Tips for your Abstract

What makes a good abstract great?

Here are our top 10 tips on how to prepare your abstract:

1. Every case matters

Abstract submission may be daunting, but never think your case is not interesting, or presume that your abstract will not be reviewed favorably.

2. Start early

Do not leave it until the night before the deadline to start working on your abstract. Draft it in advance, leave it aside, and come back to it later with fresh mind.

3. Check the guidelines

Check the abstract submission guidelines early on, to make sure you cover everything needed, and minimize number of abstract edits and last-minute stress.

4. Think outside the box

Try to not just re-tell existing research. Think about what is different about the research you are doing, what gaps you can address, and how it contributes to the field.

5. Have a clear message

Define the research question you are trying to answer from the start. Focus on the problem you are trying to solve and the message you want to get across. Make sure your message is clear.

6. Tell the story of your research

Describe the story of your research clearly and succinctly – what were you trying to do, how did you do it, what did you find? Describe your methods, process and results neutrally, without judgement.

7. Why does it matter?

We are looking for research that can make a difference. Why is your research important? Discuss the potential impact of your work on clinical practice.

8. Choose the right title

It is important to capture the attention right away, so make sure you choose a catchy title, which is also fitting to your research question and results.

9. Ask for feedback

Ask a colleague for a second opinion, to make sure that your abstract is written clearly and without mistakes. You can always turn to the IPVS community for help.

10. The correct category!

When submitting, select the correct category and keywords carefully, to ensure that your abstract is reviewed by someone in your discipline.