How to Prepare Your AbstractLunch and LearnAugust 18, 2015

Presented by: Dr. Sandra Wiebe

Welcome

Welcome & ReminderWelcome to this WCHRI Lunch and Learn! For those of you who have received WCHRI support, please note that your participation at WCHRI Research Day (October 28, 2015) is required. Please refer to program guidelines.

Outline

• The purpose of an abstract• The components of an abstract• Common pitfalls and how to avoid them• First steps to writing your abstract

What is the purpose of your abstract?

• To engage the reader• To convey your research question, process and outcomes• To highlight the importance of your work

• Conference abstracts: will conference attendees benefit from learning about your research?

• Publications: should a potential reader invest the time in downloading and reading your paper?

Standard components of an abstract

1) Title2) Introduction

(purpose)3) Methods4) Results5) Conclusions

The Title

• Your title might be the only thing that people read—use this as an opportunity to “hook” the reader’s interest

• Avoid making your title too broad, vague, or dense

• Include key words for your topic• Include a verb if possible – easier for

reader to process

The Introduction (Purpose)

Why did you do this study? (e.g., gap in previous research, response to major health issue)What is your study about? (the topic – be specific here)What was your research question and/or study objective?• Keep this part of your abstract short

MethodsHow did you carry out your study?– Study design– Population/sample– Tools (e.g., experimental manipulations, cognitive tests,

assays…)– Statistical methods

• Make sure this section isaccessible to someone outsideyour area

Results

What were your study findings?– Stick to the facts here (no

‘fish stories’)

Conclusions

What is the main point you want your audience to take home?• Use your research questions

or hypotheses as a guide• Present your results in a

meaningful context (e.g., the problem that motivated your study)

Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

Consider your audience!

• Know whether you’re writing for colleagues in your area or field vs. health researchers more broadly vs. knowledge users/decision makers vs. general public

• Different levels of background information

• Jargon• Abbreviations (avoid if possible,

introduce if necessary)

Writing issues• Be clear and concise in your writing – get straight to the point!• Include all required elements – avoid writing a research plan or

drowning the reader in data without a “story”• Aim for an objective tone – don’t try to sway the reader with

enthusiasm or bias• Proofread carefully for

– Typographical and grammatical errors

– Jargon• Before submitting, get feedback from

your supervisor, labmates, friends…

Specific requirements

• Different conferences have different requirements – be sure to follow all instructions carefully to avoid having your abstract rejected on a technicality

• Be aware of requirements for length, authorship, formatting, inclusion of figures, etc.

• Where you are expected to select a review panel or category, select the most appropriate one

If you are not sure, ask – start with your supervisor!

Authorship

• Discuss authorship with your supervisor – different fields have different norms and expectationsRefer to: “Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journal”: http://www.icmje.org/icmje-recommendations.pdf

• Conferences may limit: – The number of authors that

may be listed on an abstract– The number of abstracts you

may submit and/or co-author

More considerations…

• Consider using the chemical or generic name of drugs where trademark names may not be appropriate

• Do not include references (unless instructions specify otherwise)

WCHRI Research Day

WCHRI Research Day 2015 will be held on October 28 at the Westin Hotel. • Access the registration & abstract submission

site at: http://www.wchri.org/research-day-registration

• Submission deadline: September 28

Abstract Requirements Specific to WCHRI

• There are four required sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions

• The tool will accept symbols and special formatting, but you will have to copy and paste them from an original source.

• You may copy and paste your information from a source document – and you should.

• You may not exceed 400 words.

Abstract Requirements Specific to WCHRI

• The presenter does not need to be the first author.• You may include up to 10 authors.• You may only submit 1 abstract per registrant but you may be

an author on the works of others where appropriate.

• Please make sure you (and your supervisor) proofread your abstract before submission to avoid typos—your submission is final!

Drafting your abstract

• Why did you do this study?• What was your research question, objective, or

hypothesis? • How did you carry your study? What methods/tools

did you use?• What did you find? • What was the answer to your research question?

What is main “take home message” of your study?

Reader ChecklistTitle Is the title dynamic and informative? Did it draw you in

and make you want to read the whole abstract?

Introduction Why was this study done? What is the specific topic? What were the objectives/research questions/hypotheses?

Methods How did you do your study? What methods/tools did you use?

Results What did you find?

Conclusion What is the take home message? Does it address the objectives and research question proposed in the introduction? How does this relate back to the study purpose?

How to Prepare your Abstract

Thank you for your attendance at this Lunch and Learn.

We look forward to seeing you at WCHRI Research Day!!