Here are some key points to keep in mind when writing an abstract, whether for a manuscript or for submission to a conference.

• Pay strict attention to word count limit
• Is the abstract structured or unstructured?
  • Use subheadings exactly as instructed; for example, if the instructions state that the first paragraph should be “Background,” use “Background,” not “Introduction”
• Spell out all abbreviations at first mention
• No references!
• To keep word count down:
  • Look for places to remove articles “the,” “a/an”
    •  “The Results demonstrated …”
  • Include only significant results
  • Look for phrases that can be shortened
    • “We sought to determine whether…” ➜ “We examined...”