What Happens When the Author Does Not Provide an Abstract

The abstracts that appear in the many online databases produced by indexing and abstracting services (hereafter IAS) may be the only chance most of your potential audience will have to decide whether to read what you write. If you don't write an abstract, there are only two alternatives: Your article will be indexed but not abstracted by IAS, or IAS will write their own abstract; both alternatives may redound to your disadvantage down the line in quite unforeseen ways. This article provides some case studies that drive this generality home.