Working on your abstract for the 2025 Preparedness Summit? With so many valuable workshops, sessions and posters to choose from, how can you ensure that attendees will choose yours? The first step is writing a compelling session description that quickly conveys the value of your session to readers.

Here are some tips:

• DO develop a short, creative title. Fun, clever titles often grab attention.
• DO describe the actual project outcomes or results.
• DO include actual project data to demonstrate project impact, effectiveness and results, where applicable.
• DO keep the description short and simple. Summarize the issue or problem and how the presenter addressed it. Describe what presenters will discuss and what attendees will learn. In other words, what’s in it for them?
• DON’T use first-person voice (“I/We did this…”). DO use third-person voice by listing the name of your agency or health department (“The ABC Health Department did this…”).
• DO spell out all acronyms, including organization names and program names.
• DO be consistent when listing multiple presenters’ names. DO use formal names and avoid nicknames, unless the presenter uses his or her nickname professionally. DON’T include middle initials.
• DO spell out the full name of your organization when listing presenter information (e.g., “Association of State and Territorial Health Officials” not “ASTHO”) and use a postal abbreviation for your state (e.g., “Baltimore, MD”)
• DON’T forget to proofread your submission to ensure it is complete and reader-friendly. While NACCHO may lightly copyedit submissions for style, grammar, and tone, NACCHO cannot return to the presenters for clarification and will often make a best guess if words or sentences are incomplete or confusing.

Craft your compelling description and submit an abstract by September 13, 2024 (11:59 PM PT). Deadline extensions are not guaranteed.

Visit the Preparedness Summit website to learn more about this year’s abstract submission categories, preview the application, submit your abstract, and register for the conference!