Abstract Submission Guidelines

• Abstracts must be submitted online via the website only. Abstracts submitted by email will not be accepted.
• Abstracts will be reviewed blinded without the names of submitting authors appearing to the reviewers.
• The reviewers will judge the abstracts according to the appropriate scientific or clinical value, relevance to the conference, suitability of methods to aims, conclusions confirmed by objective results, objectivity of statements, description of methods used, originality of work, standard of English and overall impression, usefulness to participants.
• The Scientific Programme Committee (SPC) reserves the right to select papers and posters for presentation.
• Abstract submissions are to be submitted online by 14 November 2023. Late abstracts may be rejected.
• The same person may submit up to 4 abstracts regardless of presenting author.
• The same person may serve as the presenting author on up to 4 abstracts.
• Submission of an abstract acknowledges your acceptance for the abstract to be published in the official conference abstract/proceedings e-book.
• The presenting author is required to ensure that all co-authors are aware of the content of the abstract and agree to its submission, before submitting the abstract.
• Abstracts received by authors who have registered their attendance by 14 November 2023 will be given preference for placement in the programme. Full payment must be received by no later than 12 January 2024 (final programme will be published on 17 January 2024).
• All abstracts should be submitted and presented in clear English with accurate grammar and spelling of a quality suitable for publication. If you need help, please arrange for the review of your abstract by a colleague who is a native English speaker, by a university-specific publications office (or other similar facilities), or by a copy editor, prior to submission.
• Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Abstract submitters will be required to disclose any conflict of interest in the submission form.
• All research presented must comply with international standards pertaining to animal welfare, ethics and data protection. 
• Please read the submission requirements carefully as submitted abstracts cannot be changed later.
• Please be sure to include the keywords for your abstract submission. 

Register with the abstract submission website (Oxford Abstracts) to establish your username and password. 

• If you are submitting more than one abstract, you must use the same login for each abstract.
• As submitting author, you will receive all communications regarding the submitted abstract(s). 
• The maximum length of an abstract is 300 words. Abstracts may also include one table or figure. Please ensure that research findings are described to a level sufficient for reviewers to make an informed decision on scientific quality. Abstracts that fail to meet these criteria will be rejected.
• Abstracts will be published in the congress abstract book.
• Do not include author names in the title or body of your abstract – these are entered online during the submission process.
• You can alter your abstract at any time up to the submission deadline of 14 November 2023 – after this date changes will not be possible.
• Abstracts will be reviewed, and authors notified of the outcome of the review process by 22 November 2023.
• Please note that the presenting author must register in full to attend and present the abstract at the congress, by 14 November 2023.

Before you begin, please prepare the following information: 

• Presenting author’s contact details:
  – Full first and family name(s)
  – Email address
  – Affiliation details: department, institution/hospital, city, state (if relevant), country 
  – Phone number 
• Author and co-authors’ details  
• Preferred Presentation type: Oral / Poster / Either  
• Abstract title – must be in UPPER CASE. Please submit symbols as words. This does not count towards word count.
• Abstract text - limited to 300 words including acknowledgments. Please note: word count is affected when tables are included.
• Abstract topic – select the abstract topic per the list of topics. 
• Images – The maximum file size of each image is 500 KB. The maximum pixel size of the graph/image is 600(w) x 800(h) pixels. You may upload images in JPG, GIF, or PNG format. 
• Include Keywords at the end of your abstract.
• Use only standard abbreviations. Place special or unusual abbreviations in parentheses after the full word the first time it appears. 
• Use generic names of drugs. The presentation must be balanced and contain no commercial promotional content.
• Submissions may not contain patient names, hospital ID numbers or other identifying information.
• You will receive a confirmation via email after you have submitted your abstract.
• Please contact us if you have not received confirmation that your abstract has been submitted within 2 weeks.
• Please do not submit multiple copies of the same abstract.

Abstracts will be reviewed blinded without the names of submitting authors appearing to the reviewers.

The reviewers will judge the abstracts according to the appropriate scientific or clinical value, relevance to the conference, suitability of methods to aims, conclusions confirmed by objective results, objectivity of statements, description of methods used, ethics, originality of work, standard of English and overall impression.

• Upon completion of the evaluation of submitted abstracts, an ‘Accepted’ or ‘Rejected’ email will be sent to authors. Upon acceptance of an author’s submission, the following instructions below are applicable:
  • The presenting author of the presentation should confirm their attendance upon receiving the acceptance email within one week.
  • The presenting author will receive a complimentary registration pass for the day(s) they are presenting.
  • The presenting author will receive discounted registration fees for all other days they wish to attend.
  • The presenting author must fund their own travel and accommodation.
  • The presenting author will not be entitled to a speaker fee or incidental costs.
  • The presenting author agree to have your abstract published in the conference proceedings.
• Oral presentation sessions will be 45 minutes each, which will allow for 40 minutes presentation with 5 minutes for questions/comments.
• Oral presenters need to send their power point presentation 6 days prior to the congress to [email protected] with Subject: WVA2024-Presentation + abstract submission reference number
• A laptop, data projectors, overhead projectors, screens and flipcharts will be available for the oral presentations. MS Office 2010 (PowerPoint) running under MS Windows 2010 will be available on the notebook PC. Speakers should bring an electronic copy of their presentation with them to the Conference on a USB flash drive.
• MAC plug-points will be provided at the lecterns for those wishing to present using their own MACS.

Abstracts will be reviewed blinded without the names of submitting authors appearing to the reviewers.

The reviewers will judge the abstracts according to the appropriate scientific or clinical value, relevance to the conference, suitability of methods to aims, conclusions confirmed by objective results, objectivity of statements, description of methods used, ethics, originality of work, standard of English and overall impression.

• Upon completion of the evaluation of submitted abstracts, an ‘Accepted’ or ‘Rejected’ email will be sent to authors. Upon acceptance of an author’s submission, the following instructions below are applicable:
  • The presenting author of the presentation should confirm their attendance upon receiving the acceptance email within one week.
  • The presenting author will receive complimentary one day registration pass.
  • The presenting author will receive discounted registration fees for all other days they wish to attend.
  • The presenting author must fund their own travel and accommodation.
  • The presenting author will not be entitled to a speaker fee or incidental costs.
  • The presenting author agree to have their submitted abstract published in the conference proceedings.

IMPORTANT

• Poster presenters must print their own posters and bring them to the congress.
• The maximum poster size is A0 (841 mm x 1189 mm, 84.1 cm x 118.9 cm or 33.1 inches x 46.8 inches).
• Posters should not be laminated, or printed on cloth or any material other than 180gsm Coated Matt paper.
• Poster boards and the means to attach them will be provided by the congress.
• The posters will be on display throughout the congress.
• Presenters will be notified of which poster session they are allocated to. Each poster presenter must stand by their poster and present it to interested audience members during their allocated session in the programme.
• Posters must be taken down at the advised breakdown times that will be confirmed.
• All posters not removed by said time will be discarded.
• For templates, click here.

SHOULD YOU WISH:

• The organisers can print your poster locally, according to standard, at a nominal fee so that you would not have to travel with it.
• Your poster will be ready for collection upon registration.
• PDF version of the A0 poster must be submitted no later than 31 March 2024 for printing purposes.
• Submit to [email protected]

If authors wish to withdraw their abstracts from presentation, they are requested to send a letter via e-mail to the conference secretariat before 14 November 2023.