How to Add Abstract in LaTeX with Styling Options?

In academic writing, the LaTeX abstract is an essential part of every paper. It gives a short summary of the document and helps the reader understand the purpose quickly.

Many new learners face problems when adding or styling this section in LaTeX. The methods below explain all possible ways to write and format it in a clear manner.

Default abstract Environment

The easiest way to add an abstract in LaTeX is by using the built-in environment. It works smoothly in classes like article, report, and book, without needing extra packages.

\begin{abstract}
   Your summary goes here
\end{abstract}

• \begin{abstract} ... \end{abstract}

  The environment creates a block for the summary and places it below the title section. It is widely used because of its simplicity.

\documentclass{article}

\title{Sample Paper}
\author{Author Name}

\begin{document}

\maketitle

\begin{abstract}
This is a short overview written in LaTeX. It gives a quick idea of the paper in clear words.
\end{abstract}

\section{Introduction}
Main content begins here.

\end{document}

Placement with Title

The position of the abstract in relation to \maketitle is very important. In many classes it appears only if written after the title command, not before.

\maketitle
\begin{abstract}
   Short description here
\end{abstract}

• \maketitle

  This prints the title, author, and date at the start of the document.

• \begin{abstract}...

  When written right after the title, the block shows properly on the page.

\documentclass{article}

\title{Placement Example}
\author{Test Author}

\begin{document}

\maketitle

\begin{abstract}
When placed after the title, the summary appears properly.
\end{abstract}

\section{Body}
Content goes here.

\end{document}

Custom Title Name

Sometimes journals prefer the abstract heading to be different, such as Summary or Overview. You can change this label by redefining \abstractname.

\renewcommand{\abstractname}{New Name}

• \renewcommand{\abstractname}{...}

  With this command the heading text is replaced. Any word you provide becomes the new label for the block.

\documentclass{article}

\renewcommand{\abstractname}{Summary}

\begin{document}

\begin{abstract}
This section now appears with the heading “Summary”.
\end{abstract}

\section{Intro}
Content starts here.

\end{document}

Styling with a Package

For those who want a professional abstract style, the abstract package is very helpful. It allows changes in font, alignment, and layout.

\usepackage{abstract}
\renewcommand{\abstractnamefont}{\normalfont\bfseries}
\renewcommand{\abstracttextfont}{\itshape}

• \usepackage{abstract}

  Including this package unlocks extra tools to adjust the look of the block.

• \abstractnamefont

  You can choose a custom font style for the heading, such as bold or small caps.

• \abstracttextfont

  This defines the font style of the main content inside the summary block.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{abstract}

\renewcommand{\abstractnamefont}{\normalfont\bfseries}
\renewcommand{\abstracttextfont}{\itshape}

\begin{document}

\begin{abstract}
This part is styled with the abstract package. The heading is bold and the text is italic.
\end{abstract}

\section{Main Part}
Document body starts here.

\end{document}

Special Document Classes

Abstract handling differs in some document classes. For example, in IEEEtran it must be placed before \maketitle.

In revtex4-2 it is formatted for physics papers. The memoir class allows even more flexibility.

\documentclass{IEEEtran}

\begin{document}

\begin{abstract}
This is an IEEE style note. It is placed before the title command.
\end{abstract}

\maketitle

\section{Intro}
Main body here.

\end{document}

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