Lecture Notes: Writing Abstracts for Research Conferences

Speaker: Dr. Kurzer Kenden Kerzer

• Associate Director of Undergraduate Writing Across the Curriculum
• University Writing Program
• Focus: Implementing effective writing in various disciplines, like nursing and chemistry.

Purpose of the Session

• Preparing students for the Undergraduate Research Conference.
• Understanding how to write effective abstracts for research studies.

What is an Abstract?

• A summary highlighting major points of a research study or original contribution.
• Key element: Original contribution.
• Common mistake: Students write abstracts first, treating them like an introduction with too much background.
• Focus should be on results and their significance.
• Best practice: Write the abstract after compiling the rest of the presentation.

Length and Features

• Typically 150-200 words; firm 200-word limit for the undergraduate conference.
• Language varies based on discipline and project purpose.

Purpose of an Abstract

• For Readers: Helps determine the relevance of the research.
• For Conferences: Determines which sessions attendees will attend.
• It's high stakes - a poorly written abstract may mean no engagement.

Writing an Abstract

• Focus: Original contribution, not a full summary.
• Function: Screening device, article preview, indexing aid.
• Tips for Undergraduate Research Conference:
  • Write for a lay audience; avoid jargon.
  • Define terms clearly.
  • Promissory abstracts are acceptable (anticipate results).
  • Only one abstract submission per person.
  • Usually, no citations needed.

Abstract Content

1. Brief Background/Introduction
   • Context and significance of the study.
2. Research Purpose
   • What the study addresses.
3. Methods/Materials
   • Overview of methodology, not in detail.
4. Results/Findings
   • What was discovered.
5. Discussion/Implications
   • Why the findings matter.

• Majority of space should focus on results and implications.
• Questions to Guide Writing: What did you do, why, how, what learned, significance?

Strategies for Writing

• Opening Strategies:
  • Real-world phenomenon or standard practice.
  • Research purpose or objective.
  • Present researcher action.
  • Problem or uncertainty.

Workshop Activity

• Analyze sample abstracts from different disciplines.
• Identify sections: Background, Research Purpose, Methods, Findings, and Discussion.

Additional Tips

• Check in with professors during drafting.
• Avoid excessive technical jargon; define acronyms.
• Reduce wordiness using techniques like the paramedic method.

Questions and Discussion

• Address questions on abstract submissions, revisions, and conference logistics.
• Priority deadline guarantees conference spot; space is limited due to COVID policies.
• Preliminary abstracts are common; results don't have to be finalized.
• Clarifications on conference acceptance, faculty approvals, and submission limits.

Dr. Kerzer emphasizes the importance of presenting research, even if preliminary, to gain feedback and refine research approaches. Students are encouraged to engage with professors and utilize university resources to enhance their abstracts.