Abstract advice for scientists

Most scientific journals require an abstract - an explanatory paragraph or two - to briefly explain the topic and scope of work that is explained in great detail in the body of the paper. The abstracts are often written in the same scientific language as the rest of the paper.
But more journals request a plain language abstract. Writing your abstract in plain language is a good exercise to help share your work with those of us outside of your field.
Here are some things to think about when writing a plain language abstract:
-- You are not "dumbing it down" - in fact, you are making it clearer and easier for others to understand.
-- You won't just replace long words with short ones - although that is much better; to make things clear, you may need more words.
-- Use a storytelling technique in your abstract - was your work a surprise? a mystery? a drama? a new use of technology? a problem solved? a new problem discovered?
-- Read it out loud to a family member or a friend: Do they get it?
-- Is there a key message?

Science is fascinating and important. It helps us understand how our world works and how humans fit in. We need scientists to help us understand.