Your guide to submitting successful abstracts!
We’re so glad you’re considering sharing your research and findings with colleagues at TOPHC 2025. This article offers insightful tips to help you submit a standout abstract. These tips were adapted from How to Write an Abstract, a 2018 publication from the U.S. Centres for Disease Control’s STD Prevention Conference Scientific Program Committee and provide general information on best practices for writing abstracts.
What is an abstract?
A condensed version or summary of your research study or project
A way to convey what was done and why, what was found, and the implications for public health practice, policy, or research
Why is the abstract important?
It helps TOPHC organizers and reviewers decide whether your presentation aligns with the objectives for TOPHC and where it would fit best in the conference agenda
It helps TOPHC delegates decide whether to attend your session
The 4 Cs of abstract writing: abstracts should be…
Complete: cover the major parts of the project, study, or analysis
Concise: contain no excess wordiness or unnecessary information
Clear: readable, well organized, and not too jargon-laden
Cohesive: flow smoothly between the parts
Structuring and writing your abstract
Follow the instructions about what you should include for each section of an abstract
Consider the criteria that reviewers will use to score your abstract
Your title should clearly describe what your abstract is about, but also be interesting enough to encourage readers to want to learn more – it should make people want to attend your session
The CDC STD Prevention Conference resource on writing abstracts also includes suggestions about how to strengthen each section of an abstract.
Other tips
Read and follow the abstract submission instructions
Write your abstract with the conference objectives, themes, and audience in mind
Have someone with experience review your abstract
Write in active voice: “We examined…We tested…We found…”
Double check for spelling errors and typos
Meet the word count limit
Avoid jargon and only use acronyms after you have defined them
Don’t wait until the last day to prepare – writing a good abstract takes time
For additional abstract-writing tips, see The Basics about Conference (and Other) Abstracts by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Remember: Abstracts for TOPHC 2025 are due by 11:59PM ET on Monday November 4, 2024 for Workshops (In-Person) and Monday November 11, 2024 for Presentations (Virtual). Only abstracts submitted through our abstracts portal before the deadline will be considered for review.
Good luck and happy abstract-writing!
