The call for abstracts is like the welcoming door for gathering innovative research, groundbreaking ideas, and insightful perspectives in academic conferences, symposiums, and professional gatherings. This guide is here to walk you through how to run call for abstracts from start to finish. By grasping the significance of the call, setting clear objectives, and navigating through each step, organizers can enhance their efforts and lift the quality of their events to new heights.
Importance of Call for Abstracts
The call for abstracts catalyzes knowledge dissemination, fostering collaboration, and driving advancements in various fields. It invites researchers, scholars, practitioners, and experts to contribute their work, share insights, and engage in meaningful dialogue within their communities. Moreover, it enables event organizers to curate diverse and dynamic program agendas that reflect the latest trends, emerging topics, and cutting-edge research.
A 7-Step Guide for Abstract Management
1. Preparing for the Call
- Define scope and theme: It is crucial to clearly articulate the call’s focus areas, themes, and objectives. This helps attract relevant submissions and ensures alignment with the event’s overarching goals. A well-defined scope sets expectations for potential contributors, guiding them in crafting submissions that meet the call’s criteria.
- Underline the role of the timeline and deadlines: Developing a well-defined timeline with clear deadlines for submission, review, selection, and notification is not just a suggestion; it’s essential. This structured approach is critical to maintaining an efficient process. By setting realistic deadlines, organizers ensure that both contributors and reviewers have adequate time to fulfill their roles, ultimately contributing to the success of the call.
- Identifying target audience: Understanding the interests, preferences, and expectations of the target audience is paramount. Tailoring the call to resonate with the target audience increases the likelihood of attracting relevant and engaging submissions. By aligning the call with the audience’s interests, organizers maximize participation and enhance the event’s overall impact.
- Creating clear guidelines and criteria: Comprehensive guidelines and evaluation criteria are crucial for effectively guiding authors in preparing and submitting their abstracts. Clear guidelines help authors understand what is expected of them. At the same time, well-defined evaluation criteria ensure consistency and fairness during the review process. Ultimately, clear guidance empowers authors to submit high-quality abstracts that meet the call’s objectives.
2. Managing Submissions:
- Setting up submission platforms: Choosing a suitable platform for accepting and managing abstract submissions is essential and empowering. The selected platform, with its ease of use, accessibility, and compatibility, can empower both contributors and organizers. A user-friendly submission platform not only streamlines the submission process but also makes it easier for contributors to submit their work and for organizers to manage incoming submissions efficiently, fostering a sense of efficiency and control.
- Reviewing and organizing abstracts: Establishing a systematic process for reviewing, organizing, and categorizing incoming abstracts is paramount. Organizing abstracts based on relevant criteria can facilitate efficient evaluation and decision-making during the review process. With an organized system, organizers can effectively manage the volume of submissions and ensure that each submission is given the attention it deserves.
- Ensuring fair and transparent evaluation: A cornerstone is the implementation of robust measures to ensure fairness, impartiality, and transparency throughout the evaluation process. This includes establishing clear evaluation criteria, providing guidelines for reviewers, and ensuring consistency in the review process. By placing a premium on fairness and transparency, organizers can uphold the integrity of the selection process, thereby fostering trust among contributors and stakeholders.
- Handling queries and providing support: Offering prompt and responsive support to authors, reviewers, and participants is crucial. Addressing queries, clarifications, and technical issues promptly enhances the user experience and fosters a positive relationship with contributors. By providing adequate support, organizers demonstrate their commitment to facilitating a smooth and successful submission process, ultimately contributing to the overall success of the call.
3. Review and Selection Process:
- Forming Review Committees: Assembling diverse and qualified review committees comprising subject matter experts, scholars, practitioners, and stakeholders ensures comprehensive evaluation. A diverse panel brings varied perspectives to the review process, enriching the assessment and ensuring that submissions are assessed from multiple angles.
- Developing Evaluation Criteria: Defining clear and objective evaluation criteria aligned with the call’s objectives and themes guides reviewers in assessing abstracts consistently. Well-defined criteria provide a framework for evaluation, enabling reviewers to focus on the most relevant aspects of each submission. By establishing clear expectations, organizers facilitate a fair and thorough review process.
- Conducting Blind Peer Review (if applicable): Implementing anonymous peer review minimizes biases and ensures impartial evaluation, protecting the integrity and quality of the selection process. Anonymous review anonymizes submissions, allowing reviewers to assess abstracts based solely on merit. This approach promotes fairness and objectivity, enhancing the credibility of the selection process.
- Making Selections and Notifications: It is crucial to methodically review and select abstracts based on merit, relevance, and alignment with the event’s goals. Communicating decisions promptly and courteously to authors demonstrates respect and professionalism. Clear and timely notifications enable authors to plan accordingly and contribute to the event’s overall success.
4. Providing Feedback:
- Offering Constructive Feedback to Authors: Providing constructive feedback to authors facilitates learning and improvement, whether their abstracts are accepted or rejected. Constructive feedback highlights strengths and areas for improvement, empowering authors to refine their work and enhance its quality.
- Communicating Decisions Clearly and Timely: Ensuring clear and timely communication of decisions, feedback, and next steps to authors maintains transparency and professionalism. Clear communication helps manage expectations, and fosters trust and goodwill among contributors.
- Facilitating Revision and Resubmission (if applicable): Offering opportunities for authors to revise and resubmit their abstracts based on feedback or recommendations encourages continuous improvement and engagement. Revision and resubmission processes enable authors to address feedback and enhance their submissions, ultimately contributing to the overall quality of the event.
- Maintaining Professionalism and Courtesy: It is paramount to uphold professional standards and demonstrate courtesy, respect, and appreciation toward authors, reviewers, and participants, regardless of outcomes. Professionalism and courtesy foster positive relationships and enhance the overall experience for all stakeholders involved.
5. Post-Selection Steps:
- Collecting Necessary Information from Selected Authors: Gathering essential information, including author bios, affiliations, and presentation preferences, from selected authors facilitates event planning and coordination. This information enables organizers to create accurate event materials and ensure that authors chosen are appropriately recognized and accommodated.
- Planning Presentation Formats and Sessions: Strategically organizing selected abstracts into thematic sessions, workshops, or panels enriches the event program and enhances the attendee experience. Diverse presentation formats cater to different learning styles and interests, creating a dynamic and engaging event environment.
- Coordinating with Speakers and Panelists: Engaging selected authors as speakers, panelists, or presenters and providing guidance and support throughout the preparation and presentation process ensures that sessions are well-prepared and impactful. Effective coordination fosters collaboration and maximizes the value of each presentation.
- Preparing for Event Logistics: Coordinating logistical arrangements, including scheduling, venue logistics, audiovisual requirements, and technical support, ensures smooth and successful event execution. Attention to detail and proactive planning mitigate potential challenges and provide a seamless event experience.
6. Wrapping Up:
- Thanking Participants and Reviewers: Expressing gratitude and appreciation to authors, reviewers, volunteers, and stakeholders for their contributions, dedication, and support acknowledges their invaluable role in the event’s success. Recognition fosters goodwill and strengthens relationships within the community.
- Conducting Post-Event Evaluation: Reflecting on the outcomes, successes, challenges, and lessons learned from the call process and event execution informs future improvements and iterations. The post-event evaluation identifies areas of improvement and best practices to guide future planning and decision-making.
- Documenting Lessons Learned for Future Calls: Documenting key insights, best practices, and recommendations derived from the call experience informs future planning, decision-making, and continuous improvement efforts. Documentation ensures that valuable lessons are captured and shared with stakeholders to optimize future calls.
- Celebrating Successes and Acknowledging Challenges: Celebrating achievements, milestones, and successes stemming from the call process and acknowledging and addressing any challenges or shortcomings encountered along the way reinforces a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
7. Choosing the Best Abstract Management Software:
- Assessing Needs: Identifying specific requirements, functionalities, and goals for abstract management software based on the scope, scale, and objectives of the event and call ensures that the chosen solution aligns with organizational needs and preferences.
- Researching Options: Exploring various abstract management software solutions, platforms, and providers considering factors such as features, pricing, user experience, and customer support enables informed decision-making and mitigates risks.
- Requesting Demos and Trials: Requesting demos, trials, or pilot programs from shortlisted software providers facilitates hands-on evaluation of their suitability, usability, and compatibility with organizational needs, ensuring that the chosen solution effectively meets requirements.
- Gathering Feedback: Seeking feedback and recommendations from peers, colleagues, and industry experts who have experience using abstract management software informs decision-making and helps identify potential challenges or advantages associated with different solutions.
- Making an Informed Decision: Evaluating and comparing the pros and cons of different abstract management software options based on functionality, reliability, scalability, and support ensures that the chosen solution aligns with organizational priorities and objectives.
Conclusion
Running a successful call for abstracts requires careful planning, effective communication, and meticulous execution at every process stage. By following the comprehensive guidelines outlined in this guide, organizers can optimize their efforts, maximize participation, ensure fairness and transparency, and ultimately elevate the quality and impact of their events.
Whether you’re organizing an academic conference, professional symposium, or industry gathering, mastering the art of the call for abstracts is essential for fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and advancing knowledge within your community. Embrace the insights, strategies, and best practices shared in this guide, and embark on your journey to orchestrating a successful call for abstracts that inspire, engage, and leave a lasting impact.
If you need features beyond abstract management, check out event management platforms such as Whova that also manages your registrations, mobile event app, participant communication & engagement, check-in and badging.