Conventions used in the Online Abstract System

Submitting your abstract, one step at a time

The Online Abstract System divides the abstract submission process into steps so that authors can enter information and confirm it is correct before moving to the next step. By following the buttons at the bottom of each page in the submission process, you will automatically proceed through every step needed to submit an abstract. One page will follow another until you are finished.

After clicking the submit button at each stage, you will see a growing set of information that you have entered. You should proof it each time it appears, clicking the "Next step" button at the bottom of the page if the information is correct.

Once you are ready to submit, click the "Begin A Submission" button to the left of the appropriate topic link on the 'Call for Papers' page.

From there, the steps involved in abstract submission are:

Information is saved at each step of the process. If you lose your Internet connection or must interrupt the process for any reason, you can easily pick up later where you stopped.

Making Corrections

The functions that are available to you at any phase in the submission process are shown to the left of these instructions, as links on the Abstract Control Panel. These links let you easily return and make corrections at any step along the way. If, for example, you realize after entering the 7th author that you made a mistake in the abstract title, just click on the ENTER TITLE link and change the title. If you made a mistake in an author's name, just click on the author's name in the Abstract Control Panel; the author information form will reappear in this space with the author's name on it, and you can change it right there. Select from the Abstract Control Panel when you want to go back to make revisions and don't want to back up all the way there, or if you encountered an "invalid record number" or "corrupt data" error after backing up.

When making corrections, Do Not Use the "Back" Button On Your Browser.


Instructions for using the Online Abstract Submission System

Step 1 -- Enter Title

Enter the information requested under TITLE:

Then click the "Save" button at the bottom of that page.

Within a few seconds you will receive an email confirming your initial submission. If you do not receive an email, please check your spam folder.


Step 2 -- Add Author(s)

If you are satisfied with the confirmation of the abstract title, click the "Authors" button at the bottom of the page. Or click the "Authors" link that now appears in the Abstract Control Panel to enter the first author's contact information. Fill in the requested information on the Author Information Sheet. Then click the "Submit Information" button at the bottom of that sheet.

Repeat the process if there are co-authors. The presenting author should be listed as the first author. The system will automatically set the first author listed as the presenter. Only one presenter will be allowed.


Step 3 -- Submit Abstract Text

There are 2 options for submitting your abstract-choose one:

  1. Copy and Paste Method: If your abstract does NOT contain an image, use this method.
  2. Upload Method: If your abstract contains an image(s), use this method.
  3.            THESE ARE THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE FILE TYPES YOU CAN UPLOAD:

General Guidelines

Create your abstract text in a word processing program prior to beginning your online submission. Use that program to check the word count. Abstract text is limited to 500 words or less. Abstract text should not contain title or author information; these are specified elsewhere in the submission process. Abstracts not conforming to the prescribed format will not be considered for presentation.

Please format and organize your abstract in the manner that best communicates your clinical experience, cases, pearls or best practices.

A maximum of 5 references will be accepted. All citations must be numbered and cited in numerical order in the text.

Images

Relevant photographs/illustrations may be submitted to clarify and/or support the work. Adhere to the following technical points:

Once you have submitted your text and images, click the "Confirmation" button.


Step 4 -- Disclosure

A completed disclosure must be filled out for each author. You may either complete each author's disclosure for him/her, or share the login information for each author to complete him/herself.

To complete a disclosure form, click on the "Not Answered" link next to your name in the Disclosure step.


Step 5 -- Confirmation

You will be given one more chance to review your abstract. Please correct any errors that you see. Then click the button at the bottom of that page, labeled "Conclude Submission".

You will see "Abstract Submitted for Review" at the top of the next page if your abstract has been submitted successfully. If an error occurs during submission and you don't see this message, please report this to our technical support staff and retrieve your abstract later and try resubmitting the text.

You only need to click the button labeled "Conclude Submission" once. Any changes that you make to the submission afterwards will automatically be displayed to the chair when your abstract is reviewed.


You will receive confirmation of your submission at each step. Take note of the abstract ID number and password assigned to your submission. With that information you can return to this page if you lose your Internet connection, or if you must interrupt the submission process, or if you would like to modify your submission at any time prior to the deadline.

Look at the confirmations carefully. Most authors (and all editors) can find mistakes in the first submission of an abstract. If you see an error, just click the appropriate link in the Abstract Control Panel and correct it. After you have submitted all required information, including the text and any images, you should see all of that information in the confirmation on your screen; if you don't, it means that the information was not received and you should try again.

Abstracts that are too large will not be accepted or stored. If you receive an error message telling you to reduce the word count or the image size(s), please do so; otherwise, no text or images will be stored.

If the text was submitted as an HTML file and must be edited:

  1. Locate the original file on your computer.
  2. Edit the text in your word processor or HTML editor.
  3. Save it again in HTML format.
  4. Upload it again.
  5. Repeat the process as required until you receive confirmation that the text has been accepted.


Retrieve and Modify an Existing Abstract

To retrieve and view or modify an existing abstract:

  1. Return to https://asps.confex.com/asps/2018ae/cfp.cgi
  2. Have your Abstract ID number and password handy when you return.
  3. Enter your abstract ID and /Password and click the "Login" button.
  4. Use the Abstract Control Panel to view or modify the desired part of the abstract. For instance, click Title to change a title. Then click the Submit button to send your changes.
  5. To correct abstract text that was submitted as an HTML file, see above.
If you retrieve and make changes to your abstract, you do not need to find or click the button labeled "Conclude Submission". Any changes that you make to a submission will automatically be displayed when your abstract is reviewed.


Withdraw a Paper

  1. If the Abstract Control Panel is visible and the desired abstract ID appears at the top of it, then skip to #2 below. Otherwise:
  2. Select WITHDRAW from the Abstract Control Panel.
  3. Under the Comments to Organizers section, type in your reason for withdrawing your paper.
  4. Click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
  5. You will see Paper withdrawn from meeting on the confirming page.

Reverse a Withdrawal

  1. Retrieve your abstract as described above.
  2. Select "Re-submit" from the Abstract Control Panel.
  3. Select the "UnWithdraw" button.
  4. The Paper Withdrawn message should no longer appear on the confirming page.


Ask for help if you run into any problems.

Report a technical problem by clicking on that link in the abstract control panel. If you need help urgently, call (401) 334-0220 for assistance.  Please specify the program to which you were submitting and, if you have already been issued it, your abstract ID number.