Call for Abstracts

2020 CSTE Annual Conference (June 28 - July 2, 2020)

Abstracts must be received no later than Friday, January 10, 2020 by 11:59 PM EST through the online CSTE abstract submission site. The Program Planning Committee will evaluate abstracts based on a number of criteria, including timeliness, relevance, design, clarity, outcomes and potential impact. Formal letters of invitation are sent by e-mail from the CSTE National Office by March 27.

Guidelines for abstract submission and topics selected by the Program Planning Committee are available below.

1. Presentation Formats

   While the Program Planning Committee will attempt to schedule selected abstracts for the requested presentation format, this will not always be possible. Below is a brief description of presentation formats. For details, please see the presentation rubric on the Guidelines for Abstract Submission.

   Breakout Presentation

   Findings are presented on a specific topic within a breakout session with the opportunity for audience Q&A. Presentations are approximately 18-30 minutes, with only one (1) presenting author per submitted abstract.

   Quick Presentation

   Findings are presented on a specific topic within a breakout session with the opportunity for audience Q&A. Presentations are approximately 10 minutes, with only one (1) presenting author per submitted abstract.

   Lightning Presentation

   Findings are presented on a specific topic within a breakout session with the opportunity for audience Q&A. Presentations are approximately 5 minutes, with only one (1) presenting author per submitted abstract.

   Poster Presentation

   A visual illustration on a poster board that summarizes findings by way of limited text, graphics, and photographs. Presentations are limited to only one (1) presenting author per submitted abstract.

   Roundtable Presentation

   Informative presentation focusing on recent findings or innovative topics, with substantial opportunity for discussion among attendees. Presentations are limited to up to two (2) presenting author(s) per submitted abstract. Abstracts submitted for Roundtable presentation will not be considered for other presentation types. Audiovisual equipment will not be available for roundtable sessions.

2. General Instructions

   • Abstracts must be the work of the authors listed and appropriately referenced.
   • Abstracts are limited to 400 words, not including the title and speaker bio.
   • The use of "all caps" should be limited to acronyms generally accepted in the field and names of organizations; the full organization name should be used on first reference.
   • Submit each individual abstract to the appropriate committee. Review the list of committees carefully to determine which one might be the most appropriate for your subject area. Conference committees and abstract topics are available on the CSTE website.
   • Duplicate abstracts will not be considered.
   • Concluding statements such as "to be completed" should be avoided.
   • All information should be reviewed prior to submission to ensure completeness; abstract revisions are permitted at any time before the abstract submission deadline.
   • Abstracts may not be modified after the submission deadline during the review period. Presenting authors may make minor changes after an abstract is accepted until the invitation response deadline.
   • By submitting an abstract, please make sure you (or an alternate presenting author) are committing to attend the conference and giving the presentation if the abstract is accepted. All presenting authors are required to register for the conference and pay the related fees. CSTE does not provide a travel allowance, honorarium, or reimbursement for attending the conference.
   • There are no restrictions on the number of abstracts you may submit or on the number of submissions you may be selected to present.
   • CSTE membership is not required to submit an abstract.

3. Committee & Topic

   Abstracts will be divided into Committees for review and programming purposes based on topic areas.

   Available Committees:

   • Chronic Disease / MCH / Oral Health
   • Cross-Cutting
   • Environmental Health
   • Infectious Disease
   • Injury
   • Occupational Health
   • Substance Use
   • Surveillance / Informatics

   The Program Planning Committee reserves the right to reassign abstracts as appropriate.

4. Title/Permissions/Disclosures

   • The title is not included in the abstract word count; however, titles should not exceed 185 characters.
   • Title case should be used where the first word and all other major words (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs) and some conjunctions are capitalized.
     • Articles such as the, a, an, and, but, for, or and nor should be in lowercase.
     • Lowercase the part of a proper name that would be lowercased in text.
   • Do not begin paper titles with "The".
   • Do not end title with a period.
   • Use a concise title that summarizes the content of the abstract.
   • Do not use abbreviations, unless they are widely accepted by the field (for example, HIV/AIDS is acceptable in place of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

5. Authors

   • The presenting author is defined as the person who will present at the conference.
   • The submitting author is the author that completes the online abstract submission process. The person is usually involved with the abstract as a presenting author or co-author.
   • The primary contact for communication should be identified as the first presenting author when other presenting authors are allowed.
   • Presenting author(s) must complete brief bio information on their background experience that should not exceed 100 words. If selected for oral presentation, this information will be utilized by the session moderator to properly introduce you. This information may be shortened by the moderator to ensure presentations stay on time.
   • Abstracts should include all pertinent author contact information, including full name, agency, address and email.
   • Co-authors who are not presenting, but contributed substantially to the study design, statistical analysis, or interpretation may be listed as a non-presenting author. There is a limit of 15 co-authors.
   • Formal letters of invitation are sent by email from the CSTE National Office by March 27. All authors receive a formal communication regarding the Program Planning Committee's determination. However, only presenting authors have system access to accept or decline and invitation.
   • It is the responsibility of the first presenting author to communicate with any presenting co-authors prior to the presentation. For breakout presentations, the presenting author is responsible for coordinating the presentation with the moderator selected by the Program Planning Committee in that session.

6. Abstract Text

   Required Body for Breakout, Quick, Lightning, and Poster Presentations

   • Background: Study objectives, hypothesis, or a description of the program.
   • Methods: Study design and appropriate statistical analysis.
   • Results: Specific results in summary form.
   • Conclusions: Description of the main outcome of the study.

   Required Body for Roundtable Presentations

   • Key Objectives or Discussion Points: Learning objective(s) for the discussion.
   • Brief Summary: Description of the discussion.

7. Confirmation

   After you have completed all steps in the process and are ready to submit an abstract for consideration, please carefully proofread your abstract on the final step "Confirmation". To complete your submission, select "Conclude Submission" on the last step. You must correct all errors or omissions before the abstract can be submitted as final. Once you have completed the abstract, you will receive an email confirmation that the abstract has been received. If you exit the system without completing all steps, your abstract will be considered incomplete and you will not receive a confirmation email.