The abstract should be written for people who may not read the entire paper so it must stand on its own. The impression it makes usually determines whether the reader will go on to read the article so the abstract must be engaging clear and concise. In addition the abstract may be the only part of the article that is indexed in databases so it must accurately reflect the content of the article. A well-written abstract is THE most effective way to reach intended readers leading to more robust search retrieval and usage of the article. Your abstract should: