Abstract Submission Instructions and Quality Standards

DUE DATE: Abstracts must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (CST) on Thursday, February 29, 2024

General Information

Presenters are encouraged to submit original research, teaching, and extension abstracts. Abstracts are required for all invited papers and poster presentations. Poster presentations should consist of original, completed work that has not been accepted for publication in a journal. Presenters need to be aware of patent considerations before submitting abstracts for publication.

Abstract Requirements

The author submitting the abstract is responsible for its content and the quality of the preparation.

Individual program committees are responsible for accepting or rejecting abstracts. Criteria for acceptance or rejection will include those outlined below under “Quality Standards for Abstracts.” The program committee will also consider originality, clarity, and merit. The Organizing Chairs have the authority to restrict the number of abstracts accepted. However, there is no limit on the number of abstracts an individual may submit.

Abstract Submission Guidelines

All abstracts must be submitted online at https://www.fass-abstracts.org/meetinginfo.asp?meetingcode=314

It will not be possible to submit abstracts after the deadline: Thursday, February 29, 2024. When you submit your abstract, you will be given a tracking number and password. Make a note of these; they will allow you to revise your submitted abstract at any time until the deadline.

Space limitations allow a maximum of 2,300 keystrokes (including characters, spaces and punctuation, title, keywords, and tables). Begin the count at the title and end the count with the last keyword or the end of the table, if one is included. Only one table per abstract is permitted. The word count does not include author names and affiliations. The system will automatically reject abstracts that are too long. Special characters, such as Greek letters and math symbols, are available on the electronic submission form itself.

If your abstract includes a table: The electronic submission form allows submission of one table per abstract (optional), and the content of the table will count toward the 2,300-keystroke limit. The printed abstract width allows for 70 keystrokes per line, including spaces. Tables should be a maximum of 10 columns and 15 rows; keep this in mind when you are formatting tables. Tables that are too wide cannot be formatted properly.

Author Notification

Authors will be emailed by April 1, 2024, indicating the status (accept or reject) of their abstract. As soon as the program is finalized with presentation days, times, and locations, authors will be notified and this information will be posted on the meeting website.

Presentation Information

Invited Presentations Each session room will be equipped with a computer and an LCD projector. Presentation files must be compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 or later. Files can be uploaded through the abstract system in advance of the meeting or accepted on site by 5 p.m. on the day before your presentation. No files will be accepted in the session room, and the use of a personal laptop for presentation will not be permitted. The time scheduled for invited presentations is 35 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes for questions, discussion, and speaker transition.

Poster Presentations Presenters must be present at their poster during their scheduled session on each day. The boards will be 48 in (121.9 cm) high and 96 in (243.8 cm) wide. Presenters must furnish their own tacks or stick pins (no Velcro). All posters must be mounted on the board on Monday between 11:55 AM and 3:00 PM and remain in place throughout the week. Posters must be removed on Thursday between 12:15 PM and 12:45 PM. Any posters remaining after this time will be removed by the symposium staff and discarded.

Abstract Categories

In an effort to help streamline the submission process, we have updated the abstract submission system.

Immediately after entering your author and institution information, you will be asked for session preferences:

Precision technology and data science
Gastrointestinal microbiology
Whole animal microbiology
Post-absorptive physiology and cell signalling
Immunology, endocrinology and metabolism
Integration of environment, physiology, and well-being
Genomics and epigenetics

If, after reading these instructions, you have any questions regarding submission, please send an email Cara Tharp at abstracts@assochq.org.

Abstract Quality Standards

An abstract is a communication of restricted length that permits informed readers to evaluate significant contributions of a scientific study, scientific method, teaching technique, or extension technique. An abstract becomes a part of the permanent literature. Therefore, clearly stated, simple sentences with exact wording must be used to ensure clarity and brevity.

An Abstract Should Meet the Following Requirements

  1. The objectives of the presentation are clearly and concisely stated at the beginning of the abstract.
  2. Pertinent methodological conditions (such as the population and sample, design, instrumentation, methodology used, assessment of methodology, data collection, and data analysis) are included to define the scope of the work.
  3. The information in the abstract includes those details that directly influence the interpretation or enhance the understanding of the results or methodologies presented.
  4. The results are compiled, condensed, and presented with great care. Only information that is discussed is presented. Only data relating to the objectives are reported. Any statistical inferences shall be sufficiently detailed to authenticate interpretation of the data. One simple, illustrative table may be used if it is the most effective method to convey the results in a clear manner.
  5. Abstracts detailing teaching or extension philosophy must be innovative, such as a new idea or creative modification or application of an existing idea. Abstracts should also be of national significance to demonstrate application of said philosophy and to provide an evaluation of their effectiveness.
  6. A clearly stated conclusion is essential.

An Abstract Is Unacceptable If It

  • contains grammatical errors or meaningless statements such as “The results will be presented,” or both;
  • presents data without appropriate statistical analyses or measurements of data variability;
  • includes no data or statements relating to the objectives;
  • does not use the metric system;
  • contains typing errors;
  • fails to comply with submission requirements; or
  • presents opinion or speculation with no demonstrated use in a teaching or extension experience.

The quality of an abstract for presentation is a direct reflection of the reputation of the author(s).