Issue link: https://ahint.epubxp.com/i/619494
A A H F N . O R G | 1 5 A bstracts are used to provide a brief summary of, as well as create interest in, your scholarly work. 1 Abstracts are used for many purposes, including introducing a manuscript, book chapter or research proposal, or as an applica- tion for presentations at conferences. Writing an abstract that clearly commu- nicates the importance of your work is challenging due, in part, to the frequent requirement of brevity. Word counts are usually limited to approximately 300 words. Consequently, summarizing a manuscript or research proposal effectively requires careful selection of the most important points. A "trick of the trade" in selecting content for the abstract is to focus on the specific message you want to convey. Readers want to understand how you did your work (methods) and what you learned (results and conclu- sions). Therefore, reserve the bulk of the word count for the methods and results sections of your abstract rather than the background/introduction. A good title is important for capturing interest of the correct audience. Begin with putting your results in the title, as opposed to a general description of your work. Some authors pose the title as a question to generate interest. Following the title, the background and significance section should be brief and specific to your project. Consequently, avoid including general background information, such as incidence and prev- alence data, that an educated audience would likely already know. Consider the audience for your presentation and recognize that most heart failure (HF) nurses know how many patients in the United States have HF. Instead, use this space for something that is not known about your topic. Limit the background section to two or three relevant, key sentences indicating the dilemma you are addressing or the gap in knowledge. A statement of the purpose or objective of the presentation is the next section. The purpose statement or research question should be direct and dense in content. Specifically state what you intend to do in the presentation. The methods section (study design) typically includes the population of interest, sampling, intervention and measurement. For sampling, you want to report the number of patients included in your study and where you enrolled them. Instruments used to collect data will be briefly described in the measure- ment section. Due to limited space, you may only be able to use the name of the instrument and what it measured. In reporting the results, present relevant data, including the primary and key secondary outcomes. It is helpful for readers if you include relevant statistics, as opposed to broad statements. Be sure that the results match the purpose of your study as stated earlier. Interpret the results for readers, as opposed to reporting a series of data points. A table or figure may be more effective in communicating your results, however tables and figures consume large amounts of space for the word count. Use them judiciously. Finally, the conclusion and implications are used to summarize the most compelling findings of your work and how it may be useful to practicing nurses. It is important to thoughtfully construct your take-home message without overstepping the data. Developing a tight abstract that com- municates your work effectively takes time. Several revisions are typically necessary to hone your message. Submitting abstracts for peer review for professional meetings is an exciting and rewarding opportunity for dis- seminating your professional work. It is strongly recommended that authors seek critique of their abstracts prior to submission. Colleagues, both in your clinical specialty as well as outside of it, can be very helpful in providing constructive feedback. Those colleagues who know your scholarship can provide review of the scientific content. Colleagues outside your specialty can provide a lens and a review that focuses on the clarity of your message. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned investigator, seeking and being open to critique is invaluable. Finally, review abstracts that were previously accepted by the organization and use those as an exemplar for creating your own abstract. These can be found in journals such as Heart & Lung, the official journal of the American Association for Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN). Reference 1. Happell B. Hitting the target! A no tears approach to writing an abstract for a conference presentation. Int J Mental Health Nurs. 2007;16:447-452. " A "trick of the trade" in selecting content for the abstract is to focus on the specifc message you want to convey. " A D D I T I O N A L R E S O U R C E S A N D T I P S F O R D E V E L O P I N G A N A B S T R A C T The International Association of Clinical Research Nurses iacrn.org/Resources/Documents/Abstract_Devel_Handout_2perpage.pdf American Heart Association my.americanheart.org