UW Student Research Group

 

So, you're going to present your research...

 

Abstracts     Posters     Oral Presentations

 

ABSTRACTS

Instructions for Preparing AADR/IADR Formated Abstracts  
(from the NSRG Handbook)

1.       Practice first - Format a practice box on your word processor and make sure that your abstract conforms to the space limitations as you prepare it. After everything is finished and proofread, print it out on the abstract form. 

2.       Authors and Institutions - Starting at the right of the dotted line, list each author, in capital letters. Put an asterisk (*) after the name of the person presenting the paper. Institutions should follow the last author’s name and should be enclosed in parentheses, followed by a colon. Addresses may be abbreviated, omitting state or country if obvious. Only one name should be asterisked. 

3.       Title - The title should be limited to ten words. It should indicate the content of the abstract in a concise manner. Start the title immediately after the colon following the listing of institutions. Stay within the dotted line area. Capitalize only the first letter of each important word of the title and end with a period. 

4.       Abstract Material - Start the text of the abstract on a new line, without indentation, and use the entire width of the box. Paragraphs may be separated by indentation or a one-line space. Authors may also opt to have no paragraphs (all material would “run in” as a single unit).

5.       Content of Abstract - The abstract should contain a brief statement of: a) the objectives of the investigation; b) the experimental methods used; c) the essential results, including data and statistics; and d) conclusions. The supporting grant number, if any, should also be included. No illustrations should be included. However, tables may be used.

6.       Make sure the font is clear and easy to read.  Good fonts to user are:  Times Roman or Helvetica.

7.       Use a 12-point font. Do not reduce the abstract before submitting it.

8.       Use black ink to add any symbols not on the word processor.

9.       Print a perfect original on the form. Use additional forms if necessary.

10.     Proofread the abstract carefully before submitting it. Abstracts not suitable for reproduction will be rejected. Only the original abstract form is acceptable for reproduction. Additional forms are available upon request.

Evaluation criteria used in reviewing abstracts 
This is provided to you to call attention to points which will be considered. In the final analysis, it will be the reviewer’s judgment of the value of any abstract which will determine whether that abstract should appear on the program. Each abstract is reviewed from the standpoint of subject matter and scientific merit as to its suitability for inclusion in the program. The reasons for rejection are:

1.  Abstract poorly organized.

2.  Required information not given in abstract:

                A.                Objective
                B.                Methods
                C.                Results - data and statistical analysis
                D.                Conclusions

3.  Nature of problem not explicit from either title or abstract.

4.  Material too closely related to another submitted abstract; should have been combined into a single paper.

5.  Abstract is not original research.

6.  Abstract has been presented at other meeting(s) or previously published.

7.  Problem fairly well-defined, but its importance doubtful.

8.  No well-defined criteria given for evaluation of variables.

9.  Choice of controls questionable.

10.  No control groups reported.

11.  Methods to obtain data inappropriate with regard to the stated problem for these reasons:

A.  Methods not sufficiently precise to permit accuracy for the measurements
     (variations are within the limits of error)

B.   Sampling method contains inherent discriminatory factors not recognized.

C.   Size of sample insufficient to show significant conformity or differences

12.  Confusion between the initial premises (assumptions) and measurements (facts or data) leads to faulty reasoning; conclusions not clear.

13.  Conclusions do not necessarily follow as a consequence of the method of analysis applied to the data.

14.  Conclusions not adequately qualified (conclusions have greater limitations than implied by the author).

15.   Correlations suggested may be fortuitous insofar as no plausible cause-and-effect relation has been suggested, and none is obvious.

POSTERS
Producing a Good Poster Presentation:  The Three Most Important Steps

(1) Start early. Most difficulties in time, expense and quality come from waiting until the last minute. Allow two months to produce an effective poster.

(2) Present major points and few details. Readers don't expect a lot of detail, documentation, and discussion in a poster session. The content should be a visual guideline for a 5 to 10-minute presentation.

(3) Use graphics instead of words where possible. One picture is worth a thousand words.

  For sections of the poster session, such as Materials and Methods or Results, use the following instead of words and sentences to present a lot of information clearly in very little space:  

 Design and Readability 

* Design your material to read from left to right and from top to bottom.  

* Where possible, use words or phrases set off by bullets instead of full sentences.

* Use indented paragraphs. Our vision has been conditioned to pick up an indented paragraph as the beginning of a new area.

* Use headings and subheadings. Boldface and underlined headings do two things: (1) guide the reader and

(2) condense information.

* Choose readable lettering for the text. The lettering should be large enough to be read from 4 feet away.

* Use color. It can emphasize major points, show differences and indicate changes.  

Poster Design and Printing

Making a poster using Powerpoint

Locke Computer Center resources for printing posters - don't let the instructions scare you, it's really pretty easy. Have your poster completely ready, go to the Locke Computer Center in T-271 with your poster on a disk, and follow the steps for submitting a poster for printing.

Questions to be Considered

	What are the size requirements of the poster and the case it is to be carried in?
	Do you need the program number and the presenter's photo on the title board?
	Do you need assistance in preparing illustrations?
	Do you need location photography, studio shots, or prints made from slides?
	What colors do you want for the poster boards, letteron, and decorative tape? Do the colors need to coordinate with your photos?
	Do you need Media Resources to typeset your information? If so, you will need to proofread and return for corrections. If possible, have your information already set on a computer disk for printing on a laser printer, saving time and expense.
	The cost of producing a poster may vary from $60 to $130, depending upon: Graphics and artwork needed Photo shots and enlargements Complexity of the design * Whether you provide the information on a computer disk for laser printing or if you need Media Resources to typeset.

ORAL PRESENTATION

Ask professors or even students who have previously given talks at the AADR/IADR, like Teresa Vong.