How to Write a Winning Abstract for Undergraduate Research Conferences and Competitions.
Your abstract is the first, perhaps the only, part of your research that the reviewers see. Therefore, your abstract is your one chance to make a good impression to the reviewers who determine if your application to present or publish your research is accepted.
Your abstract is the first, perhaps the only, part of your research that the reviewers see. Therefore, your abstract is your one chance to make a good impression to the reviewers who determine if your application to present or publish your research is accepted. Furthermore, once your abstract is accepted and published for the conference, a clearly written abstract with impact determines whether scientists visit your poster or attends your oral presentation. Below are insights that will help you write an award winning abstract for your upcoming conference or competition.
“Your abstract is your ticket; don’t just write it, craft it!”
What is an Abstract?
An abstract is a concise summary of your research project. It communicates in 250 words or less, what you did, what you found, and why it matters. A strong abstract should not read as a full report, nor should it be a “teaser” with no detail or an introductory paragraph. A good abstract should not be presented as a proposal; instead, it should have a compelling title with four additional components—a “Background,” “Methods,” “Results,” and “Conclusions.” The significance of the research should be clearly stated in the Background and Conclusions sections.
The Core Structure of a Strong Abstract.
Title (10-15 words max.)
Avoid generic phrases.
Hint at the main findings.
Use clear and confident wording.
Do not overrate the significance of your findings.
Background (1 or 2 sentences)
Frame the question/problem.
Include context for readers outside of your discipline.
Include why your research is unique and has real world relevance.
Methods (1 sentence)
Provide a brief description of your approach.
Include the tools or models used to obtain your results.
Avoid discipline specific jargon.
Focus on clarity, not detail.
Results (2-5 sentences)
Share main findings, even if they are preliminary.
Avoid using the phrase “data not shown.”
Conclusions and Significance (1-2 sentences)
Share whether the results support your expectations.
Tell the reviewers why the results matter/the implications to the field.
Share your future steps.
Science Insight
Did you know that you can visit the free PubMed website to read examples of peer-reviewed and published abstracts? You can also consider visiting the web page of a previously hosted venue to evaluate award winning abstracts. For more advice on crafting a strong abstract, CONTACT ME, your Microbe Mentor..
Free 15-minute consultation available.
Tips that Make your Abstract Stand Out.
You should always use active voice and strong verbs such as “analyzed,” “demonstrated,” and “identified’ as this conveys confidence. Make certain that you avoid discipline specific jargon if possible lest you alienate those reviewers or readers who are not in your discipline. You should also adhere to the word limit that has been pre-determined by the organizers of the venue. Related to this, you should read the mission of your venue; while all venues expect clarity, originality, and impact, a competitive conference like NCRC Harvard expects polished results while supportive conferences look for effort and enthusiasm. Finally, use keywords as the reviewers will be scanning your abstract for these words. Strong keywords that catch the reviewers’ attention in each section of your abstract include:
Background—objective, purpose, investigate, examine.
Methods—analyzed, surveyed, modeling, measured.
Results—found, identified, significant, trend.
Conclusions—demonstrates, implications, applications, insights.
Writing abstracts takes practice, but it gets easier.
What are some Common Mistakes to Avoid?
Avoid using too much background as it drowns out your own contribution to the study or problem.
Avoid run on sentences, be as terse as possible while maintaining an agreeable voice.
Do not neglect or understate your results as this makes your abstract seem more like a proposal.
Avoid overstating the significance of the results of your study as it hurts credibility.
Avoid skipping peer review of your abstract to avoid submitting an abstract with “typos” or unclear phrasing.
“Data not shown is worth the paper it is written on.”
Examples of Strong vs Weak Abstract Sections
Title
Weak 1: Beetle growth
Weak 2: An Investigation into how Different Temperatures Might Possibly Affect Growth and Development Stages of Beetle Larvae Over Time
Strong: Effects of Temperature on Pupation Time in Beetle Larvae
Stronger: Warmer Temperatures Accelerate Pupation Time in Beetle Larvae
The strong title is concise, focused and specific; it tells the reader exactly what was studied, the stronger title includes the results.
Background and Significance
Weak: Beetles are interesting insects that grow in different ways.
Strong: Temperature strongly influences insect development, yet little is known about how it affects pupation timing in common beetle larvae.
The strong statement is specific and has real world relevance, it points to a research niche that has not yet been examined.
Methods
Weak 1: We did experiments in the lab using different methods to test our hypothesis.
Weak 2: We put beetle larvae in different conditions to see what would happen.
Strong: We raised 50 beetle larvae at constant temperatures (18 degrees C, 24 degrees C, and 30 degrees C) and recorded the number of days from hatching to pupation.
The strong statement is precise and tells reviewers exactly what was done without excessive detail.
Results
Weak 1: We found some interesting results that may be useful in the future
Weak 2: We found that the larvae behaved differently at different temperatures.
Strong: Larvae raised at 30 degrees C pupated in an average of 12 days, compared to 19 days at 24 degrees C and 33 days at 18 degrees C, indicating a clear temperature-dependent acceleration of development.
The strong statement provides clear, measurable results and trends instead of vague claims.
Conclusions and Significance
Weak 1: This study is very important and will change the field.
Weak 2: This study is important because it tells us more about beetles.
Strong: These findings demonstrate that higher temperatures shorten the larval development times, providing insights into how climate change may alter insect life cycles.
The strong statement shows impact and future direction by tying the results to a bigger picture without exaggerating.
Final Pre-Submission Checklist
✅ Within word/character count.
✅ Clear flow: Background → Methods → Results → Significance.
✅ Proofread (mentor/friend review).
✅ Fits the theme or track you’re applying to.
✅ Keywords included.
Final Thoughts
Presenting at conferences is meant to be exciting, rewarding, and satisfying, but can be daunting for the novice. Just remember as you design and conduct your experiments, then write your abstracts that the people who are now successful Principal Investigators and who will be judging your abstract and presentation were at one time novices themselves.
Crafting a powerful abstract need not be scary, it just takes practice and mentorship. Mentorship can come in many unconventional forms. Avail yourself to online sources like PubMed or past conferences, competitions, or Science Fairs to get examples of impactful abstracts. Once your abstract is polished, explore where to present: NCUR, NCRC Harvard and more.
And remember, if you need guidance or someone to proofread your abstract, there is always me, your Microbe Mentor.
Conferences, Competitions, and Compendia-Where Undergraduates Can Present Their Research: A Synopsis
“Winning projects are not flashy; they are clear, creative, and follow Scientific Method.”
There are Venues for That—And One Can Work Independently of a University Lab.
While working on my blogs on Science Fair opportunities for students grades 5-12, I began to wonder if there were “science-fair-like” venues for college aged students. As a spoiler alert, I will tell you that there are such venues ranging from those at universities to state, regional, national, and even international venues. However, these opportunities are fragmented and, with few exceptions, not ranked as are the high school student targeted ISEF competitions. To find these venues one often needs to do a bit of additional research beyond one’s own specific scientific endeavor.
In this blog series, I will touch on a few venues that are available for university-level students; these include scholarships, conferences and symposia, and high stakes competitions. As I did in my previous blog series, I will focus on those venues that do not require participation in R0.1/R15 laboratories and are particularly suitable for community college students or for students who attend small, 4-year, liberal arts colleges that do not have these research facilities.
The benefits of presenting one’s research in peer-reviewed venues.
“One’s first research presentation need not be perfect—it just needs to be shared.”
Many college students think that research only counts if it is conducted in a high-profile university lab setting and published in high-ranking journals. In reality, presenting one’s research in symposia or at competitions is an important first step towards professional growth. Some benefits of participation in such venues, even at a campus level, include,
Confidence in communicating research.
Networking with faculty and experienced graduate students
Opportunities for feedback on research
Resume or CV building for jobs, internships, graduate, or health professional programs.
Furthermore, participation can lead to collaborations, strong letters of recommendation, as well as being awarded competitive scholarships or fellowships.
With these benefits in mind, let’s look at some specific opportunities where undergraduates can present their research and ideas.
Conferences
There are many options available for presenting one’s research that can be found via research or through biology faculty or through special interest biology clubs at your university.
I am highlighting the National Council on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) Conference, which is sponsored under the umbrella of the Council on Undergraduate Research. While this conference is multi-disciplinary, it welcomes submissions representing independent STEM research; approximately 85% of the submissions come from STEM areas. The venue is prestigious and is described as supportive; it highlights recognition through exposure, presentation, and networking as opposed to competition. This conference is quite popular and fills up quickly. Below are some key details regarding the NCUR 2026 conference.
Event: NCUR 2026
Dates: April 13-15, 2026
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Abstract Submissions:
Open: September 9, 2025
Deadline: December 5, 2025
Notifications: January 14, 2026
“ ‘All that ‘Glitters isn’t Gold’ —Discovery is the true prize.”
Competitions
For students who like venues that offer a competitive edge to their overall experience, one can choose to participate in science competitions that encourage independent research and that are analogous to the ISEF science fairs that students in grade 5-12 enjoy.
These venues are not as numerous as the conferences are, I only found three, but they are high-profile venues with a strong media presence that offer distinction and monetary awards.
One such competition is the National Collegiate Research Conference (NCRC Harvard). This elite, highly selective, student run competition hosts 500+ students representing over 100 universities from across the world. In addition to poster presentations, the event features plenary sessions, panel discussions, mentoring roundtables, and keynote speakers. Students can choose to attend parts of the meeting virtually, but they do not compete in the virtual format.
Event: NCRC Harvard 2026
Dates: January 23-25, 2026
Location: Harvard University
Abstract Submissions:
Priority: ~ December 9, 2025
Regular: ~ December 16, 2025
Compendia
There are some competitive scholarships in the area of STEM research that require a project proposal and/or a presentation.
The Goldwater Scholarship is open to college Sophomores or Juniors who plan to pursue a STEM career. The application review is a rigorous, merit-based, and competitive process that is designed to identify students who show promise as future STEM researchers. Goldwater Scholars are identified based on academic excellence, potential, and demonstrated commitment to research.
The application materials are due to the Goldwater Foundation by the last Friday in January; final decisions regarding the awardees are announced in late March.
Conclusions
There are many paths to sharing one’s passion for science with others. I suggest that you take advantage of as many opportunities as possible. I will be introducing additional opportunities and venues in the near future. If you are interested in any of these venues, feel free to contact me at Microbe Mentor for further insights. Either way, start small; submit an abstract to your campus symposium or explore regional conferences. Every interaction builds networks, skills, and confidence that will serve you for years to come.