How to Write an Abstract:
Abstract Submission & Poster
Presentation
Mohammad K. Ismail MD
Chief of GI, Methodist University Hospital
Program Director GI Fellowship Training
University of Tennessee, Memphis
Why Writing is Important
Francis Bacon once said, “reading maketh a
full man; conference a ready man; but
writing an exact man”
Why bother to write well?
To communicate your work well
Reasons for Not Writing
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Difficulty knowing where to start
Not knowing how to start
Anxiety about writing skills
Lack of confidence
Objectives
• Attendees will learn
• Basic information about various types of
publications
• How to write abstract
• Submission of Abstract
• Some Writing Tips
What is an Abstract
• An abstract is a very concise statement of
the major elements of your research project.
It states the purpose, methods, and findings
of your research project.
• An abstract is a condensed version of a full
scientific paper.
Identify Your Topic
• First thing is to identify what are you planning to
write
• Clinical Vignette Abstract
• Case report
• Case series
• Research
• Do a background Research
Background Research
Search engines such as
• PubMed or MEDLINE
• MD Consult
• Major Database listing available at UT
Library website
http://library.utmem.edu/eresources/category/
databases-major
Four C's of Abstract Writing
• Complete — it covers the major parts of the
project/case
• Concise — it contains no excess wordiness or
unnecessary information.
• Clear — it is readable, well organized, and not too
jargon-laden.
• Cohesive — it flows smoothly between the parts.
How to Pick a Case Report
Consider presenting a case
-increases awareness of a condition
-unusual presentation of a relatively common
condition
-suggests the proper diagnostic strategy
-unusual complication of a disease and its
management
-about the message or lesson that the case can
deliver
Format of Case Report
• Where are you submitting abstract
• For the ACP, the rules are available on the
electronic abstracts portal
(http://www.acponline.org/srf/abstracts/guide.
htm)
• Check the details for the forum/meeting
you planning to submit
Clinical Vignette (Case Report)
Abstract
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Title and Author Information
Introduction
Case Description
Discussion
Title and Author Information
• Create a winning title
• Should be convincing
• Appealing
• Format for the title
• Following the title, the names of all authors and
their institutional affiliations are listed
Southern Society Meeting
GRANULAR CELL TUMOR OF
ESOPHAGUS: A CASE SERIES
S Narra MD, M K Ismail MD
University of Tennesee, Memphis and
VA Medical Center Memphis, Tennessee
ACP Meeting
Ergotism Masquerading as Arteritis
Amy Tarnower, Associate, Department of Medicine,
Michigan State University, East Lansing MI.
Introduction
• The introduction should provide the subject,
purpose, and merit of the case report.
• Present background information
• Focused comprehensive literature review that
corroborates the author’s claims: prevalence,
mortality, "100,000 people each year die of…"
“Fulminant hepatic failure is a rare presentation of
Wilson’s disease, which if unrecognized carries a
high mortality rate without liver transplantation.”
Case Description
• Describe in sequence
• the history
• physical examination
• investigative studies
• the patient's progress and outcome
Discussion
The discussion should evaluate the patient
case for
• accuracy, validity, and uniqueness
• compare and contrast the case report
with the published literature
• why decisions were made and extract
the lesson from the case
Research Abstract
• Suggested format
• Title and Author Information
• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Conclusions
Before Finalizing
• Get help from a mentor
• Make revisions based upon the feedback
• Have others read your draft in order to
check for technical errors, such as spelling
and grammar mistakes
Prior to Submission
Check Yourself did you :
• Follow the instructions!!!!
• Include headings exactly as stated in the
instructions/template?
• Use short, clear sentences; one idea per sentence?
• Limit your abstract to the word count/character
count requirement?
• Edit, edit, edit
• Check grammar, syntax and punctuation
ACP Clinical Vignette Abstract Checklist
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Due date for abstract is ____________.
Number of copies needed ____________.
Presenting author is listed as first author.
Presenting author meets eligibility requirements for the meeting.
Author affiliations are listed.
Abstract clearly organized into Introduction, Case Description,
and Discussion.
The “lesson” of the case is presented clearly and concisely.
Completed abstract meets word- limit requirements or fits into
formatting box.
Abstract printed with correct font size and style (if stipulated).
Others have reviewed abstract for content, style, grammar, and
spelling.
Mail abstract to:
Electronic submission
You Did It! Submit Your Abstract
• Submit your abstract on or before any
relevant deadline
• Mostly online/check on paper submission
• Payment may be needed for some Abstract
Submission
Poster Presentation
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Once accepted begin preparation early
Review with mentor
Add References appropriately
Submit stuff for printing Abstract for
display: check on mounting
• Take care of meeting registration, stay and
travel arrangement
Forums for Presentation
• ACP Meeting
• Southern Society Meeting (SSCI)
• Specialty Meetings
• American College of Gastroenterology
Meeting
Not the End of Work
• Poster presentation: Not the end of work
• Intermediate stage in a yet unfinished
project
• Plan to write full manuscript ASAP
• Choose Proper Journal for the case report
• Read and follow the “Guidelines for Authors” of the
target journal.
• Set Goals
• Set Deadlines for yourself
• Shoot for the Moon
Why Abstracts Not Accepted
Most common deficiencies encountered (in order of
frequency):
• Poor presentation
• Weak discussion
• Lack of originality
• Poor methods
• Inappropriate statistical analysis
• Inadequate results
How to Improve
• Writing is an art, you can learn
• Read published manuscript and abstract
carefully in major journals and focus on
detail
• Practice; practice; practice
• Get help from your mentors and colleagues
• Attend classes in writing skills/read books
Some Writing Tips
• Active voice is preferable to passive voice
• “We studied 15 patients with ARDS.” is
much better than “Fifteen patients with
ARDS were studied.”
• Always use the full term before you refer to it by
acronym [for example, Orthotopic Liver
Transplantation (OLT)]
• Write only one thought per sentence.
• Eliminate unnecessary words
• Ensure that verb tenses are consistent and correct
Closing Thoughts
• Scholarly activities and Publications are a
required part of residency training
• Very Important for residents pursuing
academic career
• Important for academic advancement
• Faraday once said, “Work; finish;
publish”