Abstract Submission Tips

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Help with the Online Submission Form

The following is required to complete the online submission. Please note, detailed instructions are provided online during the abstract submission process.

Use a concise title that summarizes the content of the abstract. Capitalize the first letter of each word except prepositions, articles, and species names. Italicize all specific/scientific names of microorganisms as appropriate

Select up to two subject categories. Abstracts will be divided into categories for review and programming purposes. The IDWeek Program Committee reserves the right to reassign your abstract to a different category if deemed necessary.

Choose one to three key words in the menu (highest priority first). Additional key words are accepted but should be words in common usage, such as those used in Medline and Index Medicus.

Enter complete author(s) names (example: John S. Doe, MD). Include the name, degree, institution, city, state, and country of all authors and author groups.

List the name of each author’s institution, city, state, and country (do not include department, division, laboratory, etc.). Grant acknowledgments should not appear in abstracts, but should be included in the CME disclosures.

Describe the relevance of the research using background, methods, results, and conclusions. IDWeek will not edit or revise the abstracts. Submitters/authors are responsible for the accuracy of the abstract text. We recommend that a colleague review the abstract for accuracy and grammar.

Provide all pertinent contact information to ensure that correspondence is received promptly and accurately. You must specify the “presenting author.” IDWeek will correspond with the presenting author using only the contact information that is provided at the time of submission. It is the responsibility of the presenting author to communicate future correspondence to all co-authors. Notifications will be sent to the presenting author only.

Changes/modifications, including author and affiliation changes, are allowed for submitted abstracts until the abstract submission deadline, 5 p.m. EDT on  May 7, 2020. Changes to submitted abstracts will not be possible after the submission deadline. Once you submit the abstract, a confirmation message will appear on the screen with an abstract tracking number assigned. Keep a record of your abstract tracking number until you receive your abstract disposition letter.

First Time Submitting an Abstract

Watch this six minute video. Near the three minute mark Kathleen A. McManus, MD shares her thoughts to help make your submission a success.

Formatting Your Abstract

  • Abstracts should be no more than 1,950 characters; not including title, authors, and spaces. Figures, tables, title, and authors do not count against the 1,950 character limit.  Use simple fonts.
  • Italics, underline, bold, superscript and subscript formatting, Greek characters (both upper and lowercase), scientific characters, charts, tables, and graphs are accepted.
  • Figures are accepted and they do not count towards character limit. You are limited to four images in one abstract. There isn’t a maximum allowed resolution for figures.   Acceptable file types for images are .gif, .jpeg, and .png. Color images are allowed. Please provide high resolution images; if the quality submitted is poor, they will appear badly.
  • All fields must contain the requested information or the submission will not be complete.
  • Do not send multiple submissions of the same abstract. Duplicate abstracts will be rejected. Be sure to combine all new information into one abstract.
  • Always keep an original copy of your submitted abstract.
  • Always proofread your abstract. Accepted abstracts will be published as submitted. If English is not your first language, please have a fluent English speaker review your abstract for conference abstract editing. Please note that edited abstracts will still need to undergo peer-review by IDWeek.

Changing/Editing Your Abstract

  • Submitters may return to the online system to edit abstracts, revise information, correct typographical errors, tables, graphics, or delete a submission at any time before the submission deadline May 7, 2020, 5 p.m. EDT (August 13, 5 p.m. EDT for late breaker abstracts).  After this time, the system will be closed, and complete abstracts reviewed by IDWeek.
  • An author may not revise or resubmit an abstract in order to make changes or corrections after the submission deadlines; adding or removing authors after the submission deadline is not permitted.
  • Proofread abstracts carefully to avoid errors before they are submitted.  IDWeek is not authorized to make changes to a submission.  This includes typographical errors.  Your abstract, if selected, will be published exactly as submitted.
  • Errors in an accepted abstract may be indicated during the presentation.
  • If you choose to withdraw an abstract after the submission deadline, this request must be received by IDWeek in writing and sent to abstracts@idweek.org by July 17, 2020.  After this date, withdrawals may still be accepted but abstracts may still appear in publications.  Withdrawal of an accepted after June 29, 2019 or failure to present an accepted abstract could result in disqualification from presenting an abstract at IDWeek for the subsequent year.

Drug Names

Drug products mentioned in the abstract should be identified by their non-proprietary (e.g., generic) name only. Do not capitalize non-proprietary names.