hence, the importance of these words in accessing the paper by the readers has been emphasized.[ 3 4 5 6 12 14 ] Such important words (or keywords) should be arranged in appropriate order of importance as per the context of the paper and should be placed at the beginning of the title (rather than the later part of the title, as some search engines like Google may just display only the first six to seven words of the title).[ 3 5 12 ] Whimsical, amusing, or clever titles, though initially appealing, may be missed or misread by the busy reader and very short titles may miss the essential scientific words (the “keywords”) used by the indexing agencies to catch and categorize the paper.[ 1 3 4 9 ] Also, amusing or hilarious titles may be taken less seriously by the readers and may be cited less often.[ 4 15 ] An excessively long or complicated title may put off the readers.[ 3 9 ] It may be a good idea to draft the title after the main body of the text and the abstract are drafted.[ 2 3 4 5 ]

Types of titles

Titles can be descriptive, declarative, or interrogative. They can also be classified as nominal, compound, or full-sentence titles.

Descriptive or neutral title

This has the essential elements of the research theme, that is, the patients/subjects, design, interventions, comparisons/control, and outcome, but does not reveal the main result or the conclusion.[ 3 4 12 16 ] Such a title allows the reader to interpret the findings of the research paper in an impartial manner and with an open mind.[ 3 ] These titles also give complete information about the contents of the article, have several keywords (thus increasing the visibility of the article in search engines), and have increased chances of being read and (then) being cited as well.[ 4 ] Hence, such descriptive titles giving a glimpse of the paper are generally preferred.[ 4 16 ]

Declarative title

This title states the main finding of the study in the title itself; it reduces the curiosity of the reader, may point toward a bias on the part of the author, and hence is best avoided.[ 3 4 12 16 ]

Interrogative title

This is the one which has a query or the research question in the title.[ 3 4 16 ] Though a query in the title has the ability to sensationalize the topic, and has more downloads (but less citations), it can be distracting to the reader and is again best avoided for a research article (but can, at times, be used for a review article).[ 3 6 16 17 ]

From a sentence construct point of view, titles may be nominal (capturing only the main theme of the study), compound (with subtitles to provide additional relevant information such as context, design, location/country, temporal aspect, sample size, importance, and a provocative or a literary; for example, see the title of this review), or full-sentence titles (which are longer and indicate an added degree of certainty of the results).[ 4 6 9 16 ] Any of these constructs may be used depending on the type of article, the key message, and the author's preference or judgement.[ 4 ]

Drafting a suitable title

A stepwise process can be followed to draft the appropriate title. The author should describe the paper in about three sentences, avoiding the results and ensuring that these sentences contain important scientific words/keywords that describe the main contents and subject of the paper.[ 1 4 6 12 ] Then the author should join the sentences to form a single sentence, shorten the length (by removing redundant words or adjectives or phrases), and finally edit the title (thus drafted) to make it more accurate, concise (about 10–15 words), and precise.[ 1 3 4 5 9 ] Some journals require that the study design be included in the title, and this may be placed (using a colon) after the primary title.[ 2 3 4 14 ] The title should try to incorporate the Patients, Interventions, Comparisons and Outcome (PICO).[ 3 ] The place of the study may be included in the title (if absolutely necessary), that is, if the patient characteristics (such as study population, socioeconomic conditions, or cultural practices) are expected to vary as per the country (or the place of the study) and have a bearing on the possible outcomes.[ 3 6 ] Lengthy titles can be boring and appear unfocused, whereas very short titles may not be representative of the contents of the article; hence, optimum length is required to ensure that the title explains the main theme and content of the manuscript.[ 4 5 9 ] Abbreviations (except the standard or commonly interpreted ones such as HIV, AIDS, DNA, RNA, CDC, FDA, ECG, and EEG) or acronyms should be avoided in the title, as a reader not familiar with them may skip such an article and nonstandard abbreviations may create problems in indexing the article.[ 3 4 5 6 9 12 ] Also, too much of technical jargon or chemical formulas in the title may confuse the readers and the article may be skipped by them.[ 4 9 ] Numerical values of various parameters (stating study period or sample size) should also be avoided in the titles (unless deemed extremely essential).[ 4 ] It may be worthwhile to take an opinion from a impartial colleague before finalizing the title.[ 4 5 6 ] Thus, multiple factors (which are, at times, a bit conflicting or contrasting) need to be considered while formulating a title, and hence this should not be done in a hurry.[ 4 6 ] Many journals ask the authors to draft a “short title” or “running head” or “running title” for printing in the header or footer of the printed paper.[ 3 12 ] This is an abridged version of the main title of up to 40–50 characters, may have standard abbreviations, and helps the reader to navigate through the paper.[ 3 12 14 ]

Checklist for a good title

Table 1 gives a checklist/useful tips for drafting a good title for a research paper.[ 1 2 3 4 5 6 12 ] Table 2 presents some of the titles used by the author of this article in his earlier research papers, and the appropriateness of the titles has been commented upon. As an individual exercise, the reader may try to improvise upon the titles (further) after reading the corresponding abstract and full paper.

The Abstract

The details of the abstract are discussed under the subheadings of importance, types, drafting, and checklist.

Importance of the abstract

The abstract is a summary or synopsis of the full research paper and also needs to have similar characteristics like the title. It needs to be simple, direct, specific, functional, clear, unbiased, honest, concise, precise, self-sufficient, complete, comprehensive, scholarly, balanced, and should not be misleading.[ 1 2 3 7 8 9 10 11 13 17 ] Writing an abstract is to extract and summarize (AB – absolutely, STR – straightforward, ACT – actual data presentation and interpretation).[ 17 ] The title and abstracts are the only sections of the research paper that are often freely available to the readers on the journal websites, search engines, and in many abstracting agencies/databases, whereas the full paper may attract a payment per view or a fee for downloading the pdf copy.[ 1 2 3 7 8 10 11 13 14 ] The abstract is an independent and stand-alone (that is, well understood without reading the full paper) section of the manuscript and is used by the editor to decide the fate of the article and to choose appropriate reviewers.[ 2 7 10 12 13 ] Even the reviewers are initially supplied only with the title and the abstract before they agree to review the full manuscript.[ 7 13 ] This is the second most commonly read part of the manuscript, and therefore it should reflect the contents of the main text of the paper accurately and thus act as a “real trailer” of the full article.[ 2 7 11 ] The readers will go through the full paper only if they find the abstract interesting and relevant to their practice; else they may skip the paper if the abstract is unimpressive.[ 7 8 9 10 13 ] The abstract needs to highlight the selling point of the manuscript and succeed in luring the reader to read the complete paper.[ 3 7 ] The title and the abstract should be constructed using keywords (key terms/important words) from all the sections of the main text.[ 12 ] Abstracts are also used for submitting research papers to a conference for consideration for presentation (as oral paper or poster).[ 9 13 17 ] Grammatical and typographic errors reflect poorly on the quality of the abstract, may indicate carelessness/casual attitude on part of the author, and hence should be avoided at all times.[ 9 ]

Types of abstracts

The abstracts can be structured or unstructured. They can also be classified as descriptive or informative abstracts.

Structured and unstructured abstracts

Structured abstracts are followed by most journals, are more informative, and include specific subheadings/subsections under which the abstract needs to be composed.[ 1 7 8 9 10 11 13 17 18 ] These subheadings usually include context/background, objectives, design, setting, participants, interventions, main outcome measures, results, and conclusions.[ 1 ] Some journals stick to the standard IMRAD format for the structure of the abstracts, and the subheadings would include Introduction/Background, Methods, Results, And (instead of Discussion) the Conclusion/s.[ 1 2 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 17 18 ] Structured abstracts are more elaborate, informative, easy to read, recall, and peer-review, and hence are preferred; however, they consume more space and can have same limitations as an unstructured abstract.[ 7 9 18 ] The structured abstracts are (possibly) better understood by the reviewers and readers. Anyway, the choice of the type of the abstract and the subheadings of a structured abstract depend on the particular journal style and is not left to the author's wish.[ 7 10 12 ] Separate subheadings may be necessary for reporting meta-analysis, educational research, quality improvement work, review, or case study.[ 1 ] Clinical trial abstracts need to include the essential items mentioned in the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials) guidelines.[ 7 9 14 19 ] Similar guidelines exist for various other types of studies, including observational studies and for studies of diagnostic accuracy.[ 20 21 ] A useful resource for the above guidelines is available at www.equator-network.org (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research). Unstructured (or non-structured) abstracts are free-flowing, do not have predefined subheadings, and are commonly used for papers that (usually) do not describe original research.[ 1 7 9 10 ]

The four-point structured abstract: This has the following elements which need to be properly balanced with regard to the content/matter under each subheading:[ 9 ]

Background and/or Objectives: This states why the work was undertaken and is usually written in just a couple of sentences.[ 3 7 8 9 10 12 13 ] The hypothesis/study question and the major objectives are also stated under this subheading.[ 3 7 8 9 10 12 13 ]

The eight-point structured abstract: This has the following eight subheadings – Objectives, Study Design, Study Setting, Participants/Patients, Methods/Intervention, Outcome Measures, Results, and Conclusions.[ 3 9 18 ] The instructions to authors given by the particular journal state whether they use the four- or eight-point abstract or variants thereof.[ 3 14 ]

Descriptive and Informative abstracts

Descriptive abstracts are short (75–150 words), only portray what the paper contains without providing any more details; the reader has to read the full paper to know about its contents and are rarely used for original research papers.[ 7 10 ] These are used for case reports, reviews, opinions, and so on.[ 7 10 ] Informative abstracts (which may be structured or unstructured as described above) give a complete detailed summary of the article contents and truly reflect the actual research done.[ 7 10 ]

Drafting a suitable abstract

It is important to religiously stick to the instructions to authors (format, word limit, font size/style, and subheadings) provided by the journal for which the abstract and the paper are being written.[ 7 8 9 10 13 ] Most journals allow 200–300 words for formulating the abstract and it is wise to restrict oneself to this word limit.[ 1 2 3 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 22 ] Though some authors prefer to draft the abstract initially, followed by the main text of the paper, it is recommended to draft the abstract in the end to maintain accuracy and conformity with the main text of the paper (thus maintaining an easy linkage/alignment with title, on one hand, and the introduction section of the main text, on the other hand).[ 2 7 9 10 11 ] The authors should check the subheadings (of the structured abstract) permitted by the target journal, use phrases rather than sentences to draft the content of the abstract, and avoid passive voice.[ 1 7 9 12 ] Next, the authors need to get rid of redundant words and edit the abstract (extensively) to the correct word count permitted (every word in the abstract “counts”!).[ 7 8 9 10 13 ] It is important to ensure that the key message, focus, and novelty of the paper are not compromised; the rationale of the study and the basis of the conclusions are clear; and that the abstract is consistent with the main text of the paper.[ 1 2 3 7 9 11 12 13 14 17 22 ] This is especially important while submitting a revision of the paper (modified after addressing the reviewer's comments), as the changes made in the main (revised) text of the paper need to be reflected in the (revised) abstract as well.[ 2 10 12 14 22 ] Abbreviations should be avoided in an abstract, unless they are conventionally accepted or standard; references, tables, or figures should not be cited in the abstract.[ 7 9 10 11 13 ] It may be worthwhile not to rush with the abstract and to get an opinion by an impartial colleague on the content of the abstract; and if possible, the full paper (an “informal” peer-review).[ 1 7 8 9 11 17 ] Appropriate “Keywords” (three to ten words or phrases) should follow the abstract and should be preferably chosen from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) list of the U.S. National Library of Medicine ( https://meshb.nlm.nih.gov/search ) and are used for indexing purposes.[ 2 3 11 12 ] These keywords need to be different from the words in the main title (the title words are automatically used for indexing the article) and can be variants of the terms/phrases used in the title, or words from the abstract and the main text.[ 3 12 ] The ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors; http://www.icmje.org/ ) also recommends publishing the clinical trial registration number at the end of the abstract.[ 7 14 ]

Checklist for a good abstract

Table 3 gives a checklist/useful tips for formulating a good abstract for a research paper.[ 1 2 3 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 17 22 ]

Concluding Remarks

Financial support and sponsorship

Conflicts of interest.

There are no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgement

The author thanks Dr. Hemant Deshmukh - Dean, Seth G.S. Medical College & KEM Hospital, for granting permission to publish this manuscript.

Cited Here |
PubMed | CrossRef |
Google Scholar
View Full Text | PubMed | CrossRef |

Abbreviations; aims; article; author; conclusions; database; indexing; keywords; manuscript; medical writing; message; methods; paper; research; results; summary

+ Favorites
View in Gallery

Readers Of this Article Also Read

Geriatric anesthesia: demographics, epidemiology, state of the art at..., preoperative evaluation of the elderly patient, implication of age-related changes on anesthesia management, special issue on “geriatric anesthesia”, saudi journal of anesthesia and the first journal impact factor (jif).

How to Choose a Title?

Open Access
First Online: 24 October 2021

Cite this chapter

You have full access to this open access chapter

Samiran Nundy 4 ,
Atul Kakar 5 &
Zulfiqar A. Bhutta 6

33k Accesses

1 Altmetric

‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet’ is a famous quote from Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’. However, in biomedical research, the title or name of the article is without any reservation the most important part of the paper and the most read part in the journal. The title is the face of the research and it should sum up the main notion of the experiment/research in such a way that in the fewest possible words one can summarize the facts of the paper and attract the reader as well. ‘Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key’ for planning a title [1].

A title should predict the content of a paper, should be interesting, reflect the tone of writing, and contain important keywords so that it can be easily located.

You have full access to this open access chapter, Download chapter PDF

The Introduction Section

Abstract and Keywords

Rummagene: massive mining of gene sets from supporting materials of biomedical research publications

1 why is the title so important in biomedical research.

The title should not be very lengthy and also it should not contain several unnecessary words, e.g., ‘A Study to Investigate the safety and efficacy of Hydroxychloroquine in subjects who are infected with COVID-19 during the pandemic’ contains many extra words and could be easily replaced by ‘Safety and efficacy of Hydroxychloroquine during the COVID-19 pandemic’. Besides this, a title that is too petite or brief would not convey what the paper is all about. For example, ‘COVID depression’ does not provide the necessary information to the readers of the paper.

The title thus has two functions, first to help the scientific sites to index the academic paper, and second, it acts like a billboard or advertisement to sell the paper.

2 What Parameters Help to Formulate a Suitable Research Paper Title?

Time should be spent in planning the title. Editors often reject an article based on its title [ 2 ]. Typically, principal investigators and their coinvestigators should select the title accurately so that it captures the central ideal of the research. Devoting time to the title can help writers to relook at the main purpose of the study and also reconsider if ‘they are drifting off on a tangent while writing’. There are many adjectives to describe the title of a medical paper and these include ‘simple, direct, accurate, appropriate, specific, functional, interesting, attractive/appealing, concise/brief, precise/focused, unambiguous, memorable, captivating and informative’ [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. The following information is important while designing the title.

The aim of the research project.

The type of the study.

The methodology used in the project.

PICOT: population/problem, intervention (test, drug or surgery), control/comparison and time.

3 How to Plan Effective Titles in Academic Research Papers?

Although the title appears on the top of the article, it should be written only after the abstract has been written and finalized. There are five basic steps for writing the title. After doing this exercise, one should jot down two or three options and then choose wisely which is the best for your paper. Titles are typically arranged to form a phrase, but can also be in the form of a question. The grammar should be correct and one should capitalize all the first words. In academic papers, a title is rarely followed by an exclamation mark. Ideally, the ‘title’ should be ‘descriptive, direct, accurate, appropriate, interesting, concise, precise and unique’ [ 1 ].

Step 1: Write scope of the study and the major hypothesis in a point format.

Step 2: Use current nomenclature from the manuscript or keywords and dependent and independent variables.

Step 3: Break down the study into the various components of PICOT.

Step 4: Frame phrases that give a positive impression and stimulate reader interest.

Step 5: Finally organize and then reorganize the title (Fig. 16.1 ).

Steps to frame title

4 What Things Should Be Avoided in the Title?

One should avoid the following.

Avoid using abbreviations and symbols in the title.

Limit the word count to 10–15.

Do not include ‘study of’, ‘analysis of’, or a similar assembly of words.

Avoid using unfamiliar jargon not used in the text.

The title should not be misleading.

Amusing titles may be taken less seriously by readers and maybe cited less often [ 2 , 5 ].

5 What are the Types of Titles for an Academic Paper?

Classically three types of titles have been described in the literature, i.e., descriptive, declarative, or interrogative. The fourth category which is Creative is also called the combined type. The details are given in Fig. 16.2 .

Type of title for an Academic paper

5.1 Descriptive or Neutral Title?

This has the vital components of the research paper, i.e., information on the subjects, study design, the interventions used, comparisons/control, and the outcome. It is the PICOT style of a title but does not disclose the observations, results, or conclusions [ 4 , 6 ]. The descriptive title is based on multiple keywords and provides an opportunity for the reader to decide about the results in an unbiased matter. This type of title is usually preferred in original articles and is also more read and cited as compared to the other types [ 6 , 7 ]. Examples are given in Table 16.1 .

5.2 Declarative Title

The title provides the main results of the study and decreases inquisitiveness and thus should be avoided. A few examples are cited in Table 16.2 .

5.3 Interrogative Title

In this, the title ends with a question mark which increases the reads and the downloads. When the title is in the form of a query it dramatizes the subject and the readers become inquisitive. A few examples are cited in Table 16.3 .

5.4 Creative Phrase/Combined Type of Title

This title is used for editorials or viewpoints. Sometimes it can be used in original articles but in such cases, there is the clubbing of an informative with a creative phrase. Usually, the informative part is the main and the creative is the minor part of the title. The latter gives a punch. Both can be separated by a colon or hyphen (Table 16.4 ).

6 What is a Short-running Title?

Many journals will ask for a short running title that is published on the top of each page. The requirements for this, e.g., the word count should be checked with the journal.

7 Conclusions

The title provides the most important information which helps in indexing and also attracts readers.

The word count for the title should be less than 16.

There are four types of title descriptive, declarative, interrogative, and creative. The majority of original articles have a descriptive title.

There are five basic steps that you need to follow when designing a title. They start with writing the hypothesis and finish with a phrase that can hold the attention of the reader.

Tullu MS. Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key. Saudi J Anaesth. 2019;13(Suppl 1):S12–7.

Article Google Scholar

Bavdekar SB. Formulating the right title for a research article. J Assoc Physicians India. 2016;64:53–6.

PubMed Google Scholar

Tullu MS, Karande S. Writing a model research paper: a roadmap. J Postgrad Med. 2017;63:143–6.

Article CAS Google Scholar

Dewan P, Gupta P. Writing the title, abstract and introduction: looks matter! Indian Pediatr. 2016;53:235–41.

Sagi I, Yechiam E. Amusing titles in scientific journals and article citation. J Inf Sci. 2008;34:680–7.

Cals JWL, Kotz D. Effective writing and publishing scientific papers, part II: title and abstract. J Clin Epidemiol. 2013;66:585.

Jamali HR, Nikzad M. Article title type and its relation with the number of downloads and citations. Scientometrics. 2011;88:653–61.

Jax T, Stirban A, Terjung A, Esmaeili H, Berk A, Thiemann S, Chilton R, von Eynatten M, Marx N. A randomised, active-and placebo-controlled, three-period crossover trial to investigate short-term effects of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor linagliptin on macro-and microvascular endothelial function in type 2 diabetes. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2017 Dec;16(1):1–6.

Kelly AS, Auerbach P, Barrientos-Perez M, Gies I, Hale PM, Marcus C, Mastrandrea LD, Prabhu N, Arslanian S. A randomized, controlled trial of liraglutide for adolescents with obesity. N Engl J Med. 2020 May 28;382(22):2117–28.

Xia S, Duan K, Zhang Y, Zhao D, Zhang H, Xie Z, Li X, Peng C, Zhang Y, Zhang W, Yang Y. Effect of an inactivated vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 on safety and immunogenicity outcomes: interim analysis of 2 randomized clinical trials. JAMA. 2020 Sep 8;324(10):951–60.

Jackson JB, MacDonald KL, Cadwell J, Sullivan C, Kline WE, Hanson M, Sannerud KJ, Stramer SL, Fildes NJ, Kwok SY, Sninsky JJ. Absence of HIV infection in blood donors with indeterminate Western blot tests for antibody to HIV-1. N Engl J Med. 1990 Jan 25;322(4):217–22.

Seeman E, Hopper JL, Bach LA, Cooper ME, Parkinson E, McKay J, Jerums G. Reduced bone mass in daughters of women with osteoporosis: N Engl J Med.1989;320/9(554–558). Maturitas. 1989 Sep 1;11(3):244.

Google Scholar

Weber R, Bryan RT, Owen RL, Wilcox CM, Gorelkin L, Visvesvara GS. Improved light-microscopical detection of microsporidia spores in stool and duodenal aspirates. The Enteric Opportunistic Infections Working Group. N Engl J Med. 1992;326:161–6.

Paul S, Ridge JA, Quan SH, Elin RS. Ann Surg. 1990;211:67–71.

Clavien PA. Hepatic vein embolization for safer liver surgery. Ann Surg. 2020;272:206–9.

Rosenberger PB. Dyslexia—is it a disease? N Engl J Med. 1992;326:192–3.

Winthrop KL, Mariette X. To immunosuppress: whom, when and how? That is the question with COVID-19. Ann Rheum Dis. 2020;79:1129–31.

Issaka RB. Good for us all. JAMA. 2020;324(6):556–7. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.12630 .

Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar

Kay R. Old wine in new bottle. Hong Kong Med J. 2007;13(1):4.

Tandon V, Botha JF, Banks J, Pontin AR, Pascoe MD, Kahn D. A tale of two kidneys—how long can a kidney transplant wait? Clin Transpl. 2000;14:189–92. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-0012.2000.140302 .

Grant Stewart: pain, panic, and panting—the reality of “shortness of breath”. BMJ. 2020.

Aronson. When I use a word … clowns. The BMJ 2020 blog. https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/08/14/jeffrey-aronson-when-i-use-a-word-clowns/ .

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplantation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India

Samiran Nundy

Department of Internal Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India

Institute for Global Health and Development, The Aga Khan University, South Central Asia, East Africa and United Kingdom, Karachi, Pakistan

Zulfiqar A. Bhutta

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

The images or other third party material in this chapter are included in the chapter's Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the chapter's Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

About this chapter

Nundy, S., Kakar, A., Bhutta, Z.A. (2022). How to Choose a Title?. In: How to Practice Academic Medicine and Publish from Developing Countries?. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5248-6_16

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5248-6_16

Published : 24 October 2021

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-16-5247-9

Online ISBN : 978-981-16-5248-6

eBook Packages : Medicine Medicine (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Find a journal
Track your research

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Claim authorship.

Do you claim this paper? If you are one of the author of this paper, click the Claim button below.

ID	40651
Reference Key	tullu2019writingsaudi use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using
Authors	Tullu, M.
Journal
Citations
Year	2019
DOI	10.4103/sja.SJA_685_18
URL
Keywords	Keywords not found

Home > Blog > How To Write an Abstract (With Examples)

How To Write an Abstract (With Examples)

Smodin Editorial Team
Updated: August 13, 2024
Step-by-Step Instructions for Writing

The abstract is the shop front of your thesis. It’s essentially a summary of your paper outlining what you have discovered during your research.

In academia, an abstract serves several purposes:

Offers a summary of your findings
Other researchers use it to determine whether your work is relevant to their own research
Helps your peers understand what you have discovered if they don’t have time to read the entire paper
Provides an easy way to index and categorize papers for academic journals

So a good abstract has several benefits for readers and reviewers. But, beyond that, you need to know how to write a good abstract if you want to get a high grade.

In our article, we give you some of the best tips and tricks on how to write an abstract that is concise and informative.

A ruled piece of paper on top of scattered book pages.

Step 1 – Understand the Purpose of an Abstract

Before you learn how to write an abstract, you need to know what one is and what purpose it serves. A good abstract should answer these questions:

What is the study about?
Why did you do this study or project?
What did you do and how?
What were your findings?
What do your findings mean?

Think of an abstract like a movie trailer. It gives the reader a glimpse–a teaser–of what’s to come. It helps them decide if your paper is something they’re interested in.

Usually, an abstract is 100-250 words, so you only have a small window to rope your audience in.

There are four types of abstracts. You might use a different one depending on the nature of your research paper . The different kinds of abstracts include:

Informative abstract: Details the background information, key points, research methods, and significant findings. There may also be further reading recommendations so that the reader can understand the main elements of the paper better.
Descriptive abstract: Provides an overview of the content, including major points and research methods. However, descriptive abstracts don’t provide significant findings or conclusions. So, they’re less helpful for determining the relevance of the work.
Critical abstract: Evaluates or provides analysis regarding the paper’s findings, with an overview of the paper. These abstracts are longer, sometimes up to 500 words in length. They may also refer to outside information.
Highlight abstract: Grabs the reader’s attention to hook them in. Academic writing doesn’t usually include this type of abstract, since it doesn’t really give an overview of the text.

Typically, you’ll only see the first two in academia, but a descriptive abstract is still rarer than an informative one. An informative abstract includes everything you need to know about a research paper. So, it’s the preferred method for most students.

Step 2 – Key Elements of an Abstract

Every good abstract page has certain elements, including the background, methodology, results, and conclusion. It may also include keywords listed at the end of the abstract, helping to categorize and index the paper.

Here’s everything you need to include in your abstract.

Background and Objective

The first part of the abstract should cover the background information for your central idea. Whether you’re studying social sciences or writing a scientific paper, this section is absolutely crucial. It’s the opening line that sets the tone for your entire dissertation.

You can usually do this in around three sentences. Here is what each one should include:

Sentence 1: Introduce the topic and define the key concepts in your study.
Sentence 2: Define the gap in the literature, describing the main existing theories and identifying their limitations.
Sentence 3: Explain how your research will fill this gap in the knowledge and what it adds to your field.

You can also state your research question at this point. Of course, you’ll need to do a literature review to write this effectively. So, check out other abstracts and ensure you use a good sentence structure .

Example: “Climate change poses significant challenges for worldwide agricultural productivity. Despite the numerous studies that exist on its impact on crop yields, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis. Other articles do not study how these impacts vary across different climactic regions. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the regional differences in climate change effects on wheat production.”

Methodology

Next, you can outline the specific details of your project, summarizing the methodology you intend to use. At this point, you can also outline the data, theories, and case studies that you used during your research.

Generally, this can be just a single sentence highlighting your methodology. However, it can vary greatly depending on your field. For example, in scientific writing, you might need to describe the materials you’re using in the study. Meanwhile, for social sciences, it’s likely to be more theory-based.

Example: “I conducted a meta-analysis of existing studies on wheat production under varying climatic conditions. I collected data from peer-reviewed journals published between 2000 and 2023. I used statistical methods to assess the impact of temperature and precipitation changes on wheat yield.”

The next part of your abstract should state your main point. Remember, the abstract is just a brief summary, so you don’t need to go into detail. Instead, summarize all the main arguments that your paper makes and state their contribution to the field.

Even if you feel like your main findings are significant, don’t go into too much detail yet! That comes later, in the paper itself.

Example: “The results indicated a significant negative correlation between increased temperatures and wheat yields in arid and semi-arid regions. The average yield reduction was 15%. Conversely, in temperate regions, moderate temperature increases were associated with a slight yield increase of 5%. Precipitation changes had less consistent effects across different regions.”

The final part of your abstract should provide a strong conclusion. Here, you can discuss the implications of your main findings. Often, you can also incorporate key words found within the abstract and write these in a list at the end. This makes your paper easier to index.

Example: “These findings suggest that climate change adaptation strategies for wheat production must be region-specific. In arid regions, efforts must focus on heat-resistant crop varieties and improving irrigation. Meanwhile, temperate regions may benefit from optimizing planting dates and crop management.

Keywords: Climate change, wheat production, regional analysis, agricultural adaptation, crop yield.”

Step 3 – Writing the Abstract

Now that you understand what an abstract is, you can master the art of writing one. Here are Smodin’s top tips when writing an abstract.

Write a Draft

Start by writing a draft, and don’t put too much emphasis on it being perfect. Make sure your draft includes all the key elements (background, methods, results, conclusions).

Ensure that your draft provides a clear and concise summary of your research, outlining your major findings.

Revise for Clarity and Conciseness

Once you have a draft, you can start to edit and improve it. At this point, you can start to pay more attention to the word count. It’s time to cut out the unnecessary parts and improve clarity.

You should focus on making your abstract as succinct as possible while retaining the essential information. Remember, the abstract is just one paragraph, so you might need to be quite harsh in cutting bits out.

Check for Accuracy and Consistency

Finally, check for accuracy. You’ll need to ensure that the abstract accurately reflects the main ideas in the paper. Don’t mention anything you haven’t talked about in the paper!

You should also check that all the terminology and data are correct. Getting this wrong isn’t just unprofessional, but it could lose you marks!

Step 4 – Formatting the Abstract

Depending on where you’re submitting your paper, there may be a publication manual. This is certainly the case if you’re submitting a journal article. However, your college or university might also have guidelines that they use to standardize abstracts.

It’s important to follow the format that the journal or institution provides. This includes sticking to the word count (decrease or i ncrease the number of words if necessary) but also following the specific format. For example, many journals in the social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering sciences use the IMRaD structure:

Introduction

A woman sitting in front of a laptop on a table and thinking.

Tips for Writing a Compelling Abstract

Want to know how to write an amazing abstract? Not just a good one, but one that’s going to get you the best grade? Here are five tips that will guarantee success.

Be concise: It’s crucial to be brief. Potential readers don’t want to know all the details just yet. Remember, it’s only a paragraph long! Make sure you use clear and straightforward language throughout.
Highlight key points: Your abstract should describe the main findings of your abstract, including a range of key phrases. Emphasize these aspects, and ensure that readers understand the significance of the study.
Avoid jargon: The abstract should be accessible to a broad audience. So, minimize the use of technical terms and acronyms.
Focus on the reader: It’s important to focus on things that the reader needs to know. The abstract should help them understand the research that comes later. Try to spark their interest without providing too much information.

Glasses with gray frames on top of an open notebook, along with a pen.

Use Smodin To Write Effective Abstracts

Abstracts are important, so getting them right is a concern for many students. After all, they’re a crucial component that summarizes your research and hooks the reader. In some cases, an abstract is essential for winning you research grants.

Fortunately, you can make writing an abstract easier by using Smodin. Smodin’s AI writer can assist in crafting well-structured, comprehensive abstracts. Here are some of its key capabilities:

Advanced language processing
Customizable input parameters, to make the abstract your own
Comprehensive coverage of key elements
Keyword generation

Beyond its amazing generative capabilities, Smodin can improve efficiency and save you time! Whether you want it to generate the full text or just the abstract, Smodin helps you on your academic journey. And because it’s trained on academic data, it’s much better than similar generative AI models.

Smodin’s AI Writer offers a powerful solution for researchers looking to create effective abstracts. It can significantly enhance the quality and efficiency of your academic writing. So what are you waiting for? Try Smodin’s AI writer today!

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key (Q64097465)

Language	Label	Description	Also known as
English

Identifiers

Wikipedia (0 entries), wikibooks (0 entries), wikinews (0 entries), wikiquote (0 entries), wikisource (0 entries), wikiversity (0 entries), wikivoyage (0 entries), wiktionary (0 entries), multilingual sites (0 entries).

In-Text Citations

In scholarly writing, it is essential to acknowledge how others contributed to your work. By following the principles of proper citation, writers ensure that readers understand their contribution in the context of the existing literature—how they are building on, critically examining, or otherwise engaging the work that has come before.

APA Style provides guidelines to help writers determine the appropriate level of citation and how to avoid plagiarism and self-plagiarism.

We also provide specific guidance for in-text citation, including formats for interviews, classroom and intranet sources, and personal communications; in-text citations in general; and paraphrases and direct quotations.

Academic Writer ®

Master academic writing with APA’s essential teaching and learning resource

illustration or abstract figure and computer screen

Course Adoption

Teaching APA Style? Become a course adopter of the 7th edition Publication Manual

illustration of woman using a pencil to point to text on a clipboard

Instructional Aids

Guides, checklists, webinars, tutorials, and sample papers for anyone looking to improve their knowledge of APA Style

Information

Author Services

Initiatives

You are accessing a machine-readable page. In order to be human-readable, please install an RSS reader.

All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No special permission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. For articles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused without permission provided that the original article is clearly cited. For more information, please refer to https://www.mdpi.com/openaccess .

Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for future research directions and describes possible research applications.

Feature papers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and must receive positive feedback from the reviewers.

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

Original Submission Date Received: .

Active Journals
Find a Journal
Proceedings Series
For Authors
For Reviewers
For Editors
For Librarians
For Publishers
For Societies
For Conference Organizers
Open Access Policy
Institutional Open Access Program
Special Issues Guidelines
Editorial Process
Research and Publication Ethics
Article Processing Charges
Testimonials
Preprints.org
SciProfiles
Encyclopedia

Article Menu

Subscribe SciFeed
Recommended Articles
Google Scholar
on Google Scholar
Table of Contents

Find support for a specific problem in the support section of our website.

Please let us know what you think of our products and services.

Visit our dedicated information section to learn more about MDPI.

JSmol Viewer

A highly accurate detection platform for potato seedling canopy in intelligent agriculture based on phased array lidar technology, 1. introduction, 2. materials and methods, 2.1. morphological characteristics of potato seedlings, 2.2. structural design of potato seedling canopy height detection system in the field, 2.3. data acquisition principle of the system platform, 2.4. field tests and measurement methods, 2.5. determination of monitoring principle and installation height of planar array lidar, 2.6. extraction of canopy height information of potato seedlings, 2.7. data correction, 2.7.1. data collation for a tilted system, 2.7.2. failure point search and correction, 2.7.3. dynamic data analysis.

Click here to enlarge figure

2.8. Data Reconstruction after Correction

3. results and discussion, 3.1. comparison of detection system method and manual measurement method for potato seedling canopy height, 3.2. analysis of detection efficiency, 4. conclusions, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

Gil, J.D.B.; Reidsma, P.; Giller, K.; Todman, L.; Whitmore, A.; Ittersum, M.v. Sustainable development goal 2: Improved targets and indicators for agriculture and food security. Ambio 2019 , 48 , 685–698. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
Campos, H.; Ortiz, O. The Potato Crop: Its Agricultural, Nutritional and Social Contribution to Humankind ; Springer: Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany, 2019. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Ezekiel, R.; Singh, N.; Sharma, S.; Kaur, A. Beneficial phytochemicals in potato—A review. Food Res. Int. 2013 , 50 , 487–496. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Devaux, A.; Goffart, J.P.; Kromann, P.; Andrade-Piedra, J.; Polar, V.; Hareau, G. The potato of the future: Opportunities and challenges in sustainable agri-food systems. Patato Res. 2021 , 64 , 681–720. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
Lu, Y.; Kear, P.; Lu, X.P.; Gatto, M. The status and challenges of sustainable intensification of rice-potato systems in southern China. Am. J. Potato Res. 2021 , 98 , 361–373. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Wang, L.H.; Ma, H.; Li, J.L.; Gao, Y.H.; Fan, L.; Yang, Z.H.; Yang, Y.Z.; Wang, C.Y. An automated extraction of small- and middle-sized rice fields under complex terrain based on SAR time series: A case study of Chongqing. Comput. Electron. Agric. 2022 , 200 , 107232. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Maddonni, G.A.; Otegui, M.E.; Cirilo, A.G. Plant population density, row spacing and hybrid effects on maize canopy architecture and light attenuation. Field Crops Res. 2001 , 71 , 183–193. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Yu, Z.H.; Cao, Z.G.; Bai, X.D. Automatic measurement of crops canopy height based on monocular vision. In Proceedings of the 7th Symposium on Multispectral Image Processing and Pattern Recognition (MIPPR)—Remote Sensing Image Processing, Geographic Information Systems, and Other Applications, Guilin, China, 4–6 November 2011; Volume 8006. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Begna, S.H.; Hamilton, R.I.; Dwyer, L.M.; Stewart, D.W.; Cloutier, D.; Liu, A.; Smith, D.L. Response of corn hybrids differing in canopy architecture to chemical and mechanical (rotary hoeing) weed control: Morphology and yield. J. Agron. Crop Sci.-Z. Acker Pflanzenbau 2001 , 186 , 167–173. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Grenzdörffer, G.J. Crop height determination with uas point clouds. Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci. 2014 , 40 , 135–140. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Richards, R.A.; Cavanagh, C.R.; Riffkin, P. Selection for erect canopy architecture can increase yield and biomass of spring wheat. Field Crops Res. 2019 , 244 , 107649. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Uranbey, S.; Başalma, C. Correlations among stolon length, stolon number, plant height and tuber yield in potato. Turk. J. Field Crops 1998 , 3 , 27–39. Available online: https://xueshu.baidu.com/usercenter/paper/show?paperid=9740992a83e0214476084dca4bdf0d86&site=xueshu_se&hitarticle=1 (accessed on 7 July 2024).
Nyende, A.B.; Schittenhelm, S.; Mix-Wagner, G.; Greef, J.M. Yield and canopy development of field grown potato plants derived from synthetic seeds. Eur. J. Agron. 2005 , 22 , 175–184. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Víg, R.; Huzsvai, L.; Dobos, A.; Nagy, J. Systematic measurement methods for the determination of the spad values of maize ( Zea mays L.) canopy and potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.). Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 2012 , 43 , 1684–1693. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Cai, L.; Zhao, Y.; Huang, Z.; Gao, Y.; Li, H.; Zhang, M. Rapid measurement of potato canopy coverage and leaf area index inversion. Appl. Eng. Agric. 2020 , 36 , 557–564. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Lati, R.N.; Filin, S.; Eizenberg, H.J.C. Estimating plant growth parameters using an energy minimization-based stereovision model. Comput. Electron. Agric. 2013 , 98 , 260–271. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Brocks, S.; Bareth, G. Evaluating dense 3D reconstruction software packages for oblique monitoring of crop canopy surface. In Proceedings of the 23rd Congress of the International-Society-for-Photogrammetry-and-Remote-Sensing (ISPRS), Prague, Czech Republic, 12–19 July 2016; pp. 785–789. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Chang, A.J.; Jung, J.H.; Maeda, M.M.; Landivar, J. Crop height monitoring with digital imagery from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). Comput. Electron. Agric. 2017 , 141 , 232–237. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Hyyppa, J.; Hyypp, H.; Leckie, D.; Gougeon, F.; Yu, X.; Maltamo, M. Review of methods of small-footprint air borne laser scanning for extracting forest inventory data in boreal forests. Int. J. Remote Sens. 2008 , 29 , 1339–1366. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Lang, N.; Kalischek, N.; Armston, J.; Schindler, K.; Dubayah, R.; Wegner, J.D. Global canopy height regression and uncertainty estimation from GEDI LIDAR waveforms with deep ensembles. Remote Sens. Environ. 2022 , 268 , 112760. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Meyer, G.E.; Davison, D.A. An electronic-image plant-growth measurement system. Trans. ASAE 1987 , 30 , 242–248. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Harkel, J.; Bartholomeus, H.; Kooistra, L. Biomass and crop height estimation of different crops using uav-based Lidar. Remote Sens. 2020 , 12 , 17. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Chaudhury, A.; Ward, C.; Talasaz, A.; Ivanov, A.G.; Barron, J.L. Computer vision based autonomous robotic system for 3D plant growth measurement. In Proceedings of the 12th Conference on Computer and Robot Vision CRV, Halifax, NS, Canada, 3–5 June 2015; pp. 290–296. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Dong, T.; Liu, J.; Qian, B.; He, L.; Liu, B.; Wang, R.; Jing, Q.; Champagne, C.; McNairn, H.; Powers, J.; et al. Estimating crop biomass using leaf area index derived from Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 data—ScienceDirect. ISPRS J. Photogramm. Remote Sens. 2020 , 168 , 236–250. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Milas, A.S.; Romanko, M.; Reil, P.; Abeysinghe, T.; Marambe, A. The importance of leaf area index in mapping chlorophyll content of corn under different agricultural treatments using UAV images. Int. J. Remote Sens. 2018 , 39 , 5415–5431. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
Gonzalez, B.; Delia, A.; Kiniry, R.J.; Maas, S.J.; Mario, T.L.; Jaime, M.C.; Mendoza, J.L.; Richardson, C.W.; Jaime, S.G.; Manjarrez, J. Large-area maize yield forecasting using leaf area index based yield model. Agron. Model. 2005 , 97 , 418–425. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]

Experimental Plot	Relative Error	Standard Deviation
1	3.67%	0.42
2	4.59%	1.87
3	6.84%	0.76
4	6.77%	2.46
5	7.85%	1.34
6	6.38%	0.48
7	8.36%	3.47
8	6.92%	1.66

The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

Tan, H.; Wang, P.; Yan, X.; Xin, Q.; Mu, G.; Lv, Z. A Highly Accurate Detection Platform for Potato Seedling Canopy in Intelligent Agriculture Based on Phased Array LiDAR Technology. Agriculture 2024 , 14 , 1369. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14081369

Tan H, Wang P, Yan X, Xin Q, Mu G, Lv Z. A Highly Accurate Detection Platform for Potato Seedling Canopy in Intelligent Agriculture Based on Phased Array LiDAR Technology. Agriculture . 2024; 14(8):1369. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14081369

Tan, Hewen, Peizhuang Wang, Xingwei Yan, Qingqing Xin, Guizhi Mu, and Zhaoqin Lv. 2024. "A Highly Accurate Detection Platform for Potato Seedling Canopy in Intelligent Agriculture Based on Phased Array LiDAR Technology" Agriculture 14, no. 8: 1369. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14081369

Article Metrics

Article access statistics, further information, mdpi initiatives, follow mdpi.

Subscribe to receive issue release notifications and newsletters from MDPI journals

Europe PMC requires Javascript to function effectively.

Either your web browser doesn't support Javascript or it is currently turned off. In the latter case, please turn on Javascript support in your web browser and reload this page.

REVIEW article

Crafting personalized learning paths with ai for lifelong learning: a systematic literature review.

1 Business School, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Faculty of Informatics, Autonomous University of Querétaro, Monterrey, Mexico
2 EGADE Business School, Institute for the Future of Education, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico
3 Faculty of Informatics, Autonomous University of Querétaro, Juriquilla, Mexico

The rapid evolution of knowledge requires constantly acquiring and updating skills, making lifelong learning crucial. Despite decades of artificial intelligence, recent advances promote new solutions to personalize learning in this context. The purpose of this article is to explore the current state of research on the development of artificial intelligence-mediated solutions for the design of personalized learning paths. To achieve this, a systematic literature review (SRL) of 78 articles published between 2019 and 2024 from the Scopus and Web or Science databases was conducted, answering seven questions grouped into three themes: characteristics of the published research, context of the research, and type of solution analyzed. This study identified that: (a) the greatest production of scientific research on the topic is developed in China, India and the United States, (b) the focus is mainly directed towards the educational context at the higher education level with areas of opportunity for application in the work context, and (c) the development of adaptive learning technologies predominates; however, there is a growing interest in the application of generative language models. This article contributes to the growing interest and literature related to personalized learning under artificial intelligence mediated solutions that will serve as a basis for academic institutions and organizations to design programs under this model.

Introduction

Today, lifelong learning has become an imperative to thrive in an ever-changing and evolving world. The quest for knowledge is no longer limited to traditional classrooms; instead, it has transformed into a personalized and adaptive journey that spans a lifetime. The individual’s life cycle can no longer be divided into a period of preparation followed by a period of action, but rather learning extends throughout all stages of life ( UNESCO, 2022 ). Promoting lifelong learning means creating systems that realize the right to education for people of all ages and provide opportunities to unleash their potential. Within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as guiding axes of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), SDG 4 promotes ensuring inclusive quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for people ( UNESCO, 2017 ). The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) proposes four fundamental characteristics for lifelong learning: a systematic vision that includes both formal and informal educational contexts, the centrality of the learner by placing him/her as the focus of learning, the motivation to learn by developing the ability to “learn to learn” through self-regulated and self-directed learning, and the focus on a multi-objective education where learning priorities and goals can be transformed throughout the individual’s life ( OECD, 2009 ), in addition to the above, the recognition of the evolution of the concept of a single job for life makes it imperative for workers’ organizations to direct their efforts towards the development of new skills and lifelong learning ( Organización Internacional del Trabajo, 2020 ). With a view to increasing the life expectancy and quality of life of individuals, the study and development of lifelong learning options is becoming increasingly relevant.

Despite the growing recognition of the importance of lifelong learning, there is a significant gap in understanding how to effectively personalize learning experiences to meet the diverse and evolving needs of individuals throughout their lives. Traditional educational methods often fall short in providing the flexibility and adaptability required for lifelong learning. This gap necessitates the exploration of innovative solutions to enhance the personalization of learning experiences.

In this context, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a powerful and transformative ally, enabling the creation of personalized and effective learning experiences capable of adapting to the priorities and needs of the individual at a specific point in his or her life. The integration of AI-assisted learning solutions are key to the modernization of education as they have the ability to create motivating and quality learning environments ( Zhang et al., 2023 ). Artificial intelligence chatbots, for example, can provide individualized instruction and feedback based on the needs and progress of each learner, revolutionizing the concept of personalized learning ( Osamor et al., 2023 ). With the advent of generative language models, AI has reached new heights of capability and versatility, sparking unprecedented interest in its application for the design of learning trajectories ( Ifelebuegu, 2023 ). Because of its ability to transform education by offering motivating and personalized experiences that are tailored to individual needs, AI is positioned as an ally for lifelong learning.

The application of AI in educational contexts is not only based on the development of learning objects or tools for their creation but encompasses a wide range of applications. For the personalization of AI-mediated learning, researchers can opt for solutions such as mobile learning, educational games, collaborative learning in social networks, MOOCs or the application of augmented reality, among many others ( Hamal et al., 2022 ; Del Campo et al., 2023 ), without leaving aside the conversion towards an assessment of learning focused on complex thinking skills, avoiding the implicit risk of bad practices in the use of AI by students that constitute a threat to the legitimacy of online assessment and academic integrity ( Ifelebuegu, 2023 ). It is necessary, then, to consider that the use of IA in the educational context involves risks and limitations, among which are the problems of privacy, misinformation, plagiarism, biases and cultural differences and the lack of human connection, as well as other ethical implications, especially the gaps that may arise between students with access to these new technologies and those students who will be left behind due to the impossibility of access to these new educational models ( Wang et al., 2023 ; Bulathwela et al., 2024 ). Finally, it is important to note that the adoption of AI is not in itself the answer to meet the educational challenges in higher education and its use must be accompanied by a correct pedagogical design ( O’dea and O’Dea, 2023 ; Osamor et al., 2023 ). The adoption of AI in the educational context implies enormous advantages, however it is necessary to adopt a careful approach that allows minimizing its risks and maximizing its benefits in the development of solutions for the personalization of learning under a sound pedagogical design as an indispensable complement to this process. This research uses systematic literature review (SLR) to identify design strategies for artificial intelligence solutions in learning personalization. It aims to provide a broad overview of the current state of AI in learning personalization, highlight key areas of research, and advance the use of AI to enhance personalized learning in lifelong learning by proposing recommendations based on the findings to advance the integration of AI in personalized lifelong learning environments. The results contribute to the advancement of AI in learning personalization, key to educational innovation.

Literature review

Lifelong learning.

The growing need for adults to acquire new skills and knowledge to advance their careers, address personal problems, or start and manage ventures has generated a growing interest in designing online education programs that are tailored to their specific needs and characteristics. In today’s evolving work environment, students entering the job market must demonstrate not only performance, but also collaboration, negotiation, planning, and organizational skills ( Partnership for 21st Century Learning, 2019 ). The labor market is experiencing a shift toward complex “hybrid” jobs with emerging roles. This transition reflects a movement from manufacturing to service-oriented industries, reducing the demand for mechanical-routine workers and emphasizing the need for autonomous, flexible, and creative individuals capable of problem solving ( Chiappe et al., 2020 ). The European Area of Lifelong Learning (2021) defines lifelong learning as any learning activity undertaken throughout life to improve knowledge, skills and competences with a personal, civic, social or occupational perspective. Adult education, especially in the context of lifelong learning, is a field that has become increasingly important in an ever-changing world. The idea that learning is a continuous process throughout life has become a fundamental principle.

Lifelong learning is crucial for the continued development and progress of individuals throughout their lives. Lifelong learning is important for several reasons. Firstly, it allows individuals to continuously acquire new knowledge and skills, enabling personal and professional growth throughout their lives ( Merriam et al., 2007 ). Secondly lifelong learning also promotes community well-being and contributes to social cohesion ( Merriam and Kee, 2014 ). Thirdly, it can enhance political stability and non-violence by fostering a culture of learning and knowledge acquisition ( Asongu and Nwachukwu, 2016 ). Fourthly lifelong learning is crucial for adapting to the changing demands of the labor market, as it helps individuals stay relevant and employable ( Schultheiss and Backes-Gellner, 2023 ), and lastly, it can also promote equality by providing opportunities for disadvantaged individuals to access education and improve their socio-economic status ( Hällsten, 2011 ). In summary, lifelong learning is crucial to adapt to the changing demands of the labor market, promote equality and improve individual and community well-being, a tool that can help enhance the acquisition of new skills and knowledge for adults in a flexible environment and that advances at great speed thanks to AI for its ability to generate flexible and adaptable environments for the learner.

Artificial intelligence

In the current era, characterized by rapid technological evolution and the growing need for continuous adaptation, artificial intelligence emerges as an invaluable resource that transforms and enriches the educational landscape, offering personalized and motivating solutions that enhance lifelong learning. AI plays a crucial role in adult and lifelong learning. Lifelong learning aims to emulate the capability of humans to continuously acquire knowledge and skills throughout their lives ( Chen and Liu, 2018 ). AI systems can support lifelong learning by providing personalized and adaptive learning experiences, allowing individuals to learn at their own pace and according to their specific needs ( Ally and Perris, 2022 ). AI can enhance learning efficiency and cognitive abilities, improving teaching and learning outcomes ( Huang et al., 2021 ). Additionally, AI can automate the construction of visual–linguistic knowledge, enabling continuous knowledge construction for lifelong learning ( Ha et al., 2015 ). The use of AI in education can transform learning into an ongoing, lifelong process ( Tang and Deng, 2022 ). AI supports ongoing initiatives to promote lifelong learning by providing tailored and adaptable experiences. Moreover, AI aids lifelong learning through automated assessment and progress tracking ( Sanabria-Z et al., 2023 ). Overall, AI has the potential to revolutionize adult and lifelong learning by providing personalized, adaptive, and continuous learning experiences.

Despite the growing importance of online adult education and the existence of effective design principles, relatively little attention has been paid to how to adapt these principles to adult learning, specifically those seeking to acquire new skills related to adapting to changing work environments. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have triggered a sudden change in the educational scene. Its characteristics of being free, heterogeneous, multi-thematic, and fostering lifelong learning have completely changed the instructional design scene, allowing these innovations and new architectures of teaching and learning to be included ( Valenzuela et al., 2019 ). In this sense, Conget et al. (2021) point out that lifelong learning benefits both from feedback that elicits reflection on learning as well as the promotion of curiosity, motivation, perseverance and regulation of learning. Lifelong learning empowers individuals to have control over their own learning agenda and shape their own lives ( Eynon and Malmberg, 2021 ). As adult learners may differ significantly from younger learners, learning design based on andragogical principles and focused on the pragmatic and context-dependent needs of learners calls for consideration of incorporating frameworks on lifelong learning for learning design. Overall, lifelong learning is essential for personal development, societal progress, and economic prosperity.

Personalized learning

Personalized learning has become a key approach in contemporary education. In a world where universal approaches are no longer appropriate, personalized learning requires education to provide customized solutions to students according to their particular needs. This represents a significant shift from traditional teacher-centered models. However, the reality of education in schools, especially in developing countries, is far from being flexible, personalized, oriented to the development of soft skills, and based on the use of information and communication technologies ( Chiappe et al., 2020 ). The U.S. Office of Educational Technology defined personalized learning as “instruction tailored to the specific learning needs, preferences, and interests of diverse learners” ( Peters and Araya, 2011 ). In a personalized educational environment, learning objectives and content, as well as method and pace, may vary, so personalization encompasses differentiation and individualization. Personalization of learning can be based either on the cognitive characteristics or behavioral traits of learners but also on their learning style, level of knowledge or learning preferences ( Nguyen and Nguyen, 2023 ). Personalization of learning enables the improvement of both academic performance and the enhancement of student’s digital skills ( Yang and Wen, 2023 ). However, it is not without its challenges, mainly in terms of social skills development due to the lack of community learning environments, which can isolate students and prevent them from acquiring the skills needed in a work environment ( Pence, 2020 ). The personalization of learning represents an enormous advantage, not only in terms of improving the student’s academic performance and the development of digital skills, but also in terms of the needs of adult learning in work contexts with a focus on lifelong learning.

Notwithstanding the efforts made for the incorporation of personalization of learning in the educational system, it still presents challenges that need to be faced. It is necessary to expand the existing knowledge on the design of learning itineraries in terms of actors involved, personalization strategies, pattern language, structure and ways to evaluate the results of the implementation ( Buitrago et al., 2021 ). Personalized learning challenges include a lack of unified agreement on the components needed for a dynamic, personalized learning approach, which can provide unique and effective learning experiences. It should consider learner profiles, prior knowledge, adaptive learning paths, and flexible self-paced environments, with learning analytics generating dynamic environments ( Shemshack et al., 2021 ). Personalization is most successful when relevant learner characteristics are measured repeatedly during the learning process and used to adapt instruction in a systematic way ( Tetzlaff et al., 2021 ). A successful personalized learning system balances making the best recommendations based on current knowledge and exploring new learning trajectories that may pay off ( Tang et al., 2019 ). In summary, to delve into the design of learning pathways and overcome the challenges that the implementation of personalized learning represents, it is crucial to foster effective and adaptive educational experiences that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of learners.

In order to establish the basis for the exploration of artificial intelligence-mediated personalization of learning as a response to the growing need to establish a continuum of lifelong learning and professional development, a systematic literature review (SRL) was conducted. The SRL method allows identifying, analyzing and interpreting evidence related to the research objective in an unbiased and repeatable way ( García-Peñalvo, 2017 ) being a process that synthesizes research in a systematic, transparent and reproducible way in order to enrich knowledge and inform policy making and practice ( Tranfield et al., 2003 ). The process consisted of (1) the formulation of research questions, (2) the selection of databases and search terms or keywords for the preliminary mapping of articles published on the topic in question as part of the search process, (3) the selection of quality criteria for the inclusion and exclusion of articles to be reviewed, (4) the selection and extraction of data and, finally, (5) the synthesis of information that would allow answers to the research questions defined ( Kitchenham and Charters, 2007 ; Landa et al., 2011 ). The control of this process was carried out following the guidelines established by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement ( Page et al., 2021 ).

Research questions

The research questions were established in order to analyze published articles on artificial intelligence-mediated solutions for personalization of learning, published in the last five years. These seven research questions were designed to address three topics of interest:

1. Characteristics of the studies analyzed in the field of artificial intelligence and personalized learning.

2. Educational level and environment in which the research is carried out.

3. Solutions and technologies for AI-mediated personalization of learning.

The choice of research questions was based on the following criteria:

1. Relevance: the questions had to be relevant to the research topic, which is artificial intelligence applied to learning personalization.

2. Accuracy: The questions had to be precise and concise, to facilitate their understanding and response.

3. Feasibility: The questions had to be feasible to answer, taking into account the limitations of the research.

The research questions formulated are described in Table 1 .

Table 1 . Topics and research questions.

Search process

The search for articles was performed on February 26, 2024, in the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases. The keywords chosen were: artificial intelligence and personalized learning, the search period: 2019 to 2024 and the document type: article, with the publication languages: English or Spanish, were the delimiters. The search strings are shown in Table 2 .

Table 2 . Search strings.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

The Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases were used to search for articles. The search terms used were: Artificial intelligence, Personal learning, Personal training, and Learning path. For the elaboration of this review, the following categorization of criteria for the inclusion of information was carried out:

1. Thematic: Artificial intelligence and Personalized learning.

2. Spatial: It was decided not to establish a geographical restriction. Worldwide research is included only in English language.

3. Temporal: Papers published during the last five years are included, starting in 2019.

4. Type of document: Research articles.

5. As criteria for exclusion of information, it was established that documents lacking a theoretical or conceptual framework would be eliminated, as well as those that did not meet the previously established inclusion criteria.

Selection process and data extraction

The number of articles found in both databases (Scopus and WoS) was 139. Following quality criteria, four records corresponding to articles withdrawn from the publications were eliminated to proceed to a review of titles and abstracts in order to identify those articles that corresponded to the focus of interest of this publication in terms of type of document and relationship with the topic, leaving a total of 78 articles selected for the SRL, from which the following information was extracted: Title, Author, DOI, Abstract, Name of the publication, Number of citations and Country of the first author. This information was compiled in an Excel file available for consultation. Figure 1 shows the selection process of articles included in the SLR.

Figure 1 . PRISMA diagram.

Data extraction and synthesis

Before writing the narrative synthesis, the 78 selected publications were carefully read and summarized in the context of the research questions. Given the newness of the research in the field there was, to the authors’ knowledge, no definitive classification proposed for the type of artificial intelligence solutions used for learning personalization, so, to answer question RQ7 a classification of our own was created based on the classifications proposed by Hashim et al. (2022) and Bozkurt et al. (2021) which includes the categories: (1) Adaptive learning environments, (2) AI-aided LMS, (3) AI-Enabled Mobile Apps, (4) Content recommendation systems, (5) Generative language model, (6) Holistic integration, (7) Intelligent conversational agents and tutorials, (8) Learning analytics and personalized assessment, (9) Machine learning, (10) Smart classrooms/IoT, and (11) Virtual and augmented reality.

This section presents the results obtained from the meticulous and systematic analysis of the data collected. The articles under analysis are integrated in Supplementary Material , with an identification number, in order to identify them in some of the results.

RQ1. What is the geographical distribution of the authors of the articles analyzed?

In order to identify the regions of the world that are currently leading research on personalization of learning through artificial intelligence-assisted solutions, the geographical dispersion of the first authors of the articles reviewed was analyzed. Figure 2 shows that the highest concentration of authors is located in China outnumbering in a ratio of about 5:1 the next concentration located in the United States, followed by India and Germany. The areas with low scientific production on the subject are in Africa and Latin America.

Figure 2 . Geographical dispersion of authors.

The study of the geographic distribution of authors with interest in the subject allows us to identify the regions of the world where there is an area of opportunity for the development of research, especially if we consider that the personalization of learning requires adapting it to the characteristics of the student, which may be influenced by both culture and place of origin.

RQ2. In which journals have artificial intelligence and personalized learning items been published more, and what are the Q levels of the journals?

To understand which academic journals are leaders in the publication of articles related to artificial intelligence and personalized learning, we analyzed the total number of published articles as well as the year of publication and the quartile of classification of the journal. It was found that 37% of the published articles are grouped in 8 journals at the Q1 and Q2 levels: International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (6), Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences (5), Sustainability (Switzerland)(4), IEEE Access (4). Education Sciences (4), Frontiers in Psychology (3), Frontiers in Education (3). The analysis by quality levels (Q levels) of the journals indicates that 73% of the articles reviewed were published in journals with Q1 and Q2 level ( Figure 3 ).

Figure 3 . Frequency of publication by Q level.

The identification of publications and their quality level allows authors to identify sources for the dissemination of their research results through clarity on the perceived quality of research on personalization of learning and artificial intelligence as well as informed decision making for the development of strategies to raise the overall standard of research on the topic.

RQ3. What keywords are most commonly used in the analyzed articles?

The identification and analysis of keyword co-occurrence in the 78 articles reviewed made it possible to detect and group the concepts that are related to the key terms of this research: personalized learning and artificial intelligence. Figure 4 allows identifying the relationship between the term “personalized learning” and the four groupings of words, indicated by color, among which can be grouped those referring to learning analytics as a way to evaluate learning effectiveness, deep learning algorithms, the different personalization solutions mediated by artificial intelligence among which “e-learning,” “machine learning” and “learning systems” stand out. It is worth noting the grouping corresponding to generative language models where ChatGPT occupies an important place despite the novelty of its appearance in practice.

Figure 4 . Keyword co-occurrence map.

The keyword co-occurrence analysis allows identifying predominant themes and areas of interest in the academic literature, as well as emerging trends and possible gaps in knowledge. The groupings in terms of artificial intelligence-mediated solutions for learning personalization reflect the main trends in educational practice and confirm the classification proposed for the development of this research.

RQ4. What are the trends in research methods observed in the articles?

The analysis of trends in research methods and design allows inferring the preferred methodological approaches for research on learning personalization and artificial intelligence. The classification of articles was done in terms of quantitative methods (experimental design, quasi-experimental, applied experimental), qualitative methods (case study, conceptual design, exploratory, descriptive, grounded theory, theoretical research) and mixed methods (bibliometric analysis, case study, experimental, and systematic literature review) ( Bauer, 2000 ; Valenzuela and Flores, 2013 ). The review of research methods and designs results in a concentration of more than 50% of the articles reviewed whose research was conducted under a quantitative research method in an experimental research design. It should be noted that among the articles with the highest number of citations are studies conducted under a qualitative approach: A-131 with 64 citations on business models for the application of learning analytics and artificial intelligence for the development of learning solutions ( Renz and Hilbig, 2020 ), A-138 with 47 citations that explores whether artificial intelligence-mediated solutions can be applied in an enterprise learning environment for talent development ( Maity, 2019 ) A-132 with a state-of-the-art review on personalization of learning and exposing gaps in creating and maintaining motivation for learning, a focus on diversity, and eliminating data-and algorithm-induced biases ( Maghsudi et al., 2021 ), and A-056 on the advantages of using ChatGPT in the educational context, with 29 citations each ( Sallam et al., 2023 ). The results of this review are detailed in Figure 5 .

Figure 5 . Research methods and design.

The study of research methods and designs applied to the topics of interest is useful to determine their state of maturity since a tendency towards experimental and exploratory approaches denotes novelty in the topic and the existence of important gaps and areas of opportunity and convergence for future research.

RQ5. At what educational levels is the personalization of learning mediated by artificial intelligence being developed?

RQ6. In what environments is the research and development of initiatives on personalization of learning mediated by artificial intelligence taking place?

RQ7. What kind of solutions or technologies are being prioritized in the development of AI-mediated personalization of learning?

In order to identify the educational contexts and the kind of solutions towards which the research on personalized learning and artificial intelligence is directed, the classification of articles was made under three headings: Educational (encompasses primary education, secondary education and higher education), Industry (refers to the application in the workplace and/or in organizations) and Informal Education (that available outside the scope of formal education), finding that more than 80% of the research is conducted in the educational context with a prevalence of 86% in higher education, while only 11.5% of the articles reviewed have a focus on learning within the work context and 6.5% in the context of informal education. Within this context, the study of artificial intelligence under a holistic approach stands out (44%) and only two of the articles reviewed, whose first authors are located on the Asian continent, focus on a specific solution. In A-050, the authors point out the imperative need to establish large-scale rapid retraining systems for the workforce, anticipating that smart and virtual workplaces will replace traditional offices, and thus an artificial intelligence-based framework for rapid retraining of job skills is presented ( Ashrafi et al., 2023 ). In A-113, the authors propose a Blended Learning model for the assignment of learning paths based on the evaluation of knowledge acquisition with a focus on higher education applied in work contexts for the development of lifelong learning ( Bekmanova et al., 2021 ). The results of this analysis are shown in Figure 6 .

Figure 6 . Trends and context of AI-measured solutions for learning personalization.

In the educational context, the study of solutions focused on Adaptive Learning (11) predominates, followed closely by Generative Language Models (9): A-002, A-005, A-010, A-015, A-023, A-045, A-056, A-057, A-093 and A-040.

The analysis of the educational levels in which the development of solutions for the personalization of learning is studied allows identifying areas of opportunity in the expansion towards contexts where the solutions for the personalization of learning are applicable in the format of continuing education or lifelong learning for the development of work competencies as well as the development of Adaptive Learning solutions taking into account the characteristics of the adult population as well as the use of Generative Language Models for the integration of training programs for adults.

After analyzing 78 articles published in the Scopus and Web of Science databases between 2019 and 2024, the main findings and recommendations for future research are presented.

The study of personalization of learning through mediated solutions is not yet widespread as research is concentrated in a small number of countries. Figure 2 shows the geographical concentration of authors on the topic finding that the largest production comes from China, followed by far by the United States and India. The above coincides with the findings of other research ( Nguyen and Nguyen, 2023 ) and allows highlighting the need not only for further research on the subject but also for its geographical dispersion, since the risks exposed by Bulathwela et al. (2024) and Wang et al. (2023) point out the lack of democratization in the personalization of learning due to the existence of gaps in access, which will disadvantage students in countries lagging behind in the application and implementation of these solutions. The dissemination of the relevance of the topic is important to motivate research throughout the world.

Regarding the relevance of research on the topic, it is clear that top-tier academic publications are aware of the importance of the application of AI in personalizing learning. Figure 3 allows us to observe a significant concentration of publications in Q1 and Q2level publications. The finding coincides with that reported by Del Campo et al. (2023) who report a remarkable increase in the scientific literature on the subject in the last decade, focusing on the use of disruptive technologies in education especially in high impact publications. It is expected that this importance will peer in the educational environment for a greater scientific production on the research topic.

Although the novelty regarding the incorporation of generative language models has put the focus on the advantages of their adaptation for the personalization of learning, their adoption is not the only way to achieve the acquisition of learning and the development of digital skills. Figure 4 , through the correlation of terms around personalized learning allows identifying the importance of the development of these in a learning platform environment. The result is consistent with that pointed out by Hamal et al. (2022) and Valenzuela et al. (2019) . The new technologies, in terms of personalization of learning mediated by AI through solutions such as mobile learning, educational games, collaborative learning in social networks, MOOCs or the application of augmented reality, as well as the evaluation and feedback on them ( Ifelebuegu, 2023 ). The variety of options in terms of learning personalization demands a holistic approach to evaluate the effectiveness of different solutions.

Much of the research around AI and its different applications is still novel. Figure 5 shows a significant concentration of research still in its experimental and theoretical design stage. In their research Chiappe et al. (2020) point out that, although these concepts are not new, personal learning paths, research-based teaching, open, flexible and digitally supported curricula and lifelong learning, awaken a renewed interest by educational researchers and new developments around this area of study. It is inferred that, as this line of research acquires greater maturity, there will be more research on the evaluation of the effectiveness of its applications.

Finally, the existence of a wide window of opportunity for the development of personalized learning applications in informal education environments and work contexts where the need for lifelong learning dynamics is imperative is highlighted. Figure 6 shows the development trends and context in which AI-mediated solutions for the personalization of learning are developed where an incipient development is observed in informal education and work contexts. The design of these solutions must obey a correct pedagogical design ( Pence, 2020 ) and be oriented to the needs of users at different educational levels as a means of preparation for accessing job opportunities ( Sanabria-Z et al., 2023 ). In a world of constant change and evolution, individuals require learning solutions tailored to their interests, goals and preferences that allow them to remain relevant in the workplace.

Research on personalization of learning and the use of AI in lifelong learning emerges as a vital field in the current era of constant change in response to the need to adapt by developing the practice of continuous and adaptive lifelong learning. In this sense, the integration of AI solutions in education offers transformative potential to create personalized and effective learning experiences that adapt to individual and contextual needs. From the application of AI chatbots to generative language models, AI offers a range of innovative tools that revolutionize the concept of personalized learning.

However, it is crucial to address the challenges and risks associated with the use of AI in education. The concentration of research development in a few countries can contribute to algorithmic bias and the digital divide, highlighting the need for a careful and ethical approach to the implementation of these technologies. Furthermore, it is critical to recognize that IA is not a one-size-fits-all solution to all educational challenges but must be complemented by sound pedagogical design and attention to the specific needs of learners in different educational contexts and levels.

This study highlights the importance of continuing to research and develop IL solutions for the personalization of learning, especially in areas such as informal education and the workplace. The identification of trends, areas of opportunity and ethical challenges provides a solid foundation for future research and educational practices. Ultimately, the goal is to promote equitable and democratized access to personalized learning opportunities, thus driving innovation and progress in education towards lifelong learning.

This study is not exhaustive as it only analyzed publications found in two databases, which have the widest coverage but are not the only ones where relevant research on the topic can be found. The research method used (SLR) and its findings provide a comprehensive overview of the existing literature and highlight key areas in the use of IL to enhance personalized learning in the context of lifelong learning. The results of this research contribute to the advancement of the use of IA to enhance personalization of learning as one of the pillars of lifelong learning for innovation in education. Future lines of research are proposed among which are the determination of the factors that influence the effectiveness of personalization of learning as well as the ethical implications of this development to ensure equity and non-discrimination in access to these solutions in order to promote the democratization of learning.

Author contributions

KB-C: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. M-SR-M: Conceptualization, Data curation, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – review & editing. AM-A: Supervision, Writing – review & editing.

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The authors would like to thank the financial support from Tecnologico de Monterrey through the “Challenge-Based Research Funding Program 2022.” Project ID # I003 – IFE001 – C2-T3 – T. Also, academic support from Writing Lab, Institute for the Future of Education, Tecnologico de Monterrey, México.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Supplementary material

The Supplementary material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1424386/full#supplementary-material

Ally, M., and Perris, K. (2022). Artificial intelligence in the fourth industrial revolution to educate for sustainable development. Can. J. Learn. Technol. 48:Article 4. doi: 10.21432/cjlt28287

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Ashrafi, S., Majidi, B., Akhtarkavan, E., and Hajiagha, S. H. R. (2023). Efficient resume-based re-education for career recommendation in rapidly evolving job markets. IEEE Access 11, 124350–124367. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3329576

Asongu, S. A., and Nwachukwu, J. C. (2016). The role of lifelong learning on political stability and non violence: evidence from Africa. J. Econ. Stud. 43, 141–164. doi: 10.1108/JES-06-2014-0087

Bauer, M. W. (2000). Qualitative researching with text, image and sound . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Google Scholar

Bekmanova, G., Ongarbayev, Y., Somzhurek, B., and Mukatayev, N. (2021). Personalized training model for organizing blended and lifelong distance learning courses and its effectiveness in higher education. J. Comput. High. Educ. 33, 668–683. doi: 10.1007/s12528-021-09282-2

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Bozkurt, A., Karadeniz, A., Baneres, D., Guerrero-Roldán, A. E., and Rodríguez, M. E. (2021). Artificial intelligence and reflections from educational landscape: a review of AI studies in half a century. Sustainability (Switzerland) 13, 1–16. doi: 10.3390/su13020800

Buitrago, R. D., Salinas, J., and Boude, O. (2021). Designing and representing learning itineraries: a systematic review of the literature. Interact. Des. Archit.(s). 47, 94–122. doi: 10.55612/s-5002-047-005

Bulathwela, S., Pérez-Ortiz, M., Holloway, C., Cukurova, M., and Shawe-Taylor, J. (2024). Artificial intelligence alone will not democratise education: on educational inequality, techno-solutionism and inclusive tools. Sustainability (Switzerland) 16, 1–20. doi: 10.3390/su16020781

Chen, Z., and Liu, B. (2018). Lifelong machine learning . Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 1–20.

Chiappe, A., Wills, A. E., Uribe, I., and Ternent de Samper, A. (2020). 21st-Century education or the awakening of the sleeping beauties: a systematic literature review [La educación del siglo XXI y el despertar de las bellas durmientes: una revisión siste-mática de la literatura]. EKS 21, 1–15. doi: 10.14201/eks.20918

Conget, P., Matsumoto Royo, K., and Ramírez Montoya, M. S. (2021). Opportunities to develop lifelong learning tendencies in practice-based teacher education: Getting ready for education 4.0, doi: 10.3390/fi13110292

Del Campo, G., Oyarvide, W. V., Sánchez, E. A., and Reyes, Y. M. (2023). Análisis bibliométrico sobre estudios de la neurociencia, la inteligencia artificial y la robótica: Énfasis en las tecnologías disruptivas en educación. Salud Cienc. Tecnol. 3:362. doi: 10.56294/saludcyt2023362

European Area of Lifelong Learning. (2021). Communication from the commission of 21 November 2001 on making a European area of lifelong learning a reality. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/european-area-of-lifelong-learning.html

Eynon, R., and Malmberg, L.-E. (2021). Lifelong learning and the internet: who benefits most from learning online? Br. J. Educ. Technol. 52, 569–583. doi: 10.1111/bjet.13041

García-Peñalvo, F. (2017). Revisión sistemática de literatura para artículos, doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.15223.42403

Ha, J.-W., Kim, K.-M., and Zhang, B.-T. (2015). Automated construction of visual-linguistic knowledge via concept learning from cartoon videos. Proc. AAAI Conf. Artif. Intell. 29:Article 1. doi: 10.1609/aaai.v29i1.9225

Hällsten, M. (2011). Late entry in Swedish tertiary education: can the opportunity of lifelong learning promote equality over the life course? Br. J. Ind. Relat. 49, 537–559. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8543.2010.00784.x

Hamal, O., El Faddouli, N.-E., Alaoui Harouni, M. H., and Lu, J. (2022). Artificial intelligent in education. Sustainability (Switzerland) 14, 1–11. doi: 10.3390/su14052862

Hashim, S., Omar, M. K., Jalil, H. A., and Sharef, N. M. (2022). Trends on technologies and artificial intelligence in education for personalized learning: systematic literature review. Int. J. Acad. Res. Progress. Educ. Dev. 11, 884–903. doi: 10.6007/IJARPED/v11-i1/12230

Huang, J., Shen, G., and Ren, X. (2021). Connotation analysis and paradigm shift of teaching design under artificial intelligence technology. Int. J. Emerg. Technol. Learn. 16, 73–86. doi: 10.3991/ijet.v16i05.20287

Ifelebuegu, A. O. (2023). Rethinking online assessment strategies: authenticity versus AI chatbot intervention. J. Appl. Learn. Teach. 6, 385–392. doi: 10.37074/jalt.2023.6.2.2

Kitchenham, B., and Charters, S. (2007). Guidelines for performing systematic literature reviews in software engineering. 2.

Landa, A. H., Szabo, I., Le Brun, L., Owen, I., Fletcher, G., and Hill, M. (2011). An evidence-based approach to scoping reviews. Electron. J. Inf. Syst. Eval. 14, 46–52. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/856989933?sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals

Maghsudi, S., Lan, A., Xu, J., and Van Der Schaar, M. (2021). Personalized education in the artificial intelligence era: what to expect next. IEEE Signal Process. Mag. 38, 37–50. doi: 10.1109/MSP.2021.3055032

Maity, S. (2019). Identifying opportunities for artificial intelligence in the evolution of training and development practices. J. Manag. Dev. 38, 651–663. doi: 10.1108/JMD-03-2019-0069

Merriam, S., Caffarella, R., and Baumgartner, L. (2007). Learning in adulthood: a comprehensive guide . 3rd Edn. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 533.

Merriam, S. B., and Kee, Y. (2014). Promoting community wellbeing: the case for lifelong learning for older adults. Adult Educ. Q. 64, 128–144. doi: 10.1177/0741713613513633

Nguyen, H.-H., and Nguyen, V. A. (2023). Personalized learning in the online learning from 2011 to 2021: a bibliometric analysis. Int. J. Inf. Educ. Technol. 13, 1261–1272. doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2023.13.8.1928

O’dea, X., and O’Dea, M. (2023). Is artificial intelligence really the next big thing in learning and teaching in higher education? A conceptual paper. J. Univ. Teach. Learn. Pract. 20, 1–27. doi: 10.53761/1.20.5.05

OECD. (2009). Education today 2009: the OECD perspective. Available at: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/education-today_9789264059955-en

Organización Internacional del Trabajo. (2020). Skills development and lifelong learning resource guide for workers’ organizations. Available at: https://www.oitcinterfor.org/node/8219

Osamor, A., Kulume, P., and Cherukut, P. (2023). Chatbots and AI in education (AIEd) tools: the good, the bad, and the ugly. J. Appl. Learn. Teach. 6, 332–345. doi: 10.37074/jalt.2023.6.2.29

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., et al. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) 372:n71. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n71

Partnership for 21st Century Learning. (2019). Framework for 21st century learning definitions. Available at: https://www.battelleforkids.org/insights/p21-resources/

Pence, H. E. (2020). How should chemistry educators respond to the next generation of technology change? Educ. Sci. 10, 1–7. doi: 10.3390/educsci10020034

Peters, M. A., and Araya, D. (2011). Transforming American education: learning powered by technology. E–Learn. Digit. Media 8:102. doi: 10.2304/elea.2011.8.2.102

Renz, A., and Hilbig, R. (2020). Prerequisites for artificial intelligence in further education: identification of drivers, barriers, and business models of educational technology companies. Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ. 17, 1–21. doi: 10.1186/s41239-020-00193-3

Sallam, M., Salim, N. A., Barakat, M., and Al-Tammemi, A. B. (2023). ChatGPT applications in medical, dental, pharmacy, and public health education: a descriptive study highlighting the advantages and limitations. Narra J 3:e103. doi: 10.52225/narra.v3i1.103

Sanabria-Z, J., Alfaro Ponce, B., Argüelles Cruz, A., and Ramírez Montoya, M. S. (2023). AI-based platform design for complex thinking assessment: A case study of an ideathon using the transition design approach. Available at: https://repositorio.tec.mx/handle/11285/651579

Schultheiss, T., and Backes-Gellner, U. (2023). Different degrees of skill obsolescence across hard and soft skills and the role of lifelong learning for labor market outcomes. Ind. Relat. J. Econ. Soc. 62, 257–287. doi: 10.1111/irel.12325

Shemshack, A., and KinshukSpector, J. (2021). A comprehensive analysis of personalized learning components. J. Comput. Educ. 8, 485–503. doi: 10.1007/s40692-021-00188-7

Tang, X., Chen, Y., Li, X., Liu, J., and Ying, Z. (2019). A reinforcement learning approach to personalized learning recommendation systems. Br. J. Math. Stat. Psychol. 72, 108–135. doi: 10.1111/bmsp.12144

Tang, J., and Deng, Y. (2022). The design model of English graded teaching assistant expert system based on improved B/S three-tier structure system. Mob. Inf. Syst. 2022:e4167760, 1–9. doi: 10.1155/2022/4167760

Tetzlaff, L., Schmiedek, F., and Brod, G. (2021). Developing personalized education: a dynamic framework. Educ. Psychol. Rev. 33, 863–882. doi: 10.1007/s10648-020-09570-w

Tranfield, D., Denyer, D., and Smart, P. (2003). Towards a methodology for developing evidence-informed Management knowledge by means of systematic review. Br. J. Manag. 14, 207–222. doi: 10.1111/1467-8551.00375

UNESCO. (2017). La UNESCO Avanza. La Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible. Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura. Available at: https://es.unesco.org/creativity/files/unesco-avanza-agenda-2030-para-desarrollo-sostenible

UNESCO. (2022). Making lifelong learning a reality: a handbook. UNESCO Biblioteca Digital. Available at: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381857

Valenzuela, J. R., and Flores, M. (2013). Fundamentos de investigación educativa, vol. 2 . 1st Edn. Monterrey, Mexico: Editorial Digital Tecnológico de Monterrey.

Valenzuela, J. R., Romero Rodríguez, L. M., and Ramírez Montoya, M. S. (2019). Gamification in MOOCs: Engagement application test in energy sustainability courses. IEEE Access 7, 32093–32101. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2903230

Wang, T., Lund, B. D., Marengo, A., Pagano, A., Mannuru, N. R., Teel, Z. A., et al. (2023). Exploring the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on International students in higher education: Generative AI, Chatbots, analytics, and International student success. Appl. Sci. 13, 1–15. doi: 10.3390/app13116716

Yang, M., and Wen, F. (2023). AI-powered personalized learning journeys: revolutionizing information management for college students in online platforms. J. Inf. Syst. Eng. Manage. 8, 1–13. doi: 10.55267/IADT.07.14079

Zhang, X., Sun, J., and Deng, Y. (2023). Design and application of intelligent classroom for English language and literature based on artificial intelligence technology. Appl. Artif. Intell. 37. doi: 10.1080/08839514.2023.2216051

Keywords: personalized learning paths, lifelong learning, artificial intelligence, educational innovation, higher education

Citation: Bayly-Castaneda K, Ramirez-Montoya M-S and Morita-Alexander A (2024) Crafting personalized learning paths with AI for lifelong learning: a systematic literature review. Front. Educ . 9:1424386. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1424386

Received: 28 April 2024; Accepted: 30 July 2024; Published: 08 August 2024.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2024 Bayly-Castaneda, Ramirez-Montoya and Morita-Alexander. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: K. Bayly-Castaneda, [email protected] ; M-S. Ramirez-Montoya, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

IMAGES

(PDF) Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being
How to Write an Abstract: 6 Simple Steps and Examples • 7ESL
A Complete Guide on How to Write an Abstract for a Research Paper
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
abstract example sentence
Table 2 from Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being

COMMENTS

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key Saudi J Anaesth. 2019 Apr;13(Suppl 1):S12-S17. doi: 10.4103/sja.SJA_685_18. ... especially after a revision is made to the paper and should include the key message prominently. It is very important to include the most important words and terms ...
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
Importance of the title. When a reader browses through the table of contents of a journal issue (hard copy or on website), the title is the " first detail" or "face" of the paper that is read.[2,3,4,5,6,13] Hence, it needs to be simple, direct, accurate, appropriate, specific, functional, interesting, attractive/appealing, concise/brief, precise/focused, unambiguous, memorable ...
PDF Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under
Writing the title and abstract for a research
The title and the abstract are the most important parts of a research paper and should be pleasant to read. The "title" should be descriptive, direct, accurate, appropriate, interesting, concise, precise, unique, and should not be misleading. The "abstract" needs to be simple, specific, clear, unbiased, honest, concise, precise, stand ...
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
The "title" and the "abstract" are the initial impressions of a research article, and hence they need to be drafted correctly, accurately, carefully, and meticulously. This article deals with formulating a suitable title and an appropriate abstract for an original research paper. The "title" and the "abstract" are the "initial impressions" of a research article, and hence ...
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
DOI: 10.4103/sja.SJA_685_18 Corpus ID: 86807171; Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key @article{Tullu2019WritingTT, title={Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key}, author={Milind S Tullu}, journal={Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia}, year={2019}, volume={13}, pages={S12 ...
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key ... The abstract should be consistent with the main text of the paper, especially after a revision is made to the paper and should include the key message prominently. It is very important to include the most important words and terms (the ...
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
The title and the abstract are the most important parts of a research paper and should be pleasant to read. The "title" should be descriptive, direct, accurate, appropriate, interesting, concise, precise, unique, and should not be misleading. The "abstract" needs to be simple, specific, clear, unbiased, honest, concise, precise, stand ...
Writing an Abstract for a Research Manuscript: Providing an Honest
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key. Tullu MS. Saudi J Anaesth, 13(suppl 1):S12-S17, 01 Apr 2019 Cited by: 12 articles | PMID: 30930712 | PMCID: PMC6398294. Review
APA Abstract (2020)
Follow these five steps to format your abstract in APA Style: Insert a running head (for a professional paper—not needed for a student paper) and page number. Set page margins to 1 inch (2.54 cm). Write "Abstract" (bold and centered) at the top of the page. Place the contents of your abstract on the next line.
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being... : Saudi
Importance of the abstract. The abstract is a summary or synopsis of the full research paper and also needs to have similar characteristics like the title. It needs to be simple, direct, specific, functional, clear, unbiased, honest, concise, precise, self-sufficient, complete, comprehensive, scholarly, balanced, and should not be misleading ...
Full article: The 'Abstract' of a Manuscript: Art of Eloquently
Tullu MS. Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key. ... PubMed Google Scholar. Papanas N, Georgiadis GS, Maltezos E, Lazarides MK. Writing a research abstract: eloquence in miniature. ... The anatomy of an article: title, abstract, and introduction. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2014;76: ...
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key. ... especially after a revision is made to the paper and should include the key message ...
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
Introduction. This article deals with drafting a suitable "title" and an appropriate "abstract" for an original research paper. Because the "title" and the "abstract" are the "initial impressions" or the "face" of a research article, they need to be drafted correctly, accurately, carefully, meticulously, and consume time and energy.[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10] Often, these ...
(PDF) Writing the title, abstract, and keywords for a medical article
Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key. ... abstract for an original research paper. The "title" and the "abstract" are the "initial impressions" of a research article, and hence they ...
How to Choose a Title?
The title is the face of the research and it should sum up the main notion of the experiment/research in such a way that in the fewest possible words one can summarize the facts of the paper and attract the reader as well. 'Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key' for planning a title [1].
The 'Title' of a Manuscript: Guidelines for its Construction
The length of the title should neither be too long nor too short. The title should ideally contain keywords that describe the main contents of the paper. The most important keywords should be placed at the begin-ning of the title. Keep the title simple, succinct, and direct. The title should avoid unnecessary attention by sound-ing funny or witty.
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key Clicks: 219 ... tullu2019writingsaudi use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager: Authors Tullu, M. ...
Writing the title, abstract, and keywords for a medical article: to be
The abstract is a condensed version of a scientific research and must be understood independently of the rest of the article. It gives to the reader an overall idea of the article, and conditions his decision to continue reading. The abstract can be structured or unstructured. Keywords are expressions reflecting the main aspects of the study.
How to Write a Research Paper: A Step by Step Writing Guide
Related Read: How to Write a Research Paper Conclusion. 6. Cite your sources. The key to learning how to write a research paper is learning how to cite sources. Depending on the style guide you're following, you may need to create in-text citations, a Works Cited page, a reference list, a bibliography, or footnotes. Pay close attention to ...
How to Write an Abstract
Try reverse outlining: You can write the abstract at the end. As you write the rest of the paper, jot down a sentence for each major finding. Then, use these to piece together an abstract at the end. Use Smodin To Write Effective Abstracts. Abstracts are important, so getting them right is a concern for many students.
The 'Title' of a Manuscript: Guidelines for its Construction
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key ... Most readers read only the title and the abstract of a research paper and very few will ...
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key (Q64097465) ... Language Label Description Also known as; English: Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key. article. Statements. instance of. scholarly article.
In-text citations
APA Style provides guidelines to help writers determine the appropriate level of citation and how to avoid plagiarism and self-plagiarism. We also provide specific guidance for in-text citation, including formats for interviews, classroom and intranet sources, and personal communications; in-text citations in general; and paraphrases and direct quotations.
Precise and Concise Article Writing in Medical Research
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key ... abstract for an original research paper. The "title" and the "abstract" are the "initial ...
Agriculture
Precision agriculture, rooted in the principles of intelligent agriculture, plays a pivotal role in fostering a sustainable, healthy, and eco-friendly economy. In order to promote the precision and intelligence of potato seedling management, an innovative platform designed using phased array LiDAR technology was used for precise and accurate detection of potato canopy height. The platform is ...
Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise
Search life-sciences literature (41,421,195 articles, preprints and more) Search. Advanced search
Frontiers
The SRL method allows identifying, analyzing and interpreting evidence related to the research objective in an unbiased and repeatable way (García-Peñalvo, 2017) being a process that synthesizes research in a systematic, transparent and reproducible way in order to enrich knowledge and inform policy making and practice (Tranfield et al., 2003).

Save citation to file

Add to My Bibliography

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Introduction

Importance of the title

Types of titles

Descriptive or neutral title

Declarative title

Interrogative title

Drafting a suitable title

Checklist for a good title

The Abstract

Importance of the abstract

Types of abstracts

Structured and unstructured abstracts

Descriptive and Informative abstracts

Drafting a suitable abstract

Checklist for a good abstract

Concluding Remarks

Financial support and sponsorship

Acknowledgement

Select language

Welcome to My Research!

Translate this article into 20 different languages!

Get access to 20+ different citations styles

Looking for a PDF of this document?

Want to save this document?

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Full text options

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Tables from this paper

59 Citations

Writing an Academic Paper for the Purpose of Publication

Writing an Abstract for a Research Manuscript: Providing an Honest, Succinct and Complete Summary.

The Directory of Open Access Journals

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

WeChat QR code

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Determining the informativeness of comments: a natural language study of F1000Research open peer review reports

Generate accurate APA citations for free

APA Abstract (2020) | Formatting, Length, and Keywords

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Table of contents

Formatting instructions

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Cite this Scribbr article

Is this article helpful?

Raimo Streefkerk

Secondary Logo

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper

Introduction

Importance of the title

Types of titles

Descriptive or neutral title

Declarative title

Interrogative title

Drafting a suitable title

Checklist for a good title

The Abstract

Importance of the abstract

Types of abstracts

Structured and unstructured abstracts

Descriptive and Informative abstracts

Drafting a suitable abstract

Checklist for a good abstract

Concluding Remarks

Financial support and sponsorship

Acknowledgement

Readers Of this Article Also Read

How to Choose a Title?

Cite this chapter

Similar content being viewed by others

The Introduction Section

Abstract and Keywords

Rummagene: massive mining of gene sets from supporting materials of biomedical research publications