ABSTRACT SUBMISSION ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DO’S AND DON’TSDO’S AND DON’TS

Billy S. Arant, Jr., M.D., FAAP

Professor of Pediatrics

UTCOM, Chattanooga

WHAT ABOUT THE WHAT ABOUT THE TITLE?TITLE?

• Declarative statement--not an Declarative statement--not an interrogatory--that reflects your interrogatory--that reflects your conclusion (does/does not)conclusion (does/does not)

• Keywords (abbreviations) Keywords (abbreviations) • Upper case font Upper case font • Serious v. silly (low expectation)Serious v. silly (low expectation)• Evidence is not cute!Evidence is not cute!• Follow the directionsFollow the directions

AUTHORSHIPAUTHORSHIP

• 11stst author author did all the work did all the work• 22ndnd author helped a lot author helped a lot• 33rdrd author helped some author helped some• Last authorLast author was responsible for was responsible for

mentoring, facilitating, fundingmentoring, facilitating, funding• Do not give credit to Do not give credit to anyoneanyone who fails to who fails to

complete his/her taskscomplete his/her tasks

DEPARTMENT OR DEPARTMENT OR INSTITUTIONINSTITUTION

• DepartmentDepartments of all authors included

• Institution(s) of departments• Location (city)

1st SENTENCE

• What What has already been donehas already been done andand• WhyWhy did/does this work need to be done? did/does this work need to be done?

• Form: Form: YES,YES, butbut…..…..Drug X has been used in the past to treat Drug X has been used in the past to treat disease Y, disease Y, butbut anecdotal evidence anecdotal evidence suggests an important benefit in patients suggests an important benefit in patients with disease Z. with disease Z.

OneOne declarative statement in a declarative statement in a singlesingle sentence! sentence!

22ndnd SENTENCE SENTENCEyour hypothesisyour hypothesis

• What What is is thethe question? question?

• Declarative statementDeclarative statement that can be that can be tested.tested.

““The purpose of this study…”The purpose of this study…” is is notnot an hypothesis! an hypothesis!

Define Define HYPOTHESISHYPOTHESIS

• hypo hypo – beneath, less than – beneath, less than • thesisthesis – theory – theory

• A supposition that appears to explain a A supposition that appears to explain a group of phenomena and is advanced as a group of phenomena and is advanced as a basis for further investigationbasis for further investigation

OROR• A proposition that is subject to proof or to A proposition that is subject to proof or to

an experimental or statistical testan experimental or statistical test

For ExampleFor Example

• ““Drug A will be proven to be better Drug A will be proven to be better than Drug B” than Drug B” is notis not an hypothesis an hypothesis

• ““Drug A is better than Drug B” Drug A is better than Drug B” isis an an hypothesishypothesis

• Based on a Based on a statistical teststatistical test: : accept or accept or rejectreject the null hypothesis the null hypothesis

NullNull versusversus Alternative Alternative HypothesisHypothesis

• ““The average drop in blood pressure The average drop in blood pressure is equal to zero.” is equal to zero.” nullnull

• ““Average drop in blood pressure is Average drop in blood pressure is not zero.”not zero.” alternativealternative

Why is anWhy is an hypothesishypothesis important?important?

• Causes you to Causes you to focusfocus your effort your effort• Requires you to be Requires you to be specificspecific• Allows you to Allows you to conserveconserve time and time and

resourcesresources• Permits you to Permits you to knowknow when you’re done when you’re done• FacilitatesFacilitates presentation presentation• It’s not just It’s not just importantimportant—it’s—it’s essential essential !!AndAnd…if you don’t include an …if you don’t include an

hypothesis in your abstract, it hypothesis in your abstract, it will will notnot be considered further! be considered further!

DECIDE ON VERB TENSE for DECIDE ON VERB TENSE for remainder of abstractremainder of abstract

• Study completed/data analyzedStudy completed/data analyzed– PastPast tense—we investigated, we tense—we investigated, we

treated, we followed…..treated, we followed…..

• Preliminary or incomplete dataPreliminary or incomplete data– Present or future tense—we are Present or future tense—we are

continuing, we are following, we will continuing, we are following, we will complete….complete….

33rdrd SENTENCE SENTENCE

• WhatWhat did you do? did you do?– Study design—prospective, Study design—prospective,

retrospective, case-matched, cross-retrospective, case-matched, cross-overover

44THTH SENTENCE SENTENCE

• How How did you do it?did you do it?– MethodsMethods– May take 2 sentencesMay take 2 sentences

55thth or 6 or 6thth SENTENCE SENTENCE

• WhatWhat did you find? did you find?– Your dataYour data– Text, table, figureText, table, figure

RememberRemember--“--“datadata are”—are”—pluralplural!!

Never write or say Never write or say “data is”“data is”!!

66thth or 7 or 7thth SENTENCE SENTENCE

• HowHow did you analyze your data? did you analyze your data?– Statistical method(s)Statistical method(s)– Probability—state level of acceptance Probability—state level of acceptance

for a differencefor a difference

FINALLY……FINALLY……

• What What do the data permit you to do the data permit you to conclude?conclude?– No near missesNo near misses– No trendsNo trends– No bigger or less thanNo bigger or less than– No percentage difference No percentage difference Unless accompanied by statistical Unless accompanied by statistical

analysis which meets your pre-analysis which meets your pre-determined probability acceptancedetermined probability acceptance

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!