The ability to write a coherent and well-structured abstract is an important academic skill, particularly within the context of teacher training programmes, where students are expected to present their research in a clear and concise manner. The quality of academic discourse in both native and foreign languages can be characterised as a serious problem in recent years. This paper focuses on the analysis of twenty final theses abstracts of graduates of Slovak language and literature in combination with English language and literature at the Faculty of Education of Trnava University, written in Slovak, and submitted between the years 2016 and 2023. The aim of the research is to determine whether the abstracts can be characterised as descriptive or informative in nature, and to assess their structure and grammatical accuracy, with a particular focus on the use of tenses. The study employs a combination of quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods. The abstracts are first categorised statistically into descriptive, informative, or mixed types. In the subsequent stage of the analysis, the descriptive abstracts are analysed in terms of their content, completeness and use of present tense, while the informative abstracts are examined with regard to their structural adequacy and appropriate use of tenses, primarily past and present. The results of the research indicate a significant tendency towards descriptive writing, with varying degrees of adherence to academic conventions. Informative abstracts, when present, frequently lack key components such as methodology or implications. The findings of the research could influence the design of coursebooks and manuals aimed at academic discourse. At the Faculty of Education of Trnava University, all findings will serve as a platform for developing a framework designed to eliminate the identified drawbacks.

Keywords: Academic style, teacher training, Slovak language, descriptive and informative abstracts.