Abstract Submission Guidelines

DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF ABSTRACTS: 19 October 2003

Before proceeding to the on-Line abstract submission, please read the guidelines below.

On-Line Abstract Submission

If possible, please submit your abstract using the on-line abstract submission form.
Abstracts should be submitted as soon as possible to arrive no later than 19 October 2003.

The preferred mode of submission is using the on-line submission form. Authors unable to use this facility should contact Helen Gregson at BioScientifica (on +44 (0) 1454 642 240) if they require a paper copy of the abstract guidelines and information on how to submit abstracts. Abstracts arriving after 19 October 2003 will not be considered.

Each abstract will be reviewed by 2 or more independent referees and acceptance will be subject to formal approval at a joint meeting of BFS and ACE Meetings/Programme Secretaries. Abstracts will only be accepted if they conform to the abstract guidelines and meet the required standard. The decision of the joint Meetings/Programme Secretaries will be final and binding.

Abstracts will be accepted on the understanding that the work has not been published or presented elsewhere in substantially the same form. Submission of an abstract assumes approval of the author(s) to have their abstract published for the meeting in the Conference Abstract Book. Copyright of accepted abstracts will automatically be assigned to the Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Abstracts are also accepted on the understanding that they will be presented at the meeting either as a poster or as an oral presentation. Any author failing to present an accepted abstract at the joint meeting will automatically be excluded from submitting abstracts for presentation at any BFS or ACE conference before July 2005.

The Meetings/Programme Secretaries of the BFS and ACE reserve the right of final decision regarding acceptance of abstracts and the form of presentation. Notification of acceptance or rejection will be sent to authors before the end of November 2003. Detailed instructions concerning oral presentations, poster sessions and slides will be mailed to qualifying authors with notification of acceptance.

Authors wishing to have their abstract considered for inclusion in a specific prize session should consult the eligibility criteria as listed on the websites of the participating Societies:
BFS: http://www.fertility.org.uk

Guidelines for the submission of abstracts

Please read the following guidelines thoroughly before preparing your abstract. The joint Programme Secretaries will not consider abstracts that have not been prepared in accordance with these instructions.

1) The abstract should be as informative as possible, and should be structured in three sections, as shown below. (The online abstract form has a separate field for each section. Please do not repeat the headings in your text - they will be added automatically.)


Introduction:
Summarise the background to and rationale for the study. End with a clear statement of the specific objective of the study.

Methods:
State the method(s) used and define the study design. If pertinent, state whether experiments were performed in vivo or in vitro, confirming that any studies requiring national or local ethical approval had been approved by the relevant Ethics Committee(s).

Results and Discussion:
Summarise results obtained and your interpretation of the findings. End with a clear statement of the conclusion(s) reached. (Where appropriate, a final statement should be inserted, in brackets, and separated from the last sentence by 3 spaces, acknowledging the funding bodies that supported the study). Vague statements such as 'results will be discussed', 'data will be presented' cannot be accepted.

2) Abstracts will be reproduced as submitted. If accepted, your abstract will appear in the Conference Abstract Book exactly as submitted. Any typing errors will be visible.

3) The joint Meetings Programme Secretaries reserve the right to decide on the form of presentation (oral or poster) in the interests of the scientific programme.

On-Line Abstract Submission