Your abstract (or Artist Statement) is a stand-alone document that contains all the key points of your submission in up to 300 words. This should include all the highpoints of your presentation, paper, poster or artistic work and acts as a summary for the longer work that will be submitted in stage 2.
There are a few key details to consider when constructing your abstract that will help you easily relay the why, how, and what of your work. Although these sections are labeled individually for your viewing clarity, your abstract does not need to be broken into sections and should be written in paragraph form.
Title
Make your title concise but attention grabbing. This is your opportunity to really draw in your audience. As a rule of thumb, if you need to pause to take a breath while reading your title it may be too long.
Background
The background portion of the abstract helps to describe “why” you have chosen this specific topic. In this section it is helpful to describe the context or need for the work. You might also state what is already known about the subject matter and what your submission attempts to uncover, or address. Aim to complete the background section in one or two sentences.
Methods
The methods portion of your abstract, explains “how” your project was completed, or how you explored (or intend to explore) it. Methods can be very diverse. They may include, for example, a formal investigation with specific research methods and tools, a reflection on practice or a challenge in practice drawing on a single or multiple cases, a full case study, a philosophical exploration of a topic drawing on literature sources, or an artistic representation of IIC. Include enough detail so the reader understands what you did (or are panning to do) to create your final submission. In the methods section, your words are working hard to give as much detail as possible without becoming too wordy. For artists, please be sure to include a description of your process of 2-way communication that has lead to the creation of the work; before doing so, please consider the definition of IIC.
Results
The results section of your abstract normally makes up 40-50% of the total abstract length. Explain what your project helped you uncover, learn, or create. This may vary depending on the submission type, so don't worry if it doesn't apply to you.
Conclusion
In one or two sentences explain the significance and implication of your findings. How might your submission contribute to current understandings of IIC? You may want to compare and contrast your findings to what is already known about the topic. The conclusion is also a good spot to share what additional areas could be explored as a result of what you have shared in your submission.
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