What does the abstract in an APA paper provide?

The abstract in an APA paper is designed to provide a concise summary of the research conducted, including essential information such as the research question, methodology, main findings, and conclusions. It serves as a quick overview that allows readers to understand the core elements of the study without delving into the entire document.

This summary helps to contextualize the research, allowing peers and other researchers to quickly evaluate the relevance and significance of the work to their own studies or interests. The abstract is typically structured in a way that encapsulates the study's purpose, the methods used to conduct the research, significant findings, and the implications of those results, all within a brief paragraph.

In contrast, the other options do not represent the purpose of the abstract. The background of the study is addressed in the introduction section of the paper, while references are listed in the references section. Providing a critique of the methodology would fall under a different section discussing the research's limitations or implications, rather than in the abstract.