Call for abstracts

Call for Abstracts Specifications

GENERAL INFORMATION

Submission Deadline
Materials must be submitted by 11:59 PM on December 30, 2023. to Abstracts Committee at schoolofnursing@ucci.edu.ky. No extensions will be granted. Acknowledgment that materials arrived on time will be sent via email within three (3) days of it being received.

Abstract Selection and Notification
The Program Committee will meet to select abstracts and assign the time and date of presentation for each accepted podium and poster abstract on the conference schedule. The Program Committee reserves the right to accept abstracts as a podium or poster presentation. Notice of acceptance or rejection will be sent to the corresponding author within one week of review.

For selected abstracts, the author will be notified by email of the presentation date and time. Notice will be sent to the contact person and to the presenting author of each individual podium or poster session. If the study has more than one author, the contact person will be asked to share the information with the other author(s). 

Poster Session
A poster session is a visual display of work completed or in progress. In-progress work will be considered only for poster presentations. Individual abstracts and symposium abstracts are eligible for poster sessions. Symposiums will be allocated one poster space for each abstract, plus the overview. The University College will provide 4’ high x 8’ long poster boards for poster displays. Tables will not be available. 

Click here to view the specifications for the Poster Presentation

SELECTION CRITERIA
General
Abstracts of all papers should reflect or include:

• Internal consistency of purpose/aims and methods;
• Clarity of presentation;
• Implications and significance of the study/project/theory for the discipline and nursing and midwifery practice.

Specifics
In addition, the Program Committee will use the following specific criteria when selecting abstracts for podium or poster sessions:

Research papers (including instrument development, other methodological studies and research-based best practices)*:

• Purposes/Aims
• Rationale/Conceptual Basis/Background
• Methods
• Results
• Implications

Theory Development/Concept Analysis papers

• Purposes/Aims
• Description of theory or definition of the concept to be discussed
• Internal consistency of the theory developed; concept analysis approach or process used
• Logic linking the theory or image to nursing practice or research problem
• Conclusions include a statement about the utility of the theory or concept for nursing practice or research.

Project/Best Practices papers

• Purposes/Aims
• Rationale/Background
• Brief description of the undertaking/best practice, including the approach, methods, or process used
• Outcomes achieved/documented
• Conclusions, emphasizing implications for clinical or educational practices, and recommendations for research or future undertakings

*N.B. Literature Reviews as Research
On occasion, abstracts of literature reviews have been submitted. The abstract reviewers have generally not accepted these abstracts since they lacked scientific merit. To assist abstract submitters, the Program Committee offers this additional information:

• Meta-Analysis involves the calculation of a summary statistic (effect size) across empirical studies with the same design (RCTs, descriptive or epidemiology) and research questions.
• Literature Review does not involve the calculation of a summary statistic but is based on the reviewers’ conclusions/opinions about the quality, grade, or level of evidence across empirical studies. Abstracts for literature reviews must demonstrate a systematic review and include search methodology.
• Meta-Synthesis is used to describe the evaluation of research findings (meta-interpretation), research methods (meta-method), or theoretical frameworks (meta-theory) across qualitative studies.

The methods you used and the results need to be clearly presented, as with any research abstract consistent with the forms of literature review listed above.

ELIGIBILITY
The paper has not been presented or accepted for presentation at a regional or national meeting or for publication by the abstract submission deadline, October 2023.

Research, projects/best practices, and theory development/concept analysis undertakings must be completed by the abstract submission deadline to be eligible for podium presentation either as individual papers or as part of a symposium. Papers that include statements such as “results will be presented” or “data will be analyzed” or “outcomes will be described” will not be considered for podium presentations. However, these papers will automatically be considered for poster presentation.

Completed research, projects, theory development/concept analysis papers, and in-progress research projects are eligible for poster presentation. 

Completed Abstract

• Completed Abstracts will be uploaded in Word (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) file format.
• Length/Format: The abstract shall not exceed one page, single-sided, and shall be formatted in portrait orientation (8 ½” x 11”).
• Margins: Use only the following margin settings: Top: 0.375”; Bottom: 0.5”; Left: 1.25”; and Right: 1.125”.
• Type Styles: Use letter quality, 12-point size type. The preferred typeface is Times New Roman, but others will be accepted.
• Titles: Abstract titles should be centered and in upper case letters and may not exceed 75 characters.
• Authors: If there is only one author, center the author’s name, degree(s), title, department, organization, city, and state under the title of the paper. If there are three or more authors, alternate names as shown below. Do not abbreviate and do not include zip code or telephone number. You may include your email address if you would like readers to be able to contact you about your paper. ALL individuals involved in the study must be listed.
• Grant: If the study was supported in full or in part by a grant, cite the grant number and granting organization at the end of the abstract.
• References: Use a standard format for references. APA 7th Edition format is highly recommended.

SUBMISSION

• Abstracts Committee at schoolofnursing@ucci.edu.ky

INFORMATION AFTER ABSTRACTS ARE SELECTED

Presentations
Podium: In general, each abstract in a podium session is allotted 25 minutes for presentation, with 5 minutes for audience questions. Presentations will occur in the order they appear in the program. Podium presenters are expected to attend the entire session in which their paper is featured.

Posters: Posters will be on display all day. Presenters are asked to be available for the hour(s) designated in the conference schedule for Poster Viewing.

Symposium Brochures and Registration Form:
Abstracts accepted for podium or poster presentation will be listed in the program schedule and handed out at the symposium. The program schedule and registration form will be available on the UCCI website in February 2024.

The onsite program will include the specific time for each presentation and the moderator's name for each session. Abstracts may list multiple study authors. The conference brochures will list a maximum of two authors with an asterisk to indicate that additional authors will be listed with the abstract in the conference proceedings.

Commitment
Each submitter or contact person will be notified about the Program Committee’s decision on the acceptance of an abstract. Presenters must take their commitment to present very seriously, except in cases of a true emergency.