Writing accessible abstracts
Alicia Cresswell
Writing Development Centre
Structure of session
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What is an abstract?
Types of abstract
Content, audience and purpose
Audience of conference abstracts
Structure of the abstract
Evaluating abstracts
Further reading and resources
What is an abstract?
Summary
Outline
Advertisement
Awareness-raising task
Thinking of your abstract as
an advertisement for your research
(see handout)
Types of abstracts
 Summary abstracts of completed work (theses,
journal articles)
 Projections of research to be done (e.g. in
applications for funding)
 Conference abstracts (research is in progress or has
been completed)
Abstracts: Content, audience and purpose
Content
Purpose
Audience
Conference abstracts: Know you audience
 Peer reviewers: Abstract should convince them that the
work to be presented
 is of a high standard
 makes a distinct contribution
 supports the conference objectives
 Conference delegates: Abstract will help them to
decide which presentations to attend.
Abstract structure
 A good abstract will answer four questions:
 Why? The first section puts the study in the context of current
knowledge and gives the purpose of the work.
 How? This section explains how the research was conducted.
 What? The main findings of the study are presented in brief.
 So what? The abstract concludes with a brief explanation of
the implications or applications of the study.
Evaluating abstracts: Practice
You are the organisers of a regional postgraduate
conference.
Consider these abstracts from the perspective of
the conference delegates.
Comment on the clarity, effectiveness and interest
of each abstract.
Evaluate this abstract
Consolation as possible expression of sympathetic concern among chimpanzees
http://www.pnas.org/content/107/27/12110.abstract
Chimpanzees are known to spontaneously provide contact comfort to recent victims of aggression,
a behavior known as consolation. Similar behavior in human children is attributed to empathic or
sympathetic concern. In line with this empathy hypothesis, chimpanzee consolation has been shown
to reduce the recipient's state of arousal, hence to likely alleviate distress. Other predictions from
the empathy hypothesis have rarely been tested, however, owing to small sample sizes in previous
studies. An exceptionally large database of spontaneous consolation in two outdoor-housed groups
of chimpanzees lends further support to the empathy hypothesis in that consolation occurred
disproportionally between individuals that are socially close (i.e., kin and affiliation partners) and
was more typical of females than males, which differences are also known of human empathy.
These effects were demonstrated using generalized linear mixed models, which control multiple
variables at once. An exception to the above pattern was formed by the highest-ranking males,
which frequently offered consolation to victims of aggression, probably as part of their general
policing function in chimpanzee society. Consolation occurred more frequently in the absence of
reconciliation between former opponents, suggesting that actors are sensitive to the contact need of
victims of aggression, which may be greater if the aggressor ignores them. That consolation is an
integrated part of close mutual relationships is supported by the tendency for it being reciprocated.
Evaluate this abstract
FRET-based aptamer probe for rapid angiogenin detection
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18585145?ordinalpos=10&itool=EntrezSystem
2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
A sensitive method for rapid angiogenin (Ang) detection based on fluorescence
resonance energy transfer (FRET) has been described. A dual-labeled probe
based on high affinity aptamer for Ang was constructed. As donor and acceptor, 6carboxyfluorescein (FAM) and 6-carboxy-tetramethylrhodamine (TMR) were
labeled at 5'- and 3'-termini of the aptamer probe, respectively. The dual-labeled
probe showed obvious fluorescence changes due to the specific binding between
aptamer and Ang. By monitoring the fluorescence intensity of donor and acceptor,
quantitative Ang detection could be achieved. This assay is highly specific and
sensitive, with a detection limit of 2.0 x 10(-10) mol L(-1) and a linear range of 5.0 x
10(-10) to 4.0 x 10(-8) mol L(-1) Ang. Ang in serum samples of health and lung
cancer were also detected.
Evaluate this abstract
Extreme polyploidy in a large bacterium
http://www.pnas.org/content/105/18/6730.abstract
Cells rely on diffusion to move metabolites and biomolecules. Diffusion is highly efficient but only
over short distances. Although eukaryotic cells have broken free of diffusion-dictated constraints on
cell size, most bacteria and archaea are forced to remain small. Exceptions to this rule are found
among the bacterial symbionts of surgeonfish; Epulopiscium spp. are cigar-shaped cells that reach
lengths in excess of 600 μm. A large Epulopiscium contains thousands of times more DNA than a
bacterium such as Escherichia coli, but the composition of this DNA is not well understood. Here,
we present evidence that Epulopiscium contains tens of thousands of copies of its genome. Using
quantitative, single-cell PCR assays targeting single-copy genes, we have determined that copy
number is positively correlated with Epulopiscium cell size. Although other bacteria are known to
possess multiple genomes, polyploidy of the magnitude observed in Epulopiscium is
unprecedented. The arrangement of genomes around the cell periphery may permit regional
responses to local stimuli, thus allowing Epulopiscium to maintain its unusually large size. Surveys
of the sequences of single-copy genes (dnaA, recA, and ftsZ) revealed genetic homogeneity within
a cell consistent with only a small amount (≈1%) of the parental DNA being transferred to the next
generation. The results also suggest that the abundance of genome copies in Epulopiscium may
allow for an unstable genetic feature, a long mononucleotide tract, in an essential gene. With the
evolution of extreme polyploidy and large cell size, Epulopiscium has acquired some of the
advantages of eukaryotic cells.
Evaluate this abstract
Loss of microRNA cluster miR-29a/b-1 in sporadic Alzheimer's disease correlates
with increased BACE1/β-secretase expression
http://www.pnas.org/content/105/17/6415.abstract
Although the role of APP and PSEN genes in genetic Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases is well
established, fairly little is known about the molecular mechanisms affecting Aβ generation in sporadic
AD. Deficiency in Aβ clearance is certainly a possibility, but increased expression of proteins like
APP or BACE1/β-secretase may also be associated with the disease. We therefore investigated
changes in microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of sporadic AD patients and found that several
miRNAs potentially involved in the regulation of APP and BACE1 expression appeared to be
decreased in diseased brain. We show here that miR-29a, -29b-1, and -9 can regulate BACE1
expression in vitro. The miR-29a/b-1 cluster was significantly (and AD-dementia-specific) decreased
in AD patients displaying abnormally high BACE1 protein. Similar correlations between expression of
this cluster and BACE1 were found during brain development and in primary neuronal cultures.
Finally, we provide evidence for a potential causal relationship between miR-29a/b-1 expression and
Aβ generation in a cell culture model. We propose that loss of specific miRNAs can contribute to
increased BACE1 and Aβ levels in sporadic AD.
Evaluate this abstract
Twelve type 2 diabetes susceptibility loci identified through large-scale
association analysis
http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v42/n7/abs/ng.609.html
By combining genome-wide association data from 8,130 individuals with type 2 diabetes
(T2D) and 38,987 controls of European descent and following up previously unidentified
meta-analysis signals in a further 34,412 cases and 59,925 controls, we identified 12
new T2D association signals with combined P < 5 × 10−8. These include a second
independent signal at the KCNQ1 locus; the first report, to our knowledge, of an Xchromosomal association (near DUSP9); and a further instance of overlap between loci
implicated in monogenic and multifactorial forms of diabetes (at HNF1A). The identified
loci affect both beta-cell function and insulin action, and, overall, T2D association
signals show evidence of enrichment for genes involved in cell cycle regulation. We also
show that a high proportion of T2D susceptibility loci harbor independent association
signals influencing apparently unrelated complex traits.
Evaluate this abstract
Protein and gene model inference based on statistical modeling in k-partite
graphs
http://www.pnas.org/content/107/27/12101.abstract
One of the major goals of proteomics is the comprehensive and accurate description
of a proteome. Shotgun proteomics, the method of choice for the analysis of complex
protein mixtures, requires that experimentally observed peptides are mapped back to
the proteins they were derived from. This process is also known as protein inference.
We present Markovian Inference of Proteins and Gene Models (MIPGEM), a statistical
model based on clearly stated assumptions to address the problem of protein and
gene model inference for shotgun proteomics data. In particular, we are dealing with
dependencies among peptides and proteins using a Markovian assumption on kpartite graphs. We are also addressing the problems of shared peptides and
ambiguous proteins by scoring the encoding gene models. Empirical results on two
control datasets with synthetic mixtures of proteins and on complex protein samples of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Drosophila melanogaster, and Arabidopsis thaliana
suggest that the results with MIPGEM are competitive with existing tools for protein
inference.
Evaluate this abstract
Multiple common variants for celiac disease influencing immune gene expression
http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v42/n4/full/ng.543.html
We performed a second-generation genome-wide association study of 4,533 individuals
with celiac disease (cases) and 10,750 control subjects. We genotyped 113 selected
SNPs with PGWAS < 10−4 and 18 SNPs from 14 known loci in a further 4,918 cases and
5,684 controls. Variants from 13 new regions reached genome-wide significance
(Pcombined < 5 × 10−8); most contain genes with immune functions (BACH2, CCR4, CD80,
CIITA-SOCS1-CLEC16A, ICOSLG and ZMIZ1), with ETS1, RUNX3, THEMIS and
TNFRSF14 having key roles in thymic T-cell selection. There was evidence to suggest
associations for a further 13 regions. In an expression quantitative trait meta-analysis of
1,469 whole blood samples, 20 of 38 (52.6%) tested loci had celiac risk variants
correlated (P < 0.0028, FDR 5%) with cis gene expression.
Evaluating abstracts: Summary
High-rated abstracts
Low-rated abstracts
 Set the scene and explain how the
research fits into the bigger picture; clearly
state aims/purpose
 Do not put the research in context; do
not state aims/purpose
 Present the information in a clear and
logical order
 Are unstructured, confusing, fragmented
 Tell a ‘story’; describe the main findings of
the study clearly and concisely
 Present results in a vague or confusing
manner
 Convey conclusions/implications simply
and succinctly
 Do not include conclusions/ implications,
or present them in an unclear manner
 Make claims that are proportionate to the
evidence presented.
 Overstate the importance/originality of
the work
 Use simple, clear English; avoid jargon
and acronyms; explain any necessary
technical terms
 Use overly complicated English, jargon
and acronyms; do not explain technical
terms
Further reading
Fraser, J., Fuller, L. and Hutber, G. (2009) Creating effective
conference abstracts and posters in Biomedicine: 500 tips for
success. Abingdon: Radcliffe Publishing.
Rudestam, K. E. & Newton, R. R. (2007) Surviving your dissertation:
A comprehensive guide to content and process (3rd edition).
London: Sage.
Swales, J. M. and Feak, C. B. (2009) Abstracts and the writing of
abstracts. Michigan: Michigan University Press.
Online resources
Writing Development Centre Online Resources
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/learning/
Academic Phrasebank
http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk
One-to-one support
Book online at:
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/support/
Writing Development Centre
Level 2, Robinson Library
Telephone: 0191 222 7659 or 0191 222 5650
E-mail: wdc@ncl.ac.uk
Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc