Keywords in abstracts act as the cataloging system for your research to be indexed and found efficiently, and deliver your work to the right audience.
According to Pening de Vries et al. (2020), “Keywords are the lifeline of research abstracts, determining discoverability and reach.” A poorly written abstract with missing or irrelevant keywords can severely limit your paper’s visibility, resulting in your research never being found.
“Did you know that over 70% of research papers are overlooked simply because they lack the right abstract keywords?”
Including precise and relevant keywords in an abstract ensures:
As noted by Müngen, A. A., & Kaya, M. (2018). “Precise and strategically chosen keywords ensure that your research resonates with your target audience.”
Example: For ‘A study on the impact of social media on teenagers’ mental health, you should incorporate keywords like “social media addiction,” “mental health effects,” and “teenagers.” This ensures that your research appears in searches conducted by scholars interested in those specific topics.
Selecting the right keywords requires strategic planning, according to Alexandrov, A. V., & Hennerici, M. G. (2007).
Here’s a breakdown of strategies you can use:
1. Extract Keywords from Your Research Title
2. Use Domain-Specific Terminology
Avoid generic terms like “study” or “research.”
Example: Instead of “disease,” specify “cardiovascular disease” or “oncology.”
3. Include Synonyms and Related Terms
4. Limit the Number of Keywords
5. Consult Journal Guidelines
Check if keywords need to be listed in a specific order or formatted differently
1. Specificity is Key
Don’t settle for generic keywords like “research” or “education.” Focus on terms that accurately reflect your research topic, methodology, and findings.
Example: ‘A study on the effectiveness of a new teaching method’ wouldn’t benefit from the generic keyword “teaching.” Instead, consider more specific terms, such as “flipped classroom,” “active learning,” or “student engagement.”
2. Discipline-Specific Language
Each field has its own vocabulary. Use keywords in abstracts that are commonly understood within your research area.
Example: A medical researcher wouldn’t use the term “sick” but “pathophysiology” or “disease etiology.” Understanding the jargon and terminology specific to your field ensures your research is discoverable by scholars familiar with that language.
3. Balance Popularity with Uniqueness
While including popular keywords in abstracts is helpful, consider incorporating a few niche terms to stand out from the crowd. Research popular keywords within your field and use them as a foundation.
Example: Consider adding one or two less common keywords that specifically reflect the unique aspects of your research. This approach ensures your work is discoverable by those searching for broad topics within your field while also attracting scholars interested in the specific details of your study.
4. Consult Existing Research
Review other research papers in your field to identify relevant keywords and terminology.
Example: Explore the keywords in abstracts of highly cited papers within your area of study. This can provide valuable insights into the language and terminology scholars within your field typically use to describe their research.
5. Naturally Integrate Keywords into the Abstract
Keywords should appear organically in the abstract text, ensuring readability.
Example:
“This study explores the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity, with a focus on sustainable farming practices.”
6. Prioritize Relevance
7. Avoid Keyword Stuffing
8. Use Acronyms and Full Forms
Engaging Your Audience with Keywords
Effective keywords not only enhance visibility but also engage your target audience. Consider the following:
Here are a few examples demonstrating how keywords can be incorporated into an abstract:
Abstract:
This research examines the relationship between renewable energy adoption and economic growth in developing countries. Through regression analysis, the study identifies key drivers, including policy frameworks and technological innovation.
Keywords: renewable energy, economic growth, developing countries, policy frameworks, technological innovation.
“This research explores the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for reducing stress in healthcare workers.
Keywords: mindfulness-based interventions, stress reduction, healthcare workers, burnout, well-being.”
“This paper examines the application of machine learning techniques in fraud detection.
Keywords: machine learning, fraud detection, anomaly detection, classification algorithms, financial security.”
Klimova, B. F. (2013) states that very careful attention must be devoted to writing an abstract, which authors should pay close attention to to succeed in having their articles published.
These include:
1. Using Too Many Keywords
2. Selecting Irrelevant Keywords
3. Ignoring Journal Formatting Guidelines
4. Repeating the Same Word Forms
ResearchDeep Guide
1. Location: Within abstract body & listed separately at the end
2. Count: Use 4–6 keywords unless journal specifies otherwise
3. Format: Separated by semicolons or commas; no full stops
4. Word Choice: Use standard indexing terms (MeSH, Scopus, APA Thesaurus)
5. Tip: Include synonyms & acronyms to increase search reach
The use of appropriate tools for selecting abstract keywords is important, according to Harrison et al. (2020).
Some notable tools and resources are:
Identify core themes from your research, consider synonyms, and follow journal guidelines.
While keywords do not directly impact citations, they enhance discoverability, which in turn leads to more engagement and potential citations.
Yes, naturally, incorporating keywords improves discoverability.
In conclusion, understanding how to write keywords in an abstract is critical for enhancing the visibility and impact of your research. By selecting relevant, specific, and audience-targeted keywords, you can significantly improve your article’s discoverability and engagement.
Utilize the strategies and examples provided throughout this article to refine your keyword selection process. As demonstrated through case studies and statistics, effective keyword usage can lead to increased citations and greater influence within the academic community.
Let your research shine and contribute to the ongoing advancement of knowledge in your field!
Alexandrov, A. V. & Hennerici, M. G. (2007). Writing good abstracts. Cerebrovascular Diseases, 23(4), 256-259.
Penning de Vries, B. B. P., van Smeden, M., Rosendaal, F. R., & Groenwold, R. H. (2020). Abstract and keyword searching yielded poor recovery of articles in systematic reviews of epidemiologic practice. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 121, 55-61.
Harrison, H., Griffin, S. J., Kuhn, I., & Usher-Smith, J. A. (2020). Software tools to support title and abstract screening for systematic reviews in healthcare: an evaluation. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 20, 1-12.
Klimova, B. F. (2013). Common mistakes in writing abstracts in English. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93, 512-516.
Müngen, A. A., & Kaya, M. (2018). Extracting abstracts and keywords from context for academic articles. Social Network Analysis and Mining, 8, 1-11.
Tennant, J. P., Crane, H., Crick, T., Davila, J., Enkhbayar, A., Havemann, J.,… & Vanholsbeeck, M. (2019). Ten hot topics around scholarly publishing. Publications, 7(2), 34.
