The present participle is like '-ing' in English.

J’écoute de la musique en faisant mes devoirs. – I listen to music while doing my homework. Il s’est cassé la jambe en jouant au rugby. – He broke his leg by/while playing rugby.

The abstract is usually in the past tense due to it showing what has already been studied. Example: “This study was conducted at the Iyarina Field School, and within the indigenous Waorani community ...