Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The abstract is a short description of the work in question (a book or a chapter). An abstract should not attempt to detail the whole work – it is solely there to show readers whether or not reading further is warranted. It is used to allow people searching on the internet to see that they have encountered a worthwhile ‘hit’. This will encourage them to read further by clicking through to the work in full. Abstracts are made freely available in online versions and are proven to make your work online considerably more visible on the internet (more ‘discoverable’). Use online will be considerably lessened without this key element. Abstracts are now mandatory parts of works for publication in OUP Science and Medicine because of this. Abstracts may also be published in print at the head of a chapter, as they are in journal articles. This is a decision to be made in conjunction with your Commissioning Editor, however – it may not be suitable for some series of books.</jats:p>