Thesis Requirements: Abstract

Abstract

• All versions of the abstract must be the same (the printed copies, the PDF, and the online system's version).
• Master's maximum is 150 words (usually 1 paragraph--if more than 1 paragraph, please make it into 1 paragraph on the registration system)
  Doctorate maximum is 350 words (usually 3 paragraphs--but be sure to make it into 1 paragraph on the registration system)
  (Note. Technically speaking, anything with a space before and after it is a word [e.g., " a ", " the ", " $p "]. So, for Master's abstracts, the issue is with the systems and their limitations, such as Library Archives Canada, Proquest, or library catalogues—such systems will likely cut off abstracts that are more than 150 words.) 
• Must be page iii (small Roman numerals)--p. iv in the template downloaded November 2011 onward, which has the Partial Copyright Licence as p. iii, which is listed in the Table of Contents as well.
• Plain text (so no bullets, numbered paragraphs, citations, or footnotes).
• Try to get it on 1 page—Master's especially (choose Format > Paragraph > line-spacing Multiple 1.5 or as low as 1.25)

Keywords

• Choose words or phrases that will help people to locate your thesis via search mechinisms on various systems (in libraries, on the internet, etc.)--see the requirements in the Keywords example below.
• Keywords go underneath the abstract--you also enter these online into the Thesis Registration System and keywords would look like the following example (but no bullet).  Below is an example of how keywords might look

Keywords:    A maximum of 6 words or phrases; separated by semi-colons; sentence-cased; no period after; this is an example
                      of how it might appear in your document

Note. For help with writing and reducing abstracts, see Strunk and White (2009).  

References

Strunk, W., Jr., & White, E. B. (2009). The elements of style (Anniversary ed.).  New York, NY: Pearson Longman.