The abstract typically has the most onerous word count restrictions of any portion of the manuscript. Cutting content here is crucial but losing information can be problematic. We lay out ways to reduce content without losing information, and—when things get really tough—we help you prioritize which information should be cut and which should be retained.
The following are word-smithing approaches for reducing word count:
- Remove spaces
:
If the journal does not have specific formatting restrictions, you can reduce word count by placing together items that you would otherwise separate with a space (e.g., values and units, combining two part abbreviations with a hyphen, removing the space between parentheses and the term being defined). - Drop optional article:
You can remove “the, “an,” etc. where you would normally use these articles for readability. Dropping these articles will reduce word count without losing clarity. - Drop a conjunction and replace with a semi-colon
This will remove 1 word from the count. - Remove transition words
These are unnecessary in an abstract. - Remove adjectives
Adjectives, while helpful, can be removed from all content not related to the conclusions
The following is content that can be cut when absolutely necessary:
- Statistical analyses/tests:
While important, this content can be removed as the reader is reasonably expected to read the full text for this information. - Mentions of equipment:
When describing the methods, equipment and protocols that do not directly relate to the study novelty can be omitted. - All background besides the hypothesis
This will remove 1 word from the count. - Remove transition words
The title will give a general idea of the topic and thus, when necessary, background statements can be removed in lieu of a simple hypothesis statement.