For high school students, writing the abstract, introduction, and conclusion of a paper often gets overlooked or is not done effectively. Especially in scientific papers, these three parts are crucial and need to be well-written. Their quality directly affects the paper's readership, citation frequency, and overall impact. Scientific papers not only showcase research results but also serve as a vital link between science and practical applications. If these three sections are well-crafted, it will help with the paper's publication and allow the research to be understood and promoted more widely. Let's follow the Embark mentor to learn how to write a good abstract, introduction, and conclusion!

How to write a paper abstract?

In this information explosion era, people are exposed to vast amounts of information through various media. The abstract of a paper is like a window; whether readers decide to delve further into the paper largely depends on the quality of the abstract. A good abstract not only attracts readers but also directly influences the citation frequency and whether it gets included in important databases like SCI and EI.

An abstract mainly consists of three parts:

• Research problem: What problem does the paper aim to solve?
• Process and methods: What methods were used to solve the problem?
• Research results: What conclusions were drawn?

High school students often encounter the following issues when writing abstracts:

1. Misunderstanding the structure of an abstract, using parts of the introduction or conclusion as the abstract.
2. Using overly emotional language to describe and evaluate the work and research.
3. Defining existing technical terms with uncommon or even invented words, making it difficult to understand or leading to misunderstandings as new discoveries or creations.
4. Including formula derivations in the abstract.
5. Citing references in the abstract.
6. Writing English abstracts that lack focus or are difficult to understand.

Suggestions :

Before writing, understand the work done in the paper, identify the three parts of the abstract (research problem, process and methods, results), and rewrite the abstract in both Chinese and English according to the paper's content and editorial requirements. Pay attention to the use of technical terms in the English abstract. Generally, with guidance, students can quickly correct the six errors mentioned above and write a good Chinese abstract. However, rewriting the English abstract can be more challenging. The key is to clearly state the research innovation and contribution points in the English abstract. Maintain objectivity in language without personal evaluations.

High school students can practice writing concise abstracts, for example:

"This study explores the diffusion behavior of water molecules at different temperatures. Through experiments and simulations, it was found that temperature significantly affects diffusion speed, and a new diffusion rate prediction model is proposed."

How to write a paper introduction?

The introduction is a crucial part of a paper, typically used to introduce the research background, review progress in the related field, and demonstrate the significance of the research. Through the introduction, readers can quickly understand the similarities and differences between your work and previous research, and make an initial judgment on the value of your study.

The purpose of the introduction:

• Provide research background and a field overview.
• Explain the significance and innovation of the research.
• Guide readers into the main content of the paper.

Common issues high school students face when writing introductions:

1. Outdated references.
2. References mainly from textbooks.
3. Citing only references that agree with the paper's viewpoint.
4. Deliberately omitting suggestive references to emphasize originality.
5. Over-reliance on self-citation while neglecting external citations, especially avoiding citing colleagues' work from the same institution.

Suggestions :

1. Cite references appropriately: Academic research builds on the work of others, and citing relevant literature not only shows the scientific basis of the paper but also respects others' contributions.
2. Highlight the significance of the research: Help readers understand the relationship between your research and practical problems, such as solving a specific technical challenge.
3. Avoid repetition: If previous work has been thoroughly described, there's no need to repeat it. Summarize briefly and move directly to your research.

A concise introduction example:

"In recent years, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, machine learning has achieved significant results in medical image analysis. However, existing algorithms still struggle with low accuracy when processing low-quality images. This study proposes an improved convolutional neural network model aimed at enhancing the classification accuracy of low-quality medical images."

How to write a paper conclusion?

The conclusion of a paper typically takes one of two forms:

• Summary: Listing the main conclusions of the research.
• Insightful: Highlighting the limitations of the study and suggesting future research directions.

Common issues high school students face when writing conclusions:

1. Vague statements: The conclusion is empty and doesn't highlight the research's value.
2. Personification: Overuse of metaphors or literary language.
3. Irrelevant content: Including information unrelated to the research.

Suggestions :

1. Clear structure: Use subheadings or bullet points to list the main findings.
2. Highlight significance: Even if the results are not ideal, summarize experiences to inform future research.
3. Look to the future: Point out the study's limitations and areas for further exploration.

Example:

"This study experimentally verified the deformation characteristics of metallic materials under low-temperature conditions and proposed a new model to predict the fracture point of materials. Future work will focus on optimizing model parameters and exploring applications in the field of composite materials."

Whether writing an abstract, introduction, or conclusion, high school students can enhance their writing by:

1. Reading more literature: Learn how excellent papers express core research content.
2. Practicing regularly: Progress from simple lab reports to full scientific articles.
3. Seeking feedback: Discuss your work with teachers or peers and consider their suggestions.
4. Focusing on English writing: Even if your native language is Chinese, strong English writing skills are crucial in scientific fields. Start building vocabulary and expressions early.

I hope these methods help high school students become more adept at writing scientific papers in the future!

How Embark Helps Students Stand Out Academically

Embark’s core team consists of graduates from top institutions such as the Ivy League, MIT, and Caltech. They are dedicated to providing personalized, one-on-one mentorship to help students develop unique research topics. For example, students can collaborate with Embark mentors to design high-quality projects, delve deeply into STEM fields, and write publishable papers. These papers can not only be published in reputable journals but also serve as significant advantages when applying to top universities.

Additionally, Embark encourages students to apply their research to prestigious STEM competitions, such as Regeneron ISEF and Regeneron STS, further enhancing their global competitiveness.

For more information about Embark and how we help students achieve their research and academic goals, please visit our website.