Allie Mandel is the Education Associate for ANPD and graduated from OSU with a degree in English.
The
opportunity to present an abstract allows nurses to showcase their projects and
portray how the strides they have made can improve the role of the NPD nurse.
The ability to write an abstract is an important skill for NPD practitioners to
possess, but the aptitude to edit your own abstracts will elevate your writing
to the next level so that your research truly stands out. While editing your
own work may seem daunting, these tips will help you to present a clear,
concise, and, consequently, more effective report.
Take Some Space
You’ve
worked long and hard to produce an abstract that showcases the effectiveness of
your report, and editing that abstract after all the effort you have put in probably
sounds less than ideal. Before you dive in to the editing process, take a break
to distance yourself from your abstract—go for a walk, read a book, eat a
snack, do whatever you need to do to refresh your mind before undertaking the
next step in the abstract submission process. If editing your abstract still
seems overwhelming, break your writing down into chunks and tackle it piece by
piece.
Keep it Simple
An
effective abstract summarizes the report without unnecessary elaboration or
“fluff,” so it is important to stick to the facts and keep your abstract brief.
If your abstract is peppered with long sentences containing several ideas,
break those sentences down into 2-3 succinct ones—shorter sentences add an
element of conciseness, allowing each sentence to pack a greater punch. When in
doubt, remember that less is always more; rather than adding to your abstract,
trim down the paragraphs that include excess or redundant information.
Additionally, steer clear of big, fancy words—keep the language as simple as
possible so that anyone who reads your abstract understands the main takeaways.
Use Your Resources
Even
the strongest writers and editors find themselves stumped from time to time,
and there are plenty of online resources you can utilize to make the editing
process seem less intimidating. Whether you need assistance with grammar and punctuation,
formatting, or even proofreading strategies, websites like the Purdue
Online Writing Lab (OWL)
or Guide to Grammar and Writing are excellent tools to keep in mind.
You can also find abstract-specific resources by researching other
organizations; for example, the International Association of Clinical Research
Nurses’ (IACRN) site includes a PowerPoint presentation, “Writing a Conference Abstract: Tips
for Success,” that
you may find helpful when editing your abstract. A peer review is another great
way to edit your abstract—a second pair of eyes is always helpful!
