--- title: "How to Write a Conference Abstract: A 7 Step Formula" description: Writing a conference abstract? Follow our 7 step formula, from title and motivation to results and conclusions, plus tips to improve your acceptance odds. image: https://www.exordo.com/hubfs/New%20Image%20Batches/person-typing-on-laptop.webp --- [Ex Ordo](https://www.exordo.com/) - Product - #### [Review Our abstract management software is built for painless peer review.](https://www.exordo.com/product/peer-review-software) - #### [Register We designed our registration system for research conferences, not rock concerts.](https://www.exordo.com/product/conference-registration) - #### [Virtual Gather your tribe with a virtual or hybrid conference that's designed for discovery.](https://www.exordo.com/product/virtual-conference-platform) We've built the best software in the world for [managing a research conference](https://www.exordo.com/product/conference-management) - Customers - #### [WDA Case Study How Wildlife Disease Association built a long-term partnership with Ex Ordo.](https://www.exordo.com/case-study/wildlife-disease-association) - #### [ASEM Case Study How the American Society for Engineering Management moved to a hybrid format.](https://www.exordo.com/case-study/american-society-for-engineering-management) - #### [Customer Stories We understand the value of a second opinion. 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Here it is. Learning how to write an abstract for a conference is a critical skill for early-career researchers. The purpose of an abstract is to summarise – in a single paragraph – the major aspects of the paper you want to present, so it’s important you learn to write a complete but concise abstract that does your conference paper justice. Your conference abstract is often the only piece of your work that conference organisers will see, so it needs to be strong enough to stand alone. And once your work is accepted or published, researchers will only consider attending your presentation or reading the rest of your paper if your abstract compels them to. So learning how to write an abstract well is pretty important. Happily, while every research discipline varies, most successful abstracts follow a similar formula. Share [Ex Ordos abstract management platform](https://www.exordo.com/) with any conference organiser you know. Our platform and our business focuses on solving three core problems impacting event organisers: bandwidth and capacity issues; integrating events with wider organisational workflows; and receiving quality, timely support. ## The formula for how to write an abstract When considering how to write an abstract, follow this formula:  **topic + title + motivation + problem statement + approach + results + conclusions = conference abstract** Here’s the formula in more detail. Adapt it as you need to fit your research discipline. ### 1. Abstract topic How will your abstract convince the conference organisers that you’ll add to the discussion on a particular topic at their event? Your conference presentation will have limited scope, so choose an angle that fits the conference topics and consider your abstract through that lens. ### 2. Abstract title What is your conference paper about and what makes it interesting? A good rule of thumb is to give your abstract a title of 12 words or less. ### 3. Motivation Why should your readers care about the problem and your results? This section should include the background to your research, the importance of it, and the difficulty of the area. ### 4. The problem What problem are you trying to solve? Are you using a generalised approach, or is it for a specific situation? (If the problem your research addresses is widely recognised, include this section before motivation.) Clearly state the topic of your paper and your research question in this section. ### 5. Study design How did you approach solving the problem or making progress on it? How did you design your study? What was the extent of your research? ### 6. Predictions and results What findings or trends did your analysis uncover? Were they as you expected, or not? ### 7. Conclusions What do your results mean? How will they contribute to your field? Will they shake things up, speed things up, or simply show other researchers that this specific area may be a dead end. Are your results general (or generalisable) or highly specific? ## Tips for writing a successful conference abstract Conference organisers usually have more submissions than presentation slots, so use these tips to improve the chances your abstract is successful. ### Follow the conference abstract guidelines ![how to write an abstract - Screenshot of Ex Ordo abstract management software showing guide for authors showing abstract submission guidelines on](https://www.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-09-20-at-08_37_25-1.png?width=936&height=382&name=Screen-Shot-2018-09-20-at-08_37_25-1.png) *Submission guidelines on [Ex Ordo abstract management software](https://www.exordo.com/abstract-management-software)* Double-check the conference guidelines for abstract style and spacing. You’ll usually find these in a guide for authors on the conference’s abstract management software or on the conference website. Although they’re usually pretty standard, some conferences have specific formatting guidelines. And you need to follow them to a T. ### Carefully select your abstract keywords Abstract keywords help other researchers find your work once it’s published, and lots of conferences request that authors provide these when they submit. These should be the words that most accurately reflect the content of your paper. ### Find example abstracts Familiarise yourself with conference abstracts in the wild. Get your hands on the conference book of abstracts from previous years – if you can’t find it online, your supervisor may have a copy lying about. Look for examples of abstracts submitted by early-career researchers especially, and try to pinpoint what made each one successful. ### Edit with fresh eyes Once you’ve written your abstract, give yourself at least a day away from it. Editing it with fresh eyes can help you be more objective in deciding what’s essential. There are various free [online tools](https://remotepeople.com/best-remote-work-tools/) you could use to help you edit your abstract.  ### Cut filler and jargon Space is limited, so be as concise as you can by cutting words or phrases that aren’t necessary. Keep sentences short enough that you can read them aloud without having to pause for breath. And steer clear of jargon that’s specific to one field – especially if you’re submitting to an interdisciplinary conference. ### Submit early Conferences organisers often begin reviewing abstracts before the submissions deadline arrives, and they’re often swamped with submissions right before the deadline. Submit your abstract well before the deadline and you may help your chances of being accepted. ### Submit often As an early-career researcher, conferences are often the first place you’ll have your work published, so conference abstracts are a great place to learn. The more abstracts you write and submit, the better you’ll get at writing them. So keep trying. Subscribe to PaperCrowd to find suitable conferences to submit to. ### Are you organising a conference? At Ex Ordo, we know that conference organizers juggle countless tasks, from handling clunky systems to managing endless data exports. That’s why we created [The No-Panic Guide to Organising Successful Scholarly Events](https://www.exordo.com/no-panic-scholarly-event-guide)—a comprehensive roadmap designed to simplify event planning and save your team time and effort. This guide covers the entire event lifecycle, from initial planning to post-event review. It’s full of expert advice, time-saving techniques, and real-world examples to help you deliver a seamless and engaging experience for your attendees. [Here’s what you’ll get:](https://www.exordo.com/no-panic-scholarly-event-guide) - Detailed checklists and planning timelines - Strategies for effective team collaboration Technology tips to automate and simplify tasks - Insights on managing budgets, sponsors, and stakeholders - Best practices for crafting a memorable event experience Make conference planning stress-free—grab your copy now! ## Conclusion In summary, writing a strong conference abstract is a crucial step in sharing your research and making an impact at academic events. A well-crafted abstract serves as a concise summary of your work, capturing the essence of your research question, methods, findings, and conclusions. By following a structured approach and adhering to conference guidelines, you increase your chances of catching the reviewer’s eye and securing a spot in the program. The process begins with understanding the key elements that make up an abstract: the background or context of your research, the problem or gap your study addresses, the methodology you employed, the main findings, and the significance of your results. Each of these elements plays a vital role in showing the value of your research and why it’s relevant to the conference audience. A successful abstract is not just informative but also engaging, using precise and active language that conveys confidence and clarity. As you finalise your abstract, remember the importance of revising and refining your draft. Seeking feedback from colleagues or mentors can provide valuable insights and help you see your work from different perspectives, ensuring that your message is clear and compelling. Additionally, paying close attention to language, length, and adherence to any submission guidelines demonstrates professionalism and respect for the conference’s standards. Ultimately, a well-written abstract does more than simply outline your research; it communicates your contribution to the field and invites others to engage with your work. By dedicating time and effort to this small but powerful piece of writing, you enhance your chances of presenting at a conference, connecting with peers, and gaining recognition in your academic community. The art of crafting an impactful abstract is a skill that, once mastered, will serve you throughout your research career. ## Sources on how to write an abstract for specific fields ### How to write an abstract for humanities or social sciences conference Catherine Baker has written a great piece about [answering a conference call for papers](https://bakercatherine.wordpress.com/2017/03/15/how-to-write-a-conference-abstract-a-five-part-plan-for-pitching-your-research-at-almost-anything/). Helen Kara on the LSE Blog writes about the [differences between conference abstracts and abstracts for journals](http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2015/01/27/how-to-write-a-killer-conference-abstract/). ### How to write an abstract for a scientific conference Chittaranjan Andrade writes in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry on how to write a good [scientific abstract for a conference presentation](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3136027/). This piece from BioScience Writers gives some good tips on [writing about scientific research](http://www.biosciencewriters.com/Writing-Abstracts-for-Scientific-Conferences.aspx). ### How to write a computer architecture abstract The “how to write an abstract” formula above was adapted from this [excellent piece by Phillip Koopman](http://users.ece.cmu.edu/~koopman/essays/abstract.html). ### How to write an abstract when you’re an early-career researcher And this post on the Writing Clear Science blog gives some great pointers on [how NOT to write an abstract](https://www.writingclearscience.com.au/abstractmistakes/). ### Sign up for our newsletter ## Read more articles ### [![Your conference presentation checklist](https://www.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/conf-presentation-checklist-1.jpg?width=1200&height=800&name=conf-presentation-checklist-1.jpg) Your conference presentation checklist](https://www.exordo.com/blog/your-conference-presentation-checklist) 15 April 2024 Feeling nervous at the thought of presenting your first paper at a conference? Use this conference presentation checklist to help you prepare. [![Avatar of Dee McCurry](https://www.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Dee%20-%20Grey-1.jpg?width=24&height=24&name=Dee%20-%20Grey-1.jpg) Dee McCurry](https://www.exordo.com/blog/author/dee-mccurry) 5 mins read ### [![The Complete Guide to Academic Conferences (2026)](https://www.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/New%20Image%20Batches/conference-venue-auditorium-seating.webp?width=1200&height=800&name=conference-venue-auditorium-seating.webp) The Complete Guide to Academic Conferences (2026)](https://www.exordo.com/blog/guide-to-academic-conferences) 11 November 2025 New to academic conferences? This complete guide covers submitting abstracts, peer review, presenting, networking, and spotting predatory events. 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