Abstract Submission Guidelines

1.0 Overview

The purpose of WCHRI Research Day is to showcase trainee and WCHRI funded/supported research in women’s and children’s health. WCHRI hosts this event annually to provide trainees and other learners with a highly-engaged learning and networking environment.

In order to access the abstract submission form you will be asked to confirm that you have read and understood these WCHRI Research Day abstract submission guidelines. Note that you must submit your abstract at the time of registration.

All abstracts must be submitted on the WCHRI abstract template. No other templates or documents may be used. Abstracts cannot exceed the space provided.

Deadline for abstract submission is September 18, 2019 at 7 a.m.

1.1 Notifications

You will be notified whether you will be making an oral or poster presentation by October 4, which will be followed up with final details (room numbers, times, abstract number, etc.)

2.0 Eligibility requirements

  • Abstracts must be relevant to women’s and/or children’s health.
  • Each first author may submit and present one abstract only. Presenter should normally be the first author.
    • If you are not able to present your poster, you may ask a colleague to present for you, but only if they are not already presenting their own work. Your substitute will not be judged.
  • Only trainees are eligible to be judged.

3.0 Submission requirements

If you are submitting an abstract or registering on behalf of someone else, the registration form must be completed with that person’s information, including email address. Presentation information will be sent only to the registrant’s email.

4.0 Abstract format and content

Abstracts will be published in the format they are received and will not be edited by WCHRI. Please ensure all special symbols (alpha, beta, etc.) are correct in your abstract before you submit. Unfortunately the template does not accept super or subscript.

5.0 Presentation time

While we will make every effort to accommodate your choice, we cannot guarantee presentation time preference.

6.0 Acknowledgement

Abstracts must list a research funder as all research is supported in some way by a financial commitment. Typical support includes the department or research institute (e.g. WCHRI), charitable donations and, local, provincial or national research funding sources. The list of WCHRI funding opportunities is provided below for your convenience. If you are unsure of the source of funding for your project, please ask your supervisor.

All research projects funded by or receiving subsidized research services from WCHRI must acknowledge the support of WCHRI and the appropriate Foundation. Please use the WCHRI and Foundation logos on your poster or presentation slides if your research has been supported by WCHRI.

6.1 Why is this essential?

  • To fulfill requirements in your Offer of Award and within WCHRI’s Memorandum of Understanding with Alberta Health Services, Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation, Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and the University of Alberta.
  • To recognize and thank the Foundations’ supporters for funding your research efforts.
  • To instill trust in your work—increasing the likelihood of future support.

List all relevant funding sources/funding programs in the space at the bottom of the abstract template.

6.1.1 WCHRI funding programs:
  • Bridge Funding
  • Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program (CCHCSP)
  • Clinical/Community Research Integration Support Program (CRISP)
  • Graduate Studentship
  • Hair Massacure
  • Innovation
  • Patient and Community Engagement Training (PaCET)
  • Partnerships (i.e.leveraged/matched funding, in-kind support)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • Recruitment & Retention (R&R)
  • Research Capacity Building
  • Resident Grant
  • Seed Grant
  • Summer Studentship
  • Stollery Science Lab, Distinguished Researchers
  • Trainee Travel
6.1.2 WCHRI research supports:
  • Biostatistics
  • Clinical research coordination / clinical trials support
  • Data management
  • Qualitative design, KT, stakeholder engagement
6.1.3 Other examples of funding sources:
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Council (SSHRC)
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
  • Alberta Innovates
  • Heart & Stroke Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health

7.0 Completing and uploading your abstract

Submission font is Arial 10 point. Your abstract must be saved as an MSWord document using the full naming convention: YourLastname, YourFirstname 2019 WCHRI Research Day abstract.

Note: your abstract must be copied into the WCHRI Research Day abstract template

  • Provide your name and your supervisor’s name in the appropriate boxes
  • Provide the abstract title in sentence case (capitalize the first word and proper nouns only, no end punctuation). Do not exceed 180 characters including spaces.
  • Provide the complete abstract author listing. This list should include the presenter. Do not exceed 265 characters including spaces.
  • Enter each of four sections of your abstract into the template: Introduction, Methods, Results and Conclusions. Abstracts cannot exceed one page.
  • Upload your abstract as detailed above.

Other/additional documentation will not be accepted.

8.0 Scoring criteria:

  1. Quality of research (originality/methods used and methodological rigor)
  2. Significance/relevance to the field/society in general
  3. Development of idea and clarity of purpose (stated hypothesis or question)
  4. Clear presentation/communication/responses to questions and enthusiasm for topic
  5. Conclusions, knowledge translation and implementation plan (as appropriate) and future research directions

8.1 Scoring

Each of the categories will be rated according to the following score (out of 100):

  • Outstanding: Extremely strong with negligible weaknesses (81-100)
  • Excellent: Very strong with only some minor weaknesses (61-80)
  • Good: Strong but with at least one moderate weakness (41-60)
  • Fair: Some strengths but also moderate weaknesses (21-40)
  • Acceptable: Some strengths but with at least one major weakness (0-20)