Symposium on Undergraduate Research & Creative Expression logo

April 17, 2025

Student Innovation Center

2025 Abstract Guidelines and Format for the ISU Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression Symposium

Guidelines

A research presentation abstract should be concise, clearly state the research question, the methodology used, the key findings, and the conclusions. Avoid unnecessary jargon and focus on communicating the value of your research to the reader. The abstract should be a summary of factual information and not simply a general description of what the author plans to present. Abstracts must represent a completed project with conclusions and not an in-progress or yet-to-begin project. 

Format

Name:
Major:
Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression Mentor and/or Research Lab name (if applicable):
Keywords: (3-4 words that relate to your project; i.e. DNA, thermodynamics, learning objectives, AI, etc.):

The body of the abstract is limited to 300 words.

A high-quality abstract contains the following key elements (without designating them as such):

  • Introduction:
    • Briefly introduce the research topic, its relevance, and the research question.
    • 1-2 sentences
  • Methods:
    • Summarize the main research methods used, including data collection techniques and participants.
    • 2-3 sentences
  • Results:
    • Highlight the most significant findings or key results of your research, including relevant data or statistics. (Do not include tables or graphs.)
    • 2-3 sentences
  • Conclusions/Summary 
    • State the main conclusions drawn from your research and their implications.
    • 1-2 sentences

Be sure to complete a word count on the body of the abstract before submitting it via the Qualtrics form on the symposium website.

What to avoid:

  • Excessively detailed information: Don't include minor details or lengthy explanations.
  • Unnecessary background information: Focus on the core aspects of your research.
  • Citations: Do not include citations in an abstract.
  • Overly technical language: Be mindful of jargon that might be unfamiliar to your audience.

Here are some anonymized examples of previously submitted abstracts: