Abstract Appraisal Guidance for Congress

The abstract appraisal method may comprise a two-stage scoring process:

Stage 1 - Markers score each abstract independently, e.g. from 1 to 6, and an average ('total') mark for each abstract is automatically calculated.

Stage 2 - A Moderator actions the results – e.g. for score 4.5 and above, consider promotion from poster to oral presentation. 

To give permission for particular topics to each Reviewer (i.e. Markers and Moderators), please Go to Appraisal >> Permission for individual appraisal 

Note that on the Appraisal Dashboard only submitted abstracts are listed. Reviewers may be local organizing committee +/- symposium chairs

Marker Role 

Markers  can see the following buttons: 'PDF' to view the abstract, 'Mark' to mark and comment, and 'Send email to abstract submitter'.

 

By pressing the 'Mark' button

• Markers are able to give a mark and comment an abstract.
• By pressing the button again, they can overwrite their mark and comment.
• A log will record the date, mark and comment given, which will only be viewed by reviewers and not by the abstract submitter.

Notes:

• Markers can only see the mark given by them to each abstract. 
• The 'Mark' button is available only if the relevant abstract status is not approved or rejected.

NB: In the 2-step abstract appraisal method expected for the Congress, a Marker will not normally need to use ‘Send email to abstract submitter’.

 

Moderator Role

Moderators  can see the following buttons: 'PDF' to view the abstract, 'Approve' and 'Reject' to update the abstract status, 'Total Mark' to give a total mark, 'View Marks' to view a log of marks, 'Resubmission' to invite submitter to resubmit, and 'Send email to abstract submitter'.

 

'Approve' and 'Reject' buttons: When clicking either of these button a confirmation screen appears. On these approval/rejection confirmation screens, abstract status can be updated to approved or rejected. If needed, Moderators also have the capacity to write or overwrite the automatically generated Total Mark via this confirmation screen and also comment and send an email to the submitter.

(if this method is used to adjust the total mark and no email notification to the submitter is wanted, the email address must be deleted from the screen). NB: for the Congress, most abstract approvals are expected to be carried out in bulk without use of the Approve button (see later), and only LOC/PCO Moderators are expected to carry out Reject actions.

 

'Total Mark' button: This button can be used by Moderators, to overwrite an autocalculated Total Mark, or to give a Total Mark where this has not been autocalculated (see below).

 

'View Marks' button:  This button allows a Moderator to view a log of the marks and comments given by each Marker to the abstract.

'Resubmission' button: When clicking this re-submission button, a Moderator will revert the submitted abstract status (so that it can be edited again by the abstract submitter) and send an email with comment to the submitter. Note that this button is displayed provided the abstract status is not approved or rejected. 

Notes:

• When all of the Markers with permission to score have given an individual mark for an abstract, the Total (average) Mark for an abstract is automatically calculated and displayed. The Total Mark is rounded to one decimal point. 
• In the event that not all of the Markers with permission to score have given an individual mark for an abstract, the Total (average) Mark will not be auto-calculated but Moderator will be able to give it by pressing the 'Total Mark' button (see above).
• The Total Mark can only be viewed by Moderators. 
• Abstract submitter will not see Markers' marks & comments, nor Total Mark, on their web registrant account.
• Abstract submitter will see Moderators' Comments on their web registrant account. Abstract submitters also see a log of actions on their abstracts as a result of any of the following: Submission, Resubmission, Submission reversion, Track Switch, Approval, Rejection, Approval/rejection reversion, Email to submitter, Admin submission. 

 Moderators are able to apply the "Total Mark To" and "Total Mark From" filters to easily find abstracts. E.g.

• To see abstracts with Total Mark 4, type 4 in both "Total Mark From" and "Total Mark To" filter. 
• To see abstracts with Total Mark 4 and 5, type 4 in the "Total Mark From" filter and 5 in the "Total Mark To" filter. 
• To see all abstracts with Total Mark higher than 4, type 4 in the "Total Mark From" filter.

Suggested marks to be used by Markers for the Congress 

Mark 1 = Rejected
Mark 2 = Re-submission
Mark 3 = Approved: Change Topic within poster Track
Mark 4 = Approved: Stay on Poster
Mark 5 = Approved: Upgrade to Oral presentation. Speed Talk?
Mark 6 = Approved: Upgrade to Oral presentation. Short Talk?

Depending on the individual Marks given by the Markers and autocalculated Total Mark*, the Moderator or PCO/LOC will have to perform the following relevant actions.

*e.g. a Total Mark of 3 could reflect two individual marks of 3 suggesting a topic change is needed, or individual marks of 1 and 5, suggesting not a topic change but that the Markers have different opinions on the abstract.

Low-scoring abstracts

Rejection

1. Navigate to Appraisal >> Appraisal Dashboard
   
2. Search for the Abstract ID and click "Go!"
   
3. Click on the red Reject button (Rj).
   
4. A pop up window will appear for confirmation and optional writing of an email notification.
5. Abstract status is updated to Rejected.

Re-submission

1. Navigate to Appraisal >> Appraisal Dashboard
   
2. Search for the Abstract ID and click "Go!"
   
3. Click on the re-submission button (RS)
   
4. A window will pop up in which you must confirm the invitation to resubmission
   
5. You will also be able to send a notification email to the submitter that their abstract is open for editing and needs to resubmit it.

Change Topic

1. Navigate to Abstracts >> Abstracts Dashboard
2. Search for the Abstract ID and click "Go!"
   
3. Double click on the Abstract to bring up the edit form
   
4. Change the appropriate topic in the “Topic” field
   
5. Click "Save" in top left.

Following the above actions (including reassessment of resubmitted abstracts and abstracts that have moved topics) it is suggested that all low-scoring abstracts that are deemed accepted to the Congress should then be moderated to a total score of 3.5 (minimum score for abstract acceptance). This is to indicate low scores have been considered and dealt with while marking the abstract on the weaker end of acceptance, and will allow subsequent bulk approval.

High-scoring abstracts

 Upgrade to oral speed talk track

1. In the left hand menu navigate to Abstracts >> Abstracts Dashboard
2. Search for the Abstract ID and click "Go!"
3. Double click on the Abstract to bring up the edit form
4. Change the track in the “Track” field to “Speed Talks”
5. Select the appropriate topic in the “Topic” field
6. Click "Save" in top left.

Upgrade to oral short talk track

1. Follow the same instructions as for speed talks, but change the track to “Short Talks”
2. Select the appropriate topic in the “Topic” field
3. Click “Save” in top left.

After moderation is complete, all abstracts scored at 3.5 and above can be approved in bulk by Effi-Sciences.