General Abstract Guidelines

GENERAL ABSTRACT RULES AND GUIDELINES

Abstract Content and Format

• Please limit abstracts to 250 - 300 words.

• Abstracts are brief summaries of the overall goal of an offering and the specific ideas or concepts that will be presented, including outcomes and implications for practice. Abstracts essentially answer four questions:

1. What was the problem?
2. How did the author(s) solve it?
3. What was discovered?
4. What can be learned from the experience?

**Tip: Instead of stating that “results will be presented…”, state the results.

• The abstract title should adequately convey the content of the abstract and must not contain product trade names. Product trade names must also not be included in the body of the abstract. If it is essential to the content of an abstract to mention a product trade name, discuss that product by its generic name followed by an asterisk or other appropriate mark (*, †, °), then list the trade name at the end of the abstract. For example:

Sample title: Bilayered skin substitute* and the management of a diabetic foot ulcer
Sample text: “…the practitioner then applied Bilayered skin substitute* to the…”
Product notation: *Apligraf®, Organogenesis, Inc., Canton, Mass

• Please do not include images or tables with your submission. They will be deleted and not included in any materials sent to the judges.

• This is a blind review process, so please make sure that neither author(s) name(s) nor facility affiliation(s) appear in the abstract body text.

• References: References are optional but encouraged. Please limit references to the 10 most pertinent citations.

Review Process

• To be accepted to present poster abstract during the 2011 SAWC Fall Symposium, each proposed presentation must be described in an abstract. Each abstract will be blind, peer-reviewed by judges who are experts in the field.

• Please note: These abstracts are blind-reviewed by a panel of expert judges; however, they should not be considered “peer-reviewed”. Please do not label them peer-reviewed in any capacity during the Symposium or other unrelated instances.

• Each abstract will be reviewed based on specific criteria for the category in which it is placed. Therefore, it is very important for the author to specify in which category the abstract should be entered. The 4 categories are: Clinical Research, Laboratory Research, Case Series/Study, and Information/Educational report.

Specific Review Criteria by Category

Clinical Research and Laboratory Research

1. Are the objective(s), materials, and methods stated clearly and of importance and interest to this audience?
2. Is the study designed appropriately to answer the stated objective(s) (ie, with correct procedures, appropriate statistical measures, and tools which have been tested for reliability and validity)?
3. Are the findings stated clearly with equal emphasis given to statistically significant and non-significant findings as well as equally to the major objective(s)?
4. Is the information current and are (potential) outcomes findings important and relevant to the target audience?

Case Series/Study

Single product, 1-patient case studies will no longer be accepted. A minimum of 3 patients is necessary (unless case is a complex or unique situation and/or a unique technology is being used). Case studies are appropriate for illustrating new uses of existing products, new products, adverse events, or unexpected results, which are unusual or have the potential to stimulate new research or thought.

1. Are the objective(s), materials, and methods stated clearly and of importance and interest to this audience?
2. Are the details of the case study described so that progression and/or treatment are clear and pertinent to this audience?
3. Are the findings stated clearly and do they support the objective(s)?
4. Is the information current and are (potential) outcomes findings important and relevant to the target audience?

Information/Educational Report

(This category may include descriptions of wound care programs, educational tools, classification systems, treatment modalities, or products.)

1. Are the objective(s), materials, and methods stated clearly and of importance and interest to this audience?
2. Are the primary aspects of the project, including background information, stated clearly in a logical progression, which allows the reader to understand usage or potential application?
3. Are the project outcomes and benefits clearly stated and pertinent to this audience?
4. Is the information current and relevant to the target audience?

Poster Abstract Presentations

Posters are typically displayed on 4' high x 8' wide bulletin boards. Handouts may be distributed. Audio-visual equipment will not be available for poster presentations.

Previously presented/published information
Poster presentations that have been previously presented or published are eligible for submission as long as previous publication/presentation is noted upon submission.
There will be a section on the abstract submission form to note this.

Certificate of Merit

All poster presenters will be awarded a Certificate of Merit giving recognition to their contribution to the advancement of the wound care field.

Submitting more than one abstract

It is the responsibility of the presenting author to notify the SAWC Abstract contact if they are presenting more than one poster. Every effort will be made to display those posters in sequential numerical order so that the author may fully represent all of his or her research.

Attendance

Please note that acceptance of the abstract by the review committee obligates the author to be present. If circumstances prevent attendance, the author must arrange for the poster to be presented given by a substitute, preferably a co-author.

Conversation with the authors

Many attendees have expressed that they enjoy the opportunity to converse with poster authors. However, we also recognize that your time is valuable and attending all the poster sessions can be burdensome to your schedule. Therefore, we are requesting that all presenters be available to present their poster(s) during the SAWC Fall Poster Reception being held on Friday, October 14th from 5:30 PM - 6:15 PM.

AAWC Research Poster Grand Rounds

The AAWC Research Poster Grand Rounds are walking sessions, where attendees assemble at one of several AAWC educational research posters, are given a brief lecture outlining the key points by one of the AAWC Research Committee members or a board member, and then escorted to view 2-3 specially selected & related posters, which have been critiqued by AAWC’s Research Committee.

There is a section in the abstract submission form to opt in to having your abstract considered for the AAWC Research Poster Grand Rounds

SAWC/WHS Spring 2011 Accepted Abstracts

Authors who submitted an abstract that was accepted and presented during the SAWC/WHS Spring 2011 meeting that are also interested in presenting their work during SAWC Fall 2011 will not need to resubmit their abstract. Please email your accepted abstract here. toliver@naccme.com.

Contact Information for Questions:

Tiffney D. Oliver
Director, Educational Services
North American Center for Continuing Medical Education, LLC
Email: toliver@naccme.com