Volume 21 Number 5 October 1993

Joseph J. Klimek, MD Hartford, Connecticut

Fifteen years ago, the first “original paper session” was held at the APIC annual educational meeting in Boston. Since those first shaky steps, the presentation of original scientific research has become an integral and important part of each annual educational meeting. As our organization has evolved in sophistication and relevance, so too has our annual meeting.

Hundreds of APIC members have presented their work at the annual meetings. The disposition of abstracts submitted to APIC National Confer- ences since 1978 is found in Table 1. The Program Committee reviewed more than six times the original number of abstracts submitted for pre- sentation in that first 1978 session for APIC ‘93 in Orlando. The quality of submitted papers has risen dramatically, and it is a challenge to select the best.

The current system of abstract submission, evaluation, and disposition has evolved since 1978, with new refinements added each year. So that authors preparing abstracts for future con- ferences will have a clearer idea about what the Program Committee looks for, the following brief description of the abstract selection process is provided.

ABSTRACT SU6MJSSlON 1. Abstract (the original and six copies) is submit-

ted to the APIC National Office by the corre-

Dr. Klimek is Director, Department of Medicine, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut, and senior associate editor of the JOURNAL.

Reprint requests: Joseph J. Klimek, MD, Director, Department of Medicine, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT 06115. AJIC AM J INFECT CONTROL 1993;21:223-5

0 1993 by the Association for Practitioners in Infection Control, Inc.

0196-6553193 $01 .OO + 0.10 17/45/48554

sponding author before the deadline in Janu- ary. The author must state the problem and the solution in 250 words or less.

2. APIC National Office acknowledges receipt of abstract by postcard to author.

3. APIC National Office sends one copy of each abstract to the members of the Abstract Selec- tion Committee. The names and affiliations of abstract authors are not masked.

4. The Abstract Selection Committee is appointed by the Program Committee Chairman and consists of a semirandom mix of male/female, RN/MD, CIUetc.

ABSTMCTBV~ 1. Each member of the Selection Committee

ranks each abstract according to four major criteria: a.

b.

C.

d.

Presentation. Is the abstract properly pre- pared? Are the directions followed? Is the abstract visually appealing, or is it sloppy? Are words misspelled? Is the title infor- mative? Originality. Has the work been done before? Is the concept or the approach new or different? Scientific merit. Is the problem or question clearly stated? Are the materials, methods, results, and interpretation adequate from a scientific standpoint? Are conclusions sup- ported by results? Is the reasoning clear? Are actual data presented or does the author vaguely promise that “results will be presented?” Applicabdity. Is this practical, useful infor- mation for the ICP? Does this paper have relevance? Each category for each paper is

223

224 Klimek AJIC

October 1993

Table 1. Disposition of abstracts submitted to APIC National Conferences 1978 through 1993

Year Location Oral papers presented Posters presented Papers not accepted Total papers

1978 Boston 12 1979 Houston 17 1980 San Francisco 26 1981 Atlanta 49 1982 New Orleans 40 1983 San Diego 48 1984 Washington, DC. 50 1985 Cincinnati 48 1986 Las Vegas 48 1987 Miami 48 1988 Dallas 36 1989 Reno 32 1990 Washington, D.C. 12 1991 Nashville 32 1992 San Francisco 24 1993 Orlando 32

- - 48 59 61 42 58 70 53 40 66 45 66 78

105

18 55 88

7 22 24 26 17 40 41 5

36 27 93 57

30 72

114 104 121 133 118 123 158 142 81

105 93

125 195 194

assigned a number of points out of a total possible 50 points.

2. Committee members do not evaluate their own papers.

ABSTRACT SELECTION 1. The Selection Committee chairperson tallies up

the total points for each paper from each evaluator, to reach a grand total for each paper out of a possible 250 points.

2. All papers requesting posters are separated from the rest and ranked in descending order. The highest ranked papers are to be considered first. Those papers requesting either oral pre- sentation or no preference are ranked together in descending order.

3. At a meeting of the entire Program Committee in February, papers to be considered for oral presentation are reviewed in descending order by the Committee and assigned appropriate time slots for presentation.

4. Decisions about allocation on the program take point total into account but also consider such variables as the number of papers on that subject, the number of papers from the author’s group, the geographic location of the author and the institution, whether the papers have been presented before, and (important but intangible) how the paper fits into the overall “flow” of the program.

5. After all available slots for oral presentations are filled, the committee decides whether any other papers submitted for oral presentation are appropriate for the author to be offered the option of presenting the material in a poster session. The remaining abstracts are not ac- cepted.

6. The Committee then deliberates on those pa- pers submitted for poster session only, in descending order. The number of posters ac- cepted is dictated by the available number of boards in the poster presentation area during the meeting. More authors are beginning to prefer to present their work in the poster sessions. The total number of papers accepted is dictated by the combined available time slots for oral presentations and the available spaces for poster presentations.

7. The Selection Committee has the responsibility for choosing the papers that are timely, are relevant, and will serve the needs of the participants of the meeting, as well as further- ing the knowledge and idea base of infection control and epidemiology.

TIPS ON ABSTBACT SUBMISSION 1. Follow directions. The format described on the

back of the abstract form should be followed closely; dot your i’s and cross your t’s. A sloppy abstract suggests sloppy thinking.

2. Abstracts must be 250 words or less. Make sure your abstract fits in the box on the form. When drafting the abstract, type your initial draft on scrap paper traced with an exact-size box. You can then lengthen (add data or conclusions or applications) or shorten (abbreviate, delete) the abstract so that the finished product will fit neatly into the allocated space. Do not reduce type size to “squeeze” abstract into the space. More authors have been doing this, thanks to word processors.

3. Think about what you have done, how you did it, and what you want to say. The Selection Committee evaluates your work on the basis of

AJIC Volume 21, Number 5 Klimek 225

250 words. The conference attendees decide whether to listen to or look at your work on the basis of those 250 words. Readers of your abstract in the JOURNAL want the essentials of your work in 250 words. Make your abstract informative, logical, stimulating, provoking, and neat.

4. Nonscientific papers (educational exhibits, communication projects, how-to papers, etc.) are evaluated on the basis of originality and usefulness to the ICP. Describe your idea, how it can be used and by whom, and when, where, and how it works. Think of someone reading the abstract as not knowing anything about your work and wanting enough information to decide whether they want to try your idea.

ABSTRACT RERECTlONS

APIC national meetings happen only as a result of the work of literally hundreds of people who volunteer their time and energy to guarantee

success. Your colleagues who volunteer for the Program Committee, and indeed for all the many local and national APIC committees, are the heart and soul of this organization. We have all been attracted to the common idea of working hard for the good of others. We still try to carry out the original purpose of APIC, to “break the chain of infection.” We are here to help sick people, and I think that we are getting better at it.

The future of APIC lies with its members, workers, and its leaders. We have made progress in the presentation of original ideas during the past 15 years, and we can look forward to even more in the next 15. APIC ‘94 in Cincinnati will see a new abstract submission form for nonscientific presentations and a special poster session for educational exhibits, communication projects, and how-to papers. We will continually try to live up to the high standards we have all established for ourselves, and we relish the thought that we will continue to get better.

CALL FOR AW?MCl’B

Conference on PmmnMon of ofBkod=BornePatho~ms in Surgwy and Obstetdcs

sponsored by The American Coltege of Surgeons

and The Centers for Dlsease Control and Preventlon

February 13-l 5, 1994 Atlanta Hilton Hotel

Atlanta, Georgia

Purpose, Form& amd Topicr This 2%-day conference will provide information regarding the risk of transmission of blood-borne

pathogens, including HIV and hepatititis B and C viruses, during surgical and obstetrical procedures and will describe methods to reduce that risk. The conference will bring together surgeons, obstetricians, anesthesiol- ogists, surgical and obstetrical nurses and technicians, hospital epidemiologists, and ICPs to participate in a program including state-of -the-art lectures by experts in the field, as well as presentations of abstracts of original research. The following topics will be discussed: l Current data relating to the risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens to health care workers and patients

in surgical and obstetric suites. l Information on new devices, techniques, and personal protective equipment that may decrease occupational

exposure in surgical and obstetric suites. l Additional preventive measures, such as immunization and postexposure management. l Methods to conduct and evaluate studies of risk factors and prevention measures.

Abstmct and bloating lnfommdon Abstracts should be typed single-spaced on plain white paper, no longer than 250 words, with 2-inch top and bottom margins and 2 S-inch side margins. The abstract should be headed with title and authors’ names, degrees and institution, city, and state, with an asterisk next to the name of the presenting author. This information should be followed with the objectives, methods, results, and conclusions of the research. Abstracts will be printed exactly as received. Mail the abstract and four copies, with the presenting author’s address and telephone number, to: Blood-Borne Pathogen Conference, HIV Infectious Branch, Hospital Infections Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mailstop A-07, Atlanta, GA 30333.

The deadline for recetpt of abstracts is October 31,1993,