CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

• Note: Peer reviewers will be using a rubric to review your abstract submission. See the abstract rubric for more information.
• Completed work or projects may be submitted for oral podium presentation, poster, or PechaKucha presentations. If the work or project is not yet complete at the time of submission, the abstract may only be submitted as a poster or PechaKucha presentation.
• If successfully reviewed, final abstract acceptance will be conditional upon the presenting author having a paid registration for the event.
• Presenters assume all costs related to travel, accommodations, and other expenses related to their presentation.
• The primary presenting author should be listed first in the order of authors. All communication will be directed to the primary presenting author only.
• In addition to the abstract, a profile for each author (contact and biographical information) and disclosure form is required.

Please remember to include any and all members of your team or anyone who you may wish to give credit to for the work you are submitting. Once the abstract submission deadline has passed, you may not be able to add authors/presenters to the abstract.

• Abstracts, presentation slides, and author information will be uploaded to the Sigma Repository with the author's permission.
• Sigma is committed to worldwide collaboration. Please include global implications as relevant to your work.

• Abstracts and references should only be submitted in English.
• Sigma will not accept or review abstracts written with artificial intelligence agents (e.g., ChatGPT, OpenAI) for the development of the creative or scientific components of the abstract at this time.
• All abstract components have a maximum length of 3,000 characters. The title, presenter information, and references should not be included in the body of the abstract. In-text citations, however, are appropriate. These citations will be included in the overall word count. Full references are required in the Reference field.
• The use of a word processing program, rather than the submission form, is recommended for composing the abstract. Please check spelling, character count, and conformation to the guidelines prior to copying the abstract onto the submission form.
• All abstract and presentation materials must be in compliance with international copyright laws.
• Abstract title, abstract, and presentation focus should be original (not previously published or presented). We recognize that a study, project, or work may yield multiple findings and subsequently several original publications or presentations. To be eligible to present, submissions must contain an original title, abstract text, and subsequent presentation content (i.e., different view, perspective, or focus).
• Submission Due Date: Submit all abstracts no later than 11:59 p.m. (2359) Eastern Time on 30 October 2024.
• An email with your abstract ID and abstract title will be emailed to you after your email is submitted to the system. The email will include the submitter’s User ID. Please keep this email for reference.
• An individual may submit more than one abstract; however, if successfully reviewed, only one oral podium, one poster, and one PechaKucha submission will be accepted for presentation.
• Abstract submissions that are incomplete after the submission deadline will not be eligible for presentation and will no longer be accessible by the authors.
• Email confirmation of completed abstract submissions will be sent to the primary presenting author only upon receipt of the completed submission.
• Email notification of abstract acceptance will be sent to the presenting author only by the end of December 2024.
• The intent to present form is required to maintain the submission as part of the presentation schedule. Only the primary presenting author is required to complete this form. The authors’ failure to return the “intent to present” information by the designated deadline will disqualify the abstract from presentation.
• Presentations must be uploaded by the identified deadline. No audiovisual (A/V) capability will be available for any presentation that is not uploaded by the deadline.

A complete presentation submission for a standard abstract submission includes the following:

Step 1: Title/Body

The sum of the 'Abstract Text, Abstract Summary, References' fields will have a maximum length of 3,000 characters.

• Title (Maximum of 100 characters)
• Abstract Text
  • We suggest that abstracts be developed in a word processing program before accessing the online submission form. Use the spell check and character count features of your word processor to check the text of the abstract before submitting it.
  • Sigma does not require specific headers for abstract text submissions. If using headings, please make them clearly discernable for the peer-reviewers by bolding or underlining the section header.
  • Abstracts should include a purpose statement that is clear and aligns with other content of the abstract text.
    • The abstract should be logical and provide substantial details supporting the overall abstract topic. The abstract should be fully developed and clearly articulate the implications for the nursing profession.
  • Please remove all references to the title and author information in the abstract text before completing the submission.
  • Authors should review the information submitted very carefully for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. Edits to the abstract content cannot be made after the submission deadline.
• Abstract Summary
  • The abstract summary should be a brief summary of the abstract text. This should not exceed more than 500 characters.
  • This could be used for promotional materials such as marketing materials if the abstract is accepted. This should be short and compelling to describe what participants should expect by attending your presentation.
• References
  • Provide a minimum of one scholarly reference (e.g., science journal articles, nursing journal articles, books). A minimum of one scholarly reference is needed to complete this step; however, to obtain a high score in this grading category, abstracts should provide the appropriate number of scholarly references that are consistent with the presentation style rubric.
  • References should be recent and/or appropriate for the abstract (references should be no older than five years, unless they are a seminal work).
  • A clear, consistent format (i.e., APA, Harvard, MLA, etc.) with less than one error should be used. It is recommended to copy and paste from a word processing program to maintain formatting.
  • Clearly identify each reference using a numerical approach.

Step 2: Properties

• Presentation Type
  Select correct corresponding information related to your work from the dropdown menu options.

  Type

  • Completed Work/Project
  • Ongoing Work/Project

  Sub-Type

  • Oral (only completed projects are eligible)
  • Poster
  • PechaKucha
  • No Preference

• Subject Matter
  Select the best corresponding content for your work.

Subject Matter

• Academic
• Non-academic education/professional development
• Patients
• Patient families
• Clinical
• Other

Topic for submission

• Emerging Technologies
• Interprofessional and Global Collaborations
• Leadership Initiatives
• Advances in Education
• Advancing Clinical Practice
• Complementary Health Practices
• Global Health Equity
• Health Promotion/Disease Prevention
• Global Health Issues and Ethics
• Keywords
  Select the keywords that best describe your work from the dropdown menu. There are three keyword fields with only one being a required field to complete.
• Keyword 1
• Keyword 2
• Keyword 3
• What is your presentation format preference for this event?
• In Person
• Virtual
• No Preference
• Which type of session best suits your abstract submission?
• Research
• Evidence-Based and Translational Science
• What is the setting of your work?
  Select option that best correlates with your work from the dropdown menu.
• Does this submission align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
• Yes
• No
• If yes, which of the following SDGs does this submission correlate with? If No, please select N/A.
  All Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are listed. Select all that apply.
• If Yes, please indicate the number of individuals impacted. If No, please select N/A.
  Select radio button that correlates with the number of individuals this work impacted.
• Preferred Presentation Date
  If your abstract submission is accepted, please indicate your preferred presentation date(s). Select 'No Preference' if you have no schedule restrictions. We cannot guarantee that all requests will be accommodated.
• Please ensure the date(s) selected for this question correlate with presentation format preference question listed in this step.

Step 3: Authors

This is the step where all authors or contributors should be listed. You will be listed as the first author. Additional authors cannot be added after the submission deadline.

• If you wish to add additional authors, click the Add Author button.
  • The Search for Author to Add fields will display.
  • Enter search criteria in the any of the fields, and then click Search.
  • If an author is found in the system, the name will populate in the search results below.
    • To add an author from search results, click the Add link to the left of the author's name and the name will be added to the current author list.
    • If the author in the search results is not the person you are looking for, click the Create An Author button. Please be prepared with all author information before completing this step.
• If you chose the Create An Author button, follow these steps to create an author.
  • Note: Please ensure you have searched for an existing author account before creating a new author account.
  • The Create An Author screen displays. Complete the required fields: First/Given Name, and Last/Family Name.
  • Click Submit Created Author.
  • Before the account is created, you will be asked to verify the author information. If you find an error, click the Edit Information link in the left corner to make the necessary changes, or click Submit Created Author.
  • The new author is displayed.
  • Once the authors are added to your author list, you can add their affiliations by using the drop-down menu to select an affiliation that is already listed or click Create New Institution.
  • Then a pop-up window will display. Enter all of the required fields: Institution, City, State, and Country.
  • Click Submit Created Institution.
  • Note: All authors will need to log in to the system and complete their author profile including the required a relevant financial relationship disclosure form.
• The person submitting the abstract is always listed as the first author, but the order of authors can be changed by using the AUTHOR ORDER drop-down on the left side of the author list. Change the numbers in the drop-down lists as needed and click Update Author Order.
• All authors are required to answer if they are a Sigma member. A complete list of Sigma chapters is available at the top of this step.
• When finished with the Author screen, click Save & Continue.

Step 4: Disclosures

• This is the standard form that should be completed by the presenting author only. Please read the Participant Agreement Form in its entirety.
  • Based on past questions staff have received, the statement regarding original work is applicable only if the title and abstract being submitted are different from what has been previously published or presented.
• Read the Participant Form in its entirety.
  • Once read, click the radio button to confirm that you agree.
  • The individual completing the abstract must enter their name and credentials in the associated box along with the date completed.
  • Click Save & Continue.

Step 5: Review & Submit

Review & Submit allows you to preview the information that was entered on each step of the submission process and a green check mark will display to the left of the step if it was completed successfully.

• This step is a confirmation of all the materials that were put into the system.
• If your submission has incomplete required steps, a red warning box will display to alert you of what steps are incomplete.

We recommend clicking the View Proof link to view the abstract proof in a new window.

Presentation options for this event include the following:

Oral Presentations

Individual abstract (20-minute presentation)

Included in a concurrent session of up to three abstracts around a similar topic grouped together by the program committee from individual abstracts accepted for presentation. An individual abstract is allotted 15 minutes for presentation with five minutes for audience questions.

PechaKucha Presentations

PechaKucha (Petch-aa Koo-chaa) is a storytelling format where a presenter shows 20 slides for 20 seconds each. Slides are set up to automatically advance after 20 seconds. In other words, you have 400 seconds to tell your story, with visuals guiding the way. PechaKucha means "chit chat" in Japanese. This creative outlet is used by global innovators to create powerful, visually compelling stories that move audiences in less than 7 minutes. View this video to see an example of how a PechaKucha is created.

Learn more about the PechaKucha presentation format and see an example of how to create a PechaKucha.

Poster Presentations

A traditional poster session is a single abstract presentation by an individual or representatives of research teams with an academic or professional focus. The work is peer-reviewed and presented on a large, usually printed placard, bill, or announcement, often illustrated, that is posted to publicize. It can also be a visual display of completed or in-progress work. An electronic version of the poster will be required for use in awarding nursing continuing professional development contact hours to attendees as well as included in the Sigma Repository.

Submit an abstract »

Symposia Presentations (45-75-minute presentation)

A symposium is a group of at least three (3) individual abstract presentations coordinated by one submitting author concerning a common topic of interest. Each symposium session is scheduled for a total of 45-75 minutes. The presentations are followed by a question-and-answer time. Symposia provide an opportunity to present research or evidence-based practices on one topic or theme, often from multiple perspectives, providing a coherent set of papers for discussion.

Because of the unique nature of symposia presentations, the submission process is different than oral, poster, and PechaKucha presentations. If you are interested in a symposium presentation, please email abstracts@sigmanursing.org the following information by 16 August 2024.

• Symposium title
• Number of abstracts in the symposium
• Coordinating submitting author first and last name along with best contact email address