 Hi and welcome back to today's video which is all about how to write an abstract for a call for papers as I discussed and promised in my last video. So the last video I spoke about conference presentations and why it's important to get into as many as possible. As your as an early career academic. But today I'm focusing more on basically how to write an abstract so usually what happens is you will see a call for papers. And in the call for papers they just basically say you know if you want to present or if you have anything. Any work that you've done or whatever come and present for us and obviously you need to you need to submit an abstract of what it is that you want to present. They go through it they select it and then they invite you basically to to present. So the reason why I'm doing this really is because the first time I had to do I really couldn't find like everything in one place. So I hope that this video will do that I do have a blog post which I've written I have it here. And I've like written the points in more detail so if you want to go over this and just you know read it in more detail. Head over to my blog the link is in the description box it's blog dot in the feature London dot code okay, but you can access it in my. So I do have the five points here and basically that's what I'm going to be covering today. So the first thing the very first thing is obviously you know it seems really straightforward and I mean this in no patronizing way. But the first thing you really need to do is just basically read the call for papers really in detail so that usually is in on a website or it could be emailed to you. It may come you know whatever but there is it may be in a PDF or on a website whatever but there is something called a call to papers and that's basically where the instructions are tells you about the conference tells you about what they're looking for tells you the guidelines. And even though it's obvious that's a starting point to basically read it. And a lot of people just think okay, yeah, I get it. And then they just go straight to submitting, and it's really wrong because there are guidelines, which you really need to stick to, and they, they are very strict actually. Obviously conferences vary in terms of the prestige, the more prestigious they are the more like internationally renowned they are the pickier they are. And you really need to stick to the guidelines. So always a starting point to read the call for papers, and it's not just about guidelines. It's basically the call for papers which you know sets out everything about the conference and what they're looking for will tell you whether your work is a fit for that conference and vice versa because it's also about whether the conference is the right fit for you. Both your work and both yourself as the academic and the researcher that you are. And so it's really worth reading through it because you'll get a feel. First you'll see what it is exactly what the focus is. And then you'll see if it's something if it's something or somewhere you want to present because you need to be picky as well you need to be picky where you are going to present your work. And I know there is this kind of you know power distance where it's all about you lobbying to get your work seen but also you can actually be just as selective. It's not everywhere that you want to be seen and it's not every conference that is a fit for you for your work. I have definitely read call for papers where I think I'm not about this. I'm not about my vibe. Sometimes they're asking for too much, and it's a bit unreasonable, and I just don't feel it. So I don't apply. And then others are just like this is perfect. And the latter I've come across so many call for papers where I'm just like this is perfect. The timing the dates and everything is fine, and it works and you know for me luckily every single conference that I've submitted my abstract for I've been successful in having my work presented accepted to for me to present. So that's a good thing but that's only because I literally carefully chose them. So that was what I felt was a fit for me and my work. So definitely that's a starting point. So, you know, overall, it's all about just basically the guidelines and knowing what to submit how to submit it and of course, just to feel is the conference for you. Does their vibe fit with your vibe. It's always the case and you can be choosy, because they are choosy and selective and you know I think it should work both ways. And the second thing is that when you read the call for papers you will see obviously in the guidelines there are different strands. Sometimes there are different strands like they will have like an overall conference title and a theme and then they may have like sub themes or different strands on different things within the, you know, the general umbrella, there are different strands. So for example, it could be that it's, if it's a conference on academic writing, they could have a strand for business, they could have a strand for humanities. It's possible. And usually you submit to the strand or the theme that you feel your work is the best fit for. However, if you feel that, you know, none of the strands fit. And usually they do have a kind of other category where it's still something that is still relevant to the general theme of the conference and they will accept it. Sometimes they don't always have the theme and I have presented once where the conference was about academic writing for STEM. But my presentation was on critical thinking in teaching academic English, specifically writing. So, you know, I thought, okay, I'm not specifically talking about STEM, but it is something that, you know, the academic writing element is there. I contacted the email to the conference organisers and I said, you know, can I still submit and they said yes, because your work is still about academic writing. We welcome it because we still accommodate topics on academic reading and writing. So it's worth looking at the strands. And they don't fit your seat. There's an other strand. And if you still feel that your work still fits within the general, you know, umbrella theme, contact them if they don't have an other theme. Okay, the second thing is to choose your title carefully. Okay. Now, this is a little bit tricky. It can be tricky. Sometimes it's not sometimes, you know, people are very good at titles and sometimes, you know, it takes a little bit of deliberation. But basically, the importance of this is firstly, obviously a title, you know, the catchier it is, the more interesting and enticing it is, the more likely it is to, you know, get accepted in terms of, you know, lead the person on to read the abstract in detail and think, yes, you know, we've got something really good here. The second thing is, when your abstract gets accepted, you obviously they, they print the people presenting and the titles of presentations on the program for the conference. Sometimes they have simultaneous presentations going on so you'll see people need to pick which presentation to go to. That's quite often they can either pick basically just randomly. They can pick based on whether they know you. But of course you hope that they will pick based on your work. And I would, I like to believe in most cases they pick which conference to go to, which presentation to go to within the conference, based on the title. If you have an interesting title that's enticing that you know makes the people think, oh, this is interesting. I want to know what's going to be said about this or this sounds useful to me. There's something I could learn from this. It works both for the abstract obviously getting accepted and it works for you when you go to present and if you have to, if people have to pick which conference which presentation to attend within the conference, then you know people will be geared towards yours. It is something that you may want to leave to the end, but sometimes you might be presenting from a paper that you've already written and you know titled. And it's absolutely fine for you to either go with that title or you might want to modify it slightly add something remove something is fine, but just make your title interesting. Don't make it sound like an essay title. Don't make it sound like an assignment really put your own twist on something. And a good tip is to have a look at, you know, previous conferences where people have, you know, use like kind of you know metaphors or engaging titles so that's something to consider. The third point is, you know, basically think you know how it is a it may be that you have a choice either to present on something that you've already worked on. You've written and you've published perhaps, or you might read the call for papers and think actually there's something, you know I have an idea. I have something I want to talk and discuss and then you might want to create your presentation entirely from scratch either is fine. Okay, it's absolutely fine. You might be working on your thesis it might be a work in paper. So it may be something that you haven't finished your working on and that's why we call it a work in paper. And you might think you know, actually there's something interesting here within what I'm working on what I'm writing what I'm researching. I would like to present on this that is absolutely fine. Or you might actually have the work done, and you might think I've written this I want to present my paper I want to present my research that is fine. The important thing is, if you have done the paper and you have you know, you've your work is already there, then it's slightly easier to extract the information that you need to put forth in your abstract. Otherwise, if you are preparing your presentation from scratch, that's also fine. What it just means is you need to think carefully of basically what it is you're going to present and how you, you're going to present those ideas, because obviously your abstract needs to show the potential that your presentation has. So it's fine if you want to present on something that you've not written about or you've not actually, you know, done. It's fine. And like I said a lot of presentations are on papers that are works in progress because you know you're working on it and I myself. One of my presentations is and something that is from my thesis that I haven't obviously finished. And but it's something that you know is is a piece of it that I want to explore and discuss in a presentation. The fourth thing very important thing is to check and stick to the word limit. This is very important. Don't treat it as an assignment where you have you know your five to 10% leeway because, first of all, you want to the reason why guidelines are there is because they have, you know, numerous submissions they have you know, they don't accept obviously obviously they don't accept every single submission that comes, they have to go through them and they need to filter so if you're not sticking to the guidelines usually what happens is they will just toss your abstract inside and they probably will never look at it. So if you if the abstract is asking for 500 words, make sure you stick to the 500 words. Don't even go over don't do something like 501 503. I know it sounds like, you know, you know, it's not important. The first thing they will notice if they're just, you know, sifting through a sea of submissions. And you know they're like okay this person didn't stick to the guidelines. It's something that is like seems like a nitty gritty thing. But it's possible that they can nitpick so it's just not worth it if it's 500 stick to the 500. Sometimes you can submit in a website and the website often has the fields that are won't let you go over the character or word count. In this case, don't write whatever is in the field do it in a word processor or an editor to draft it first. Obviously your word processor will give you the exact word count. You can play around with that. But keep it under the word count so do it 500 or less if that's what they're asking for. Now the interesting thing is you. For me I always include references this isn't mandatory. This is convention but it's not mandatory. And the references. I do include them in the word count. So if you have check in, you can always check the information if you're unsure you can always check email the conference organizers and just say, and I would like to submit my abstract. Could you please clarify. Is this necessary. Should I do this. Would you like this. And you know whatever. Okay. So that helps if you do inquire. Quite often the people who are organizing your name will stand out and they'll they'll see kind of you know that you made a conscious effort you know you're enthusiastic about this because you reached out and that's what happened to me I reached out to a specific conference and the person the chair of the conference was actually the person who was going back and forth to me in the email and when I went to present. I stood out obviously because he'd you know communicated with me and we had a really good relationship over the conference. And it was just something that was worked really well so don't be afraid to reach out if, like I said references. They're not mandatory. However, it is convention and it just shows that you are working on your you're working with literature that you're familiar with, and that's why you referenced it so you don't have to do the reference. I would highly advise you to, and if you do stick it within the word count but you can actually check. If, especially if you ask it because you get to kind of ways to submit one is on the website in the fields which the fields are very specific and they do make clear what they help you know many characters they allow or you can do it in a document either document or whatever and attach it and submit via email if it's the latter, you have a bit more leeway, but you should still stick to it and just you know check that. And finally, the most important I think very very important here get to the point okay get to the point. You know, there is a tendency to kind of waffle on, you know, trying to sound impressive and trying to, you know, come across as something that perhaps you're not, which is okay you know people, you know, the intention is good. But what you need to be mindful of is get to the point. Again, the point of the abstract is to showcase that your presentation has the potential, you know something that they want something that is useful and will add value to the the conference. So, the first thing you should do is make your title really clear. Obviously, there is a template and that you can use and I will share that, possibly in my community on Patreon because it's, it's my own work and obviously I don't want to just like circulating freely on the internet so it will be on my academic link is below I'll put examples of my own abstract submissions with the templates that are used where if I'm doing it in a Word document I'll put the title and the presenter name and everything all the details. But even if even when you do that and even if you do it in the website field in your abstract still make your title clear, make it very clear. This is what you're going to present on. Say what exactly it is you are going to present on make it really clear you need to obviously you know make it very easy for the people who are going through picking abstract why they should pick your abstract. The third thing say why it is important generally to the field that you are you know engaging in your own field so for example for me education and social justice, why is what I'm presenting important in that field. You know, it's very simple actually just why because if it isn't important then you really wouldn't be presenting so it's a lot simpler than you think just get to the point. The third thing, be a bit more specific why it's important to that conference. So specifically to that conference. What will it add what value can you bring why basically should you present there why why is it good for them to have you present your work there. And then yeah the last thing so those are four points the last thing is then anything else that you think is important and relevant. And a little bit interesting about what it is you're going to present now be creative here because you've put the important stuff and made it clear so this is your chance to be a little bit creative and flexible, and you can use that to your advantage. And then that's it really so those are the five points. I would say there's also one more thing. Sometimes they do ask you for a biography about yourself. And just make sure that when you do that again you, you just mentioned things that are relevant in terms of about yourself so make clear your role as the academic or the researcher that you are. Your professional background that's relatable to this. Your interests in research or that you know what exactly you're interested in. And just make sure that what you present in your bio is something that's credible that makes you credible as a presenter that makes them think oh yes you know this person sounds an interesting person who engages in what they want to talk about so therefore their knowledge about it and, you know, somebody who we would like to have either on the panel, or you know, on the, you know, discussion. So keep your bio relevant. Nothing about your pets or whatever. I know it's, it might be fun, but don't because the abstract, it needs to be to the point. And when they refine it and you kind of want to be quirky and there is the opportunity for that that's fine, but in your abstract submission, where they do ask for a bio, keep it brief keep it succinct to the point that gives you credibility as a presenter. So that's it guys. The time now is two minutes past six. I have a zoom conference scheduled for six o'clock actually and then I need to prepare if time because it is Ramadan. So that's it. Like I said, there is a blog post that will accompany this. So you can click blog.nafisa.nafisa.london.co.uk in the description bar. And you can have a read and of course any questions. I'll be more than happy to answer. So feel free to leave your questions and comments. And don't forget to give this video a like and share with anyone who you think will benefit from anything I've said in this video. You'll see me in my next video. Inshallah.