Table 3.
Topics for instructional curriculum on abstract preparation and submission
| Introduction | Benefits of abstracts to scientific community and personal career | |
| Must standalone (different from abstracts for manuscripts or grants) | ||
| Review prior accepted abstracts for content and structure | ||
| Consider interests and expertise of audience | ||
| Ascertain current interests and focus of society | ||
| Doing the work | Start far in advance | |
| Make data analysis and writing plans and timeline | ||
| Inform collaborators of timeline | ||
| All drafts to include required sections with headings | ||
| Content | Ensure there is a story to tell and that it is salient | |
| Ensure rigor of analyses, decide early if will need statistical support | ||
| Allocate most space to results in text, tables, and figures | ||
| Use technical and not creative writing | ||
| Logistics | Review guidelines carefully for required structure, headings | |
| Know word count limitations and formats for tables and figures | ||
| Review categories of abstracts and select carefully | ||
| Assemble authors’ names, titles, contact information | ||
| Obtain correct conflict of interest forms, send early to co-authors | ||
| Ascertain if there is a submission fee and how it will be paid | ||
| Make it easier for mentors and mentees | Select society, targeted content, and collaborators | |
| Agree to timeline and mode of communication | ||
| Provide timely responses, feedback, and edits | ||
| Be aware of concurrent responsibilities | ||
| Be aware of and consider ways to decrease stress | ||
| Make it easier for collaborators | Meet to discuss in advance, avoid last minute correspondences | |
| Collect specific input early and incorporate into initial drafts | ||
| Collegially give due dates when requesting feedback | ||
| Convey their perspectives and interpretations are valued | ||
| Make it easier for reviewers | Avoid multiple and unfamiliar acronyms | |
| Avoid unnecessarily long sentences | ||
| Ensure results are straightforwardly presented | ||
| Ensure tables and figures are quickly understood and not cluttered | ||
| Have a concise and clearly stated conclusion | ||
| Use a declarative title that dovetails the conclusion | ||
| Special scenarios | Presenting interim findings when more data to come | |
| Deciding if one abstract or more than one | ||