Talk Outline 1.How can I write an effective abstract in < 250 words? A. Parts of abstract B. Functions of abstract C. Cut out extra words 2.How should.

1.How can I write an effective abstract in < 250 words?A. Parts of abstract B. Functions of abstractC. Cut out extra words

2.How should I write my acknowledgments?

An abstract is a complete story in 250 words!

It contains:

1. Brief orientation to topic2. Your specific goal3. Strategy and methods used4. Central results & big

conclusionsRef: Penrose and Katz

Write the abstract as an argument

It’s not an introduction It’s not a list It’s not an unsolved mystery

Ref: K. Tosney lecture

Why?

How?

What?

Significance?

Results

Methods

Introduction

Discussion

Abstract = mini article!

Abstract

Ref: J. Dorman

Parts of Abstract

Abstract Content May contain the same information as:

The last paragraph of the introduction Your first paragraph of the discussion

● NEVER include information that is not presented elsewhere in article

● DO NOT include a reference citation in abstract

Ref: R. Day

Orient Reader in the First Sentence

● Can be very general:

- “In recent years, dengue viruses have spread throughout tropical regions worldwide.”

Ref: K. Tosneylecture

State topic and purpose

“We conducted an exploratory investigation in a community in Haiti to determine the prevalence of Cyclospora cayetanensis infection.”

“We analyzed 83 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by restriction fragment polymorphism (RFLP) to characterize genetic variations.”

Specify your methods-- briefly!

Name the technique:

- Too general: “Biochemical studies showed that…”

- Better: “In vitro translation studies revealed that…”

Specify your methods-- briefly!

• Can often describe methods in introductory phrase

- “Using RT-PCR, 384 samples were analyzed for the presence of polioviral RNA.”

- “Using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, we characterized genetic variation among Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains.”

Summarize Results & Conclusions

• Summarize the central results The most significant points only Remove needless information

• Identify the major conclusions Only space for your major conclusions Other possibilities and interpretations

are not presented here

Ref: K. Tosney lecture

When stating the results, be definitive

“The prevalence of Cyclospora in children <10 years of age increased from 15% in 2001 to 22% in 2004.”

“HAV RNA was detected in 10 of the 24 samples.”

“We have developed a rapid and sensitive one-step PCR assay for detecting dengue virus in serum samples.”

BUT when interpreting results…

use appropriate qualifiers:

“This indicates…” “suggests” “may”, “might”, “could”

Functions of Abstract

1. Summarizes the major points

2. Remember Used as indexing tool Available in electronic databases May be the ONLY part of your paper

someone reads

Ref: Penrose & Katz

Functions of Abstract, cont’d

3. Sells your paper: Sometimes reviewers don’t read beyond your abstract---> SO MAKE THE ABSTRACT CLEAR!

4. Can attract readers

Make EVERY word count!

Often ≤ 250 words Look at every word: do you need it? Save words by eliminating passive voice

Read it out loud

Ref: K. Tosney lecture

1.How can I write an effective abstract in < 250 words?A. Parts of abstract B. Functions of abstractC. Cut out extra words

2.How should I write my acknowledgments?A. Who to includeB. Who to omitC. How to acknowledge peopleD. How to acknowledge funding agencies

Who should you acknowledge?

When in doubt:It’s better to include too many people than to omit

someone!

Ref: K. LaMarco& R. Ward

Include:1. Anyone who gave you technical help2. Anyone who gave you valuable input

on your study design or interpretations of your results

3. Your human subjects4. Anyone who gave you materials or supplies5. Specify your funding sources

Granting agency (include grant number) Fellowship funding Institutional funding

6. Anyone who substantially reviewed your manuscript

Do not acknowledge

Co-authors

Examples: People“We thank J. Flores for technical

assistance.”“We thank S. Smith for valuable discussions

and critical reading of the manuscript.”“We thank Bart Simpson for providing the

dengue virus isolates from Springfield.”“We thank Marge Simpson for her support.”

Examples: People

“We also thank our collaborator Alberto Gianella at the Centro Nacional de Enfermedades Tropicales in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.”

“Thanks to LuLu Lollygag for her kind gift of ECAD2 antibody.”

“Thanks to Steve Opendoor for sharing results pre-publication.”

Example: Funding

“Financial support for this work was provided in part by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Fogarty International Center, and the National Institutes of Health (grant D43 TW00905).”

Example: Funding

“This study was also supported in part by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Post-Doctoral Fellowship awarded to B. Simpson.”