<P> An abstract is a brief summary of a research article , thesis , review , conference proceeding , or any in - depth analysis of a particular subject and is often used to help the reader quickly ascertain the paper 's purpose . When used , an abstract always appears at the beginning of a manuscript or typescript , acting as the point - of - entry for any given academic paper or patent application . Abstracting and indexing services for various academic disciplines are aimed at compiling a body of literature for that particular subject . </P>
<P> An abstract is a brief summary of a research article , thesis , review , conference proceeding , or any in - depth analysis of a particular subject and is often used to help the reader quickly ascertain the paper 's purpose . When used , an abstract always appears at the beginning of a manuscript or typescript , acting as the point - of - entry for any given academic paper or patent application . Abstracting and indexing services for various academic disciplines are aimed at compiling a body of literature for that particular subject . </P>
where is the abstract placed within the paper
where is the abstract placed within the paper
at the beginning
at the beginning