Although it may seem surprising, the abstract comes before the introduction in a research paper. The reader should encounter your abstract first so he or she can understand the big picture of your research. Next, most research papers include a table of contents, followed by the introduction.

Does the abstract and introduction go on the same page?

Introduction. The Introduction of an APA paper should begin on a new page, following the Abstract. Because its position in the paper makes it easily identifiable, the Introduction does not require a heading.

Do the abstract go first or last?

Although it is the first section of your paper, the abstract should be written last since it will summarize the contents of your entire paper.