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Powerful Titles and Compelling Abstracts

Powerful Titles and Compelling Abstracts. Overview. Key elements What makes a good title/abstract Things to avoid Tips for writing. Where to Begin. Know your audience No “one way” to write. When to Begin. Title and Abstract summarize your work Should be last thing you write

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Powerful Titles and Compelling Abstracts

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  1. Powerful Titles and Compelling Abstracts

  2. Overview • Key elements • What makes a good title/abstract • Things to avoid • Tips for writing

  3. Where to Begin • Know your audience • No “one way” to write

  4. When to Begin • Title and Abstract summarize your work • Should be last thing you write • Timing issues

  5. Title and Abstract • Be specific • Key elements should be included in both (Indexing) • Part of paper most people will see • Best way to get people interested • Self-contained summary of work and significance

  6. Title • Key element describing content of study • First (and often only) portion of paper that can be seen by everyone • People judge by the title whether to read the abstract

  7. Writing a Title • Tells the complete story • Specifically describes study • Use as few words as possible • Is unambiguous • Includes model system • Begins with an important word • Concise label; not a descriptive sentence

  8. Title Tips • Avoid unnecessary words • Avoid jargon • Be specific with results • “catchy” or “cute” titles? • Fat Rats: A Case of too Many Hormones?

  9. Be Specific Unspecific • “Pneumococcal responses” Specific • “Stress response of Streptococcus pneumoniae to lactoferrin”

  10. Syntax Errors Poor syntax “Clinical Acinetobacterbaumannii Isolates form Biofilm” Better syntax “Biofilm Formation by Clinical Isolates of Acinetobacterbaumannii”

  11. Brainstorming a Title • Write down as many titles that come to mind in 3-5 minutes • Put them aside • Compose and revise

  12. Abstract • Self-contained summary of your work • Statement of significance • Succinct and clear • Don’t exceed word limit

  13. Abstract • First part of paper usually written last • Use past tense • Approach: can take sentences and phrases from each section of paper • Put them in sequence to summarize paper • Then revise

  14. Abstract Tips • Be succinct • Be logical in presentation • Extract key points from study • Condense in successive revisions

  15. Abstract Styles • One paragraph • Multiple sections • Graphic data • References

  16. Parts of an Abstract • Background • Hypothesis • Model system • General methodology • Results • Conclusions

  17. Background • 1-3 sentences • Describe general topic • Discuss why topic is important

  18. Hypothesis • 1-2 sentences • Specific question being investigated or purpose of study • State as a hypothesis

  19. Model System • Describe model system used (rat, human, DNA, in vitro, in vivo) • List specifics as needed • E. coli BL21 • CBA/N mice • THP1 cell line

  20. General Methodology • 1-2 sentences • Keep general unless new and innovative • No specifics needed

  21. Results • 1-2 sentences • Complete summary that is specific to study • Include main point(s)

  22. Significance • 1-2 sentences • Summarize significance of findings • Place in broader context • Keep specific to study

  23. Avoid Wordiness • Focus on writing short sentences when possible • Example of wordiness • “It is, therefore, apparent from the data that we have shown in this study that there is a considerable change in the response we see in the animals that were treated with the much higher dose.”

  24. Be Precise in Wording • Use terms that have meaning in the scientific world • “Went up a little” vs. “Increased by 5%” • Don’t use scientific terms in a non-scientific context • If you say there was a significant change, make sure it was significant, statistically speaking

  25. Active vs. Passive Verbs • An active verb allows for more clarity and shorter sentences • Passive Verb • Growth inhibition and increased ion concentration were elicited byKCl in both groups. • Active Verb • KClelicited growth inhibition and increased ion concentration in both groups.

  26. Abbreviations • Don’t forget to define abbreviations the first time they are mentioned • Common terms may be okay such as: • DNA, ATP, RNA

  27. Scientific Writing Should Be… • Reader-Based • Purposeful • Accurate • Clear • Concise • Precise • Simple

  28. Benefits of Writing • Writing is as important as doing the research • Opportunity to think more clearly about the research • Final product of the research project • Share your results with the greater scientific community • The more you write, the better you will be

  29. Title Exercise

  30. Pneumococcal Surface Protein K (PspK) of Streptococcus pneumoniae Increases Adherence to Epithelial Cells and Enhances Nasopharyngeal Colonization

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