Getting to a Great Abstract
Your 'abstract' summarises your content for someone else to judge. Here, we're dealing with what you write when you send your proposal to the program committee.
who we're ignoring...
Your abstract, no matter how polished, will get rewritten for different audiences. Conference advertising may need differnt text from the on-the-day guide. And you'll have your own brief verbal description, too for that moment where the small talk turns to "You're a speaker? What's your topic?"
Who do you summarise for?
- the people who decide what goes on the program
- people who decide to engage with your content.
- People who might decide to go to the event, based on what you and others have written.
- Optimisation algorithms for search and summary and discovery
- People who you bump into and who need a short verbal summary.
- People who want to know what you've presented before.
In this exercise, we'll start with real things we're working on, consider what works, make changes, get and give feedback.
Got something to share? Put it on the Miro board. It does not have to be a polished abstract – and can be just an idea for a topic or a format if that's what you're working on.
Seeking feedback? Put a 👍 if you want to know what works. Put a 👎 if you want to hear what doesn't. Put both if you fancy.
Exercise: Quietly Consider Others
5 mins
Read another abstract. Decide what works. Decide what doesn't. Three of each, if you need a goal. Be very specific and write an alternative. If you like, formulate a principle (if you want to build on something, glance at Great / Poor abstract). You won't share these unless you want to.
Exercise: Publicly Change Yours
5 mins
Apply (some of) that same judgement to yours – if you liked their catchy title, try working on your title. If you found it hard to understand a sentence, identify something of yours that needs work, and clarify. Make at least one change. Put your new version on the board.
Debrief: Reflect
10 mins
We'll go round, presenting the changes we made. If you've asked for feedback, and if someone has feedback, we'll share.
Celebrate any changes.
Notice where your opinions match, and differ, on what makes a 'great' abstract. This is entirely good – and it enhances your unique angle, and positions you for the right audience.
Longer exercise
A 30-60 minute in-person exercise ending up in a worthwhile short abstract for your idea.
- Have a chat about your idea and existing abstract with the group
- Prime your mind with a couple of checklists or our gallery of fantasy abstracts
- Write something down!
- Ask for review, comments, advice
- (optional) Add your abstract to the gallery and ask for public comments
- Set milestones for next steps
Example abstracts
coming!
Some examples written by regular speakers. A couple of mine in various states of disarray.
Support
Captured at various events – thank you to participants!
Great Abstract
- catchy title
- idea that has potential
- indicates that thought and work has gone into communicating the message
- /brief/ problem statement
- real examples
- demonstrates experience
- clear takeaways
- relevant to event
- easy to read, draws you onwards
- non-trivial
- has substance – more than a tease, less than a paper
- more than just the bright side – pitfalls, failures, antipatterns, pathologies
- within word limit (and more than a couple of sentences)
- offers interaction or demonstration
Poor Abstract
- claims expertise / authority
- problem excludes content
- poorly written, poorly proofread
- unstructured or incoherent
- buzzwords
- single tool
- happy paths only
- One true method / “I’m right”
- Emotionless
- Tired topic
