abstract writing mcqs

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Writing an Abstract

10th - 12th grade.

15 questions

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Writing an investigatory project can take months of hard work and patience.

These are paragraphs that provide readers with a quick overview of the whole paper paragraphs that provide readers with a quick overview of the whole paper.

Abstract expresses as the central idea, key points, suggest any implications or applications of the research paper. This was defined by ______?

Elsevier, 2015

Slade, 2017

Elsevier, 2017

Slade, 2015

Which of the following does not belong to the group?

Descriptive

Informative

What do you call to the other term of Informative Abstract?

Complete Abstract

Incomplete Abstract

Information Abstract

Compilation Abstract

What do you call to the abstract that requires relating and maybe critiquing the abstracted work to the writer’s own research?

It is the summary of a paper describing its purpose, methodology, results, and conclusion.

Critical Abstract

Descriptive Abstract

All of the Above

It is the type of abstract that briefly describe the work done without mentioning the results and conclusion of the research.

Description

In descriptive abstract the required number of words composition is ________.

The required number of words composition in Informative Abstract is _______.

In writing the Descriptive Abstract the required contents are the following EXCEPT.

Methodology

Scope of the Research

In writing the Abstract, which of the following is true in sharing the methods of research?

Describe your research process.

Mention the approach you decided to go with and all the data that was at your disposal.

It’s worth giving a short overview of the most important sources that you used for your paper.

Which is true about writing the conclusion?

The conclusion of your abstract should be convincing

Tell readers why your work valuable

Closure Statement that deserves to be developed further

All of the above

Abstract suggest any implications or applications of the research paper.

Abstract is the summary of the whole paper.

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Abstract Writing Quiz

Study Flashcards

10 Questions

Which of the following is not a purpose of an abstract in academic research papers.

To summarize the aim and questions asked

What is the recommended length for an abstract?

Between 100 and 300 words

What should be included in the abstract of a research paper?

Main findings, study documents, data collection and analysis methods, and researchers' key conclusions

What is the purpose of a conclusion in research?

To recommend future research directions

What is the final step in summarizing a research paper?

Summarizing the recommendations based on results obtained

Which of the following is NOT included in an abstract of a research paper?

Full text of the research paper

What is the purpose of an abstract in academic research papers?

To enable readers to understand the general idea of the paper without reading it fully

Summarize the recommendations based on the results obtained

To provide a summary of the research findings

Test your knowledge on writing abstracts with this quiz! Challenge yourself to identify the key components and purpose of abstracts in academic research papers.

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Academic Writing MCQs

What is an abstract.

Correct Answer: a condensed summary of the entire work

Explanation:

Note: This Question is unanswered, help us to find answer for this one

Academic Writing Skill Assessment

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More Academic Writing MCQ Questions

If a novelist were to attempt a piece of academic writing, what changes in language and tone would she be advised to make?

What is the difference between plagiarism and copyright infringement?

Which section of an academic paper describes the design of the experiment or study?

How should you address sources that disagree with your argument?

Which of the following could be plagiarized?

Which sentence contain word usage errors?

Which is closest to the meaning of the word “critical” in an academic context?

Of the groups of words, which one most accurately describes features of academic writing?

Which sentence best fits within the academic writing context?

Based on the following passage, choose which subject best aligns with the expected diction used in academic writing. After analysis of the linear regression model, certain gaps in reasoning have been revealed. As such, they will alter future research models in several key areas.

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Report Writing MCQs

These Report Writing multiple-choice questions and their answers will help you strengthen your grip on the subject of Report Writing. You can prepare for an upcoming exam or job interview with these 100+ Report Writing MCQs. So scroll down and start answering.

1: True or False? A report should have a clear, distinct title.

A.   True

B.   False

2: To what extent should personal pronouns be used in reports?

A.   They should be completely avoided.

B.   They are acceptable in most circumstances.

C.   They should be used to establish familiarity with the reader.

D.   They should be alternated with impersonal pronouns.

3: When should field-specific terminology be used in a report?

A.   Hardly ever

B.   As necessary

C.   Whenever possible

4: What purpose do references serve?

A.   They prevent challenges to the authority and logic of the report.

B.   (All of these)

C.   They validate the data presented.

D.   They enable the reader to pursue further inquiry.

5: At what stage in the report-writing process should you consider the report's audience?

A.   When compiling information for the report

C.   When determining the report's purpose

D.   When drafting the report

6: Which of the following should NOT be used when writing a report?

A.   Informal jargon

B.   Technical terms

C.   Formal language

7: What enhances readability in a report?

A.   (All of these)

B.   Variety in paragraph length

C.   Sentences that average 14 words or fewer

D.   Prepositions that do not exceed a ratio of 1 per 11 words

8: Which of the following could influence a report's style?

A.   Requirements of submission

B.   Policy of report requester

C.   (All of these)

D.   Background of author

9: Which of the following may be included in a properly formatted report?

B.   Numbered ideas

C.   Bulleted points

D.   Enumerated claims

10: Which of the following parts of speech may be used in reports?

A.   Coordinating conjunctions

B.   Transition phrases

D.   Prepositional phrases

11: Which of the following may be a subject for a report?

A.   Business

B.   History

D.   Finance

12: In which setting are you likely to be asked to write a report?

A.   A classroom

C.   A law office

D.   A business

13: True or False? Reports should be written using slang.

A.   False

B.   True

14: True or False? Analysis is permissible in a report.

15: true or false poor formatting will likely affect a report's reception., 16: the use of fonts, page layout, page numbers, and labels for graphics constitute what aspect of a report.

A.   The references

B.   The format

C.   The captions

D.   The research

17: True or False? While reports may include analysis, their primary purpose is to present quantifiable information.

18: because people absorb information differently, how can a writer supplement the writing in their report.

A.   With videotapes

B.   With panel discussions

C.   With graphics

D.   With audiotapes

19: Select the sentence that is most suitable for a report in terms of language and grammar.

A.   In conclusion, while it is clear sales were low in the first quarter, by taking the measures outlined above, you can expect increased profit in Q3.

B.   In conclusion, while it's clear sales were low in Q1, by taking the measures outlined above, I'm expecting increased profit this year.

C.   In conclusion, while it is clear sales were low in the first quarter, by taking the measures outlined above, the company may expect increased profit in the third quarter.

20: True or False? A report should emphasize the writer's opinion.

21: which of the following best describes how reports should be formatted.

A.   Reports should be formatted according to context-specific guidelines.

B.   Reports should be formatted according to business-world standards.

22: Which of the following elements enhance professionalism in a report?

A.   Alphanumeric listings, title page

B.   Proper editing, the use of business language

C.   A wide range of citations, an arresting title

23: What question will help the writer break the topic into subtopics?

A.   Has this topic undergone considerable examination already?

B.   Will the readers of this report understand its purpose?

C.   Where does my expertise lie?

D.   What are the main points I want the reader to know?

24: True or False? A report should be written without using traditional paragraphs.

25: what is most important to remember when including graphics.

A.   They should be divided between the Body and the Appendix.

B.   They should be varied.

C.   They should be simple.

D.   They should be relevant.

26: The Table of Contents is derived from which source?

A.   The bibliography

B.   The hypothesis

C.   The outline

D.   The abstract

27: What kind of word or phrase helps link ideas?

A.   Dependent clauses

B.   Transitional words and phrases

C.   Intransitive verbs

D.   Noun clauses

28: Which of the following should be avoided as supporting information in an academic report, even if it is relevant to the report's topic and scope?

A.   Historic facts

C.   Statistics

D.   Personal experience

29: Which of the following best describes the information in the Bibliography?

A.   References used in researching and writing the report

B.   The resources most used by the writer

C.   The leading authorities on the subject and the institutions with which they are affiliated

D.   The most respected journals in the field

30: Which of the following is NOT part of the outlining process?

A.   Deciding what will be included

B.   Determining line breaks, margin size, and font

C.   Gathering relevant information

D.   Ascertaining who the audience will be

31: What three things should be evident when graphics are presented?

A.   Numbers, documentation, numerical depiction

B.   Labels, consistency, reference to the graphic in the body of the report.

C.   Identification, sophistication, science

D.   Facilitation of understanding, linkage, up-to-date information

32: Which of the following is the least effective way to finish a report?

A.   Recommending actions or tasks

B.   Reiterating the objectives

C.   Recalling a personal anecdote

D.   Reviewing the main points

33: Which of the following can be included as supporting information in a business report, presuming it is relevant to the report's topic and scope?

B.   Statistics

C.   Personal experience

D.   Historic facts

34: Which type of punctuation should be used least in reports?

A.   Semi-colons

B.   Parentheses

C.   Exclamation points

D.   Question marks

35: Considering language and grammar, which of the following sentences is most appropriate for inclusion in a report?

A.   The 28 team members averaged a 30% return on client business in the last two months.

B.   Our 28 team members are averaging a 30% return on client business over two months.

C.   The 28 team members and I should've averaged 30% return on client business in two months.

D.   You 28 team members averaged 30% return on client business in the last two months.

36: True or False? The conclusion paragraph should be written during the outlining process.

37: which sentence type is used most frequently in reports.

A.   Declarative

B.   Imperative

C.   Exclamatory

D.   Interrogatory

38: Which of the following is the least effective title for a history report?

A.   Changes in England: Reign of George III

B.   Changes in England: The Regency Period

C.   Changes in England: An Analysis

D.   Changes in England: Review of 1811-1819

39: "Brainstorming" and "mindmapping" are strategies for which aspect of the report-writing process?

A.   Maintaining a professional voice

B.   Outlining

C.   Incorporating optional elements

D.   Presenting information logically

40: Select the evidence that would best contribute to a sales report written for a manufacturer.

A.   Amount of product sold last month

B.   Amount of sales managers

C.   Attitude of sales representatives

D.   Analysis of product development

41: How is report writing distinguished from other kinds of writing?

A.   By its use of questions

B.   By a dependence on metrics

C.   By a formal tone

D.   By the inclusion of scientific topics

42: True or false? Reports are best written in active voice.

43: true or false guidelines for a report, if provided, should only be checked before beginning to write., 44: what is the primary purpose of the recommendations section of a report.

A.   To demonstrate that the writer has conducted extensive research

B.   To validate the logical direction of the report

C.   To structure the discussion

D.   To enable the reader to make an informed decision

45: Of the listed steps, which should be taken last when writing a report?

A.   Outlining points

B.   Writing a draft

C.   Gathering evidence

46: What is another term for "Executive Summary"?

A.   Bibliography

B.   Abstract

C.   Conclusion

D.   Recommendations

47: Select the evidence that would least contribute to a team performance report written for a business.

A.   Descriptions of employees' attitudes

B.   Interpretations of employees' personal activities

C.   Information about employees' productivity

D.   Details regarding employees' tardiness

48: When should contractions be used in a report?

A.   Throughout

B.   In direct quotations

C.   In body paragraphs

D.   In the introduction and conclusion

49: Where is the best place to explain a graphic?

A.   In the paragraphs following the insertion of the graphic

B.   In the near text preceding the graphic

C.   In the introduction

D.   In the Conclusion portion of the report

50: Which combination reflects optional elements of a report?

A.   Abstract, Introduction, Table of Contents

B.   Title page, Body, Conclusion

C.   Glossary, Recommendations, Bibliography

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Academic Writing MCQ (Questions) with answers

A cademic Writing MCQ (Multiple Choice Question) : In this blog post (Academic Writing Quiz), we have written important multiple-choice questions on Academic writing.

These Writing Skills MCQs are very important to researchers to improve their writing skills .

Academic Writing MCQ with answers

1.  Which is the most important and of having the most weightage among the followings

 Research paper

 Conference paper

 Patent

2.  The prime focus of academic writing is

 Language

  Reader friendliness

 Tables

 Figures

3. Which is the right flow of action in academic writing?

 Critical Reading-outline-first draft-multiple drafts- final draft- communicate- follow up

 Outline-first draft-multiple drafts- final draft- Reading-communicate- follow up

 Reading-writing draft-communicate-follow up

 Writing the First draft- checking-final draft-communicate- follow up

4. Academic writing is important to students for

 A better understanding of the topic

 Triggering critical thinking

 Improving CV

 All of the above

5. Which is the correct statement?

 You can not do academic writing if you are not doing research

 Teacher’s don’t need academic writing skills

 Academic Writing is the benchmark to assess the academic proficiency

6. Which is the right flow of action in academic writing

 Reading-writing draft-communicate-follow up-revision

7. Which of the two terms can be used together in a research article as per journal requirement?

 Introduction and acknowledgment

 Results and discussion

 Methods and reference

 Materials and discussions

8. Title of the paper should be?

 Simple

 Reader-friendly

 Representative of study

9. Targeting of journals should be done on the basis of

 Scope of journal

 Impact factor of the journal

 Quality of the work in the manuscript

10. Conclusion of an article gives information on

 Future perspective of research work

 Correlation of results with the previous study

 The central idea of the research work

 Sources of the study

11. The abstract must not contain

 Abbreviations

 Aim of the study

 Results

 Conclusion

12. Comma must be thereafter

 Therefore

 Otherwise

 For instance

13. Passive voice should be made

 To emphasize on the object rather than the subject

 To illustrate a universal or general truth

 To be polite in tone

14. In academic writing it should be avoided

 Writing in first person

 Writing in reader-friendly way

 Writing in the third person

15. Cohesion is

 Technical aspect

 Grammatical aspect

 Phonetic aspect

16. cohesive writing is

 Easy to follow

 Containing ornamental language

 a & b both

17. The language services and software is/are

 Origin

18.  ‘Expectancy relation’ between lexical items

 Repetition

 Collocation

 Synonymy

19. Which should be avoided in academic writing?

 Acronym

 Slang

 Idiomas

20. A good and simple technique to identify the language error

 Rely on a spell checker

 Getting checked from friends

 Reading aloud

 None of the above

21. Which of the following is correct? Team and group are same things. Team is a group having common goals. Team is a group with different goals. None of the above

22. In an organization, a team is involved in testing of software. This type of team is known as Software Team Quality Team Work Team Organization Team

23. Which of the following is correct? Honesty is important for team work. Enthusiasm is important for effective teamwork. Both, honesty and enthusiasm are important for team work. Team is dependent on team leader’s guidance.

24. Which of the following is correct? A team is possible with one member.   A team needs at least two members. Number of members are not defined to call a group as team. None of the above

25. Which of the following is correct? There is no significant difference between formal and informal accountability in a team.   There is need to understand concept of accountability for team leaders. There is need to understand concept of accountability for team members. Both (b) and (c) are correct.

26. Which of the following is a challenge in developing good communication environment in a team? Language difference Premature judgement Information overload All of the above

27. Which of the following is correct? Writing research paper in top journals need international team. Writing research papers in top journals need large team. Writing research papers in top journals need team with complementary skills. All of the above

28. Which of the following is a possible conflict in team while doing academic writing? Sequence of authorship Who will be corresponding author? Addition/ deletion of an author’s name All of the above

29. Which of the following is a cause of conflict in team? Communication problems Different perspectives Role ambiguity All of the above

30. Which of the following is a suitable way to resolve conflict in academic writing teams? By discussion By collaborating By accommodating All of the above

31. Methodology in grant proposal Must be addressed in detail Must be brief Need not to discussed Just need the name of method

32. What thing you must have before grant proposal writing Related prior publications/ experience Already done the work Both 1 & 2 Equipment quote

33. The research project/ grant proposal may be related to PG dissertation Ph D work Both 1 & 2 Any routine work

34. What should be the first expected outcome in any science grant proposals Publications in high impact Thesis as output Both 1 & 2 Patent

35. Participation in conferences are needed for Sharing your research on national and international platform Exchanging ideas and updating knowledge and ideas Basis for collaboration All of the above

36. What is / are to be studied before planning a book Competition Target readers a & b Research articles

37. Points for targeting publisher for book is/are Reputation, experience, policy Geographical coverage a & b Time to publish

38. The images with the following licence can only be used without permission Copyright license Creative common license Patent All of the above

39. Standard you tube licence is A kind of copyright of Youtube Free licence Creative common licence None of the above

40. Condition applied to attribute source and use the same licence CC BY SA CC CC BY NC CC BY ND

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Essentials of Nursing Practice

Student resources, chapter 4: academic writing and assessment skills, multiple choice.

1. What/whose is the most important ‘voice’ in essay writing?

• the evidence
• your patient
• There should be no distinct voice.

2. What words would you NOT use when signposting?

• firstly…secondly…thirdly…finally…
• moving on now to…
• research evidence suggests that …
• to summarise…

3. What shape should you aim for in the structure of your essay writing?

• an hourglass

4. In what order should you try to present material when writing a paragraph about a patient’s care?

• evidence – point – apply – nursing
• nursing – apply – point – evidence
• point – evidence – apply – nursing
• point – apply – evidence – nursing

5. What are fundamental qualities in good written expression?

• precision and clarity
• description
• long, academic-sounding words
• long sentences

6. Which of the following is not a good feature of conclusion writing?

• discussing the meaning of the work
• identifying how it helped you to understand the patient or subject better
• reflecting on how the work can inform your nursing practice
• describing again all the points you have made already

7. Which of the following assessments is not an example of summative assessment?

• a quiz at the end of a lecture
• written assignment

8. What should you avoid doing during a classroom presentation?

• reading from a script
• using just headings and images on a powerpoint presentation
• speaking spontaneously from key points
• engaging your audience by devising interactive activities

9. Select the material that does not belong in a professional portfolio

• critical incident analyses
• copies of your practice assessments, together with any written supporting evidence
• reflection on your overall progress during the course
• interesting articles that you have found in the library

10. What is the least appropriate issue to discuss with your academic advisor?

• academic work
• practice experiences and concerns
• your social life
• additional information and help for students provided by the university

paper-free learning

• conjunctions
• determiners
• interjections
• prepositions
• affect vs effect
• its vs it's
• your vs you're
• which vs that
• who vs whom
• who's vs whose
• averse vs adverse
• 250+ more...
• apostrophes
• quotation marks
• lots more...
• common writing errors
• FAQs by writers
• awkward plurals
• ESL vocabulary lists
• all our grammar videos
• idioms and proverbs
• Latin terms
• collective nouns for animals
• tattoo fails
• vocabulary categories
• most common verbs
• top 10 irregular verbs
• top 10 regular verbs
• top 10 spelling rules
• improve spelling
• common misspellings
• role-play scenarios
• favo(u)rite word lists
• multiple-choice test
• Tetris game
• grammar-themed memory game
• 100s more...

Abstract Nouns (Grammar Test)

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Advice on writing multiple choice questions (MCQs)

• Related content
• Peer review
• Kieran Walsh , editorial registrar
• London bmjlearning.com

Is writing MCQs A) a fun way to learn and keep up to date, B) good for your CV, or C) potentially lucrative? Kieran Walsh explains why the correct answer is D) all of the above

I t took me four attempts to pass the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) examination. By the end I had devoured all the available MCQ books, so I started to write my own. When I eventually passed I sent them to the dean of my royal college—he was a bit surprised, but also delighted. So began my interest in MCQs. Writing MCQs is perhaps the Cinderella of medical writing. It takes time and care and only rarely do you see your name in peer-reviewed journals. But there are lots of good reasons to put pen to paper and start writing MCQs.

Why write MCQs?

It's immensely rewarding. The first reward is that you will learn something. The maxim that you don't really know a subject until you have taught it is true of writing MCQs. No matter who you are writing for, people want MCQs that will test and train readers' knowledge and skills in a certain area of medicine. In writing them you will update your own knowledge and skills. Most royal colleges want MCQs on recent advances in their field, so you will also update yourself on these advances.

Improving your CV

You will also be making an enormous contribution to your college or whatever body you are writing for. Most examinations would fall apart if doctors did not write MCQs for the written paper. Some royal colleges will reward you with continuous professional development points for your work. If you write enough high quality MCQs you may even be asked to join the college's examination board or to peer review other people's MCQs. You can also mention your work on your CV—employers are increasingly looking for candidates' experiences of learning and teaching when they look at job applications.

Keeping up to date

Every doctor working in the United Kingdom must now be able to show that they are up to date and fit to practise. Many websites, such as www.bmjlearning.com and onmedica.com , are designed to help doctors with their appraisal and revalidation. These websites often have learning modules with assessment questions at the end, so they also need people to write MCQs.

You can write them for money if you want. Some colleges will pay you for your work and many independent course providers will also commission and pay you to write MCQs. But you won't make your fortune in this way. The best reason to write them is because they are fun. If you like pitting your wits against those of your readers then writing MCQs is the way to do it. Many doctors like writing and reading medical detective stories and MCQs enable you to do this and learn and teach in the process.

What type of MCQs should I write?

Many doctors spend a great deal of time checking their MCQs. But even then, students can find the questions and possible answers puzzling and ambiguous. Sometimes students complain and the writers are left wondering why they bothered in the first place. Here's how to avoid this problem.

Who's your audience?

The first thing to find out when writing MCQs is who you are going to be writing for. Are your questions aimed at medical students, senior house officers, or qualified general practitioners? Find out and then tailor the topics and difficulty of questions to your audience.

What's the format?

Find out what type of MCQs the course provider or college needs. Some courses still use traditional true/false type MCQs but they have fallen out of favour in recent years because only rarely in medicine is a statement absolutely true or false; they have been replaced by “best of many” questions and also by extended matching questions.

In “best of many” questions, there is:

A stem (which is usually a short clinical story)

A question that tests application of knowledge (for example, what is the most likely diagnosis?)

Four or five options (only one of the options should be correct)

Answers (these should state which option is most correct)

Explanations (these should explain why one option is the best answer and why the other options are unlikely).

Box 1: How to write MCQs

No matter what type of MCQ you are writing, try to follow these guidelines.

Ask questions on important aspects of the topic

Ask questions that require application of knowledge

Ask questions that test the reader's skills in interpreting data and making decisions

Ask questions about diagnosis, investigations, treatment, and prognosis

Road test your questions on your colleagues

Waste time testing trivial facts

Ask tricky or unnecessarily complicated questions

Use absolute terms such as “always” or “never” in options (they are very rarely true)

Use terms such as “none of the above” (they confuse the reader)

Use negatively phrased sentences in the stem (for example, “the following are good treatments for Alzheimer's disease except...”) (see examples 3, 4, 5, and 6).

The advantage of this type of question is that it mimics what happens in real life when you see a patient—you hear a story and decide what is the most likely diagnosis or the best treatment on the basis of that story (see example 1).

Extended matching questions are a variation on this theme. In this type of question you list a number of possible answers and write a few case scenarios below them. The reader is then asked to match the case scenarios with the likely answer (see example 2).

Examples of MCQs

Example 1. a good “best of many” question.

A 70 year old man is diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease. His memory deficit is affecting his activities of daily living but he has no behavioural problems. His score on the mini-mental state examination is 22 out of 30. What treatment would you recommend?

A. Ibuprofen

B. Galantamine

C. Nicotine

D. Haloperidol

[A: Incorrect]

Ibuprofen has not been proved to be effective in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. 1

[B: Correct]

Cholinesterase inhibitors such as galantamine can improve cognition and functioning in patients who have mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. 1

[C: Incorrect]

Nicotine has not been proven to be effective in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. 1

[D: Incorrect]

Haloperidol can be helpful in patients with dementia who develop behavioural disturbances. But it often causes extrapyramidal side effects. It is not indicated in this man as he has no behavioural problems. 1

This question is a good question for a number of reasons:

It asks an important question about a common condition

It tests the readers' skills in interpreting data (the data they are given is of a 70 year old man with moderate Alzheimer's disease who has no behavioural problems)

It tests the readers' decision making skills (what treatment will they start) rather than just their knowledge

The distractors (incorrect answers) are plausible—haloperidol is used in some circumstances and the effectiveness of nicotine and NSAIDs have been tested in research studies

It mimics real life—a clinician sees a patient and recommends a treatment.

You can ask similar questions about diagnosis, investigations, and prognosis. It is vital to tailor your question to your audience—clinicians should be tested on clinical dilemmas and basic scientists should be tested on the basic sciences.

Example 2. A good “extended matching” question

A. Costochonditis

B. Pulmonary embolism

C. Myocardial infarction

D. Pneumonia

E. Reflux oesophagitis

F. Herpes zoster

G. Stable angina

H. Lung cancer

I. Pneumothorax

For each patient with chest pain, select the most likely diagnosis from the above list. ⇓

A 50 year old man comes to your surgery with severe central chest pain that is spreading into his left arm. It is present at rest and he has had it for 45 minutes. Paracetamol has not helped. He has hypertension and smokes 20 cigarettes a day.

[Correct answer: C]

A 20 year old man complains of severe chest pain in the right side of his chest. The pain is worse when he breathes in. On examination he is tall and thin. The right side of his chest is hyper resonant to percussion and breath sounds are reduced on this side.

[Correct answer: I]

University exams 1882

Credit: MEPC

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Example 3. The ambiguous question

A common error is to write ambiguous questions.

Cold hands are a sign of:

A. Raynaud's syndrome

B. Cold weather

C. A warm heart.

There is no clear right answer—the answers will mean different things to different people.

Example 4. The vague question

The following are true statements about Alzheimer's disease:

A. Patients usually suffer from problems with their speech

B. Patients may respond to music therapy

C. In the advanced stages the disease causes falls.

All these options are vague and ambiguous. What does option A mean? Case et al found that when doctors who write multiple choice questions say that something “usually” happens, they mean that it happens between 55% and 90% of the time. 2 Option B is even less specific—it could mean that a tiny percentage of patients respond to music therapy or that nearly all patients respond. And what does respond mean? Does it mean that their memory improves or that they enjoy the music? Option C is also confusing—patients in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease do suffer from falls, but does that mean that the disease is causing the falls? ⇓

Some questions have poor validity—that is they don't test what they should test. When assessing a clinician's knowledge of Alzheimer's disease, it would be pointless to ask a question about whether disintegrin-metalloproteinase can prevent amyloid plaque formation in mice with Alzheimer's disease. A competent clinician may not be able to answer the question. Equally, if the clinician was able to answer the question this would not mean that they were competent. So why ask the question in the first place?

Example 5. “Always” or “never”

Using absolute terms such as “always” or “never” in options is another bad idea—they are very rarely true. Most students now realise this and automatically steer clear of options that contain the words always or never. Consider the sentence, “You should never prescribe risperidone to people with Alzheimer's disease.” At first glance this appears to be correct—the Committee on Safety of Medicines recently issued guidance that “risperidone should not be used for the treatment of behavioural symptoms of dementia.” 3 But it went on to say that specialists could prescribe risperidone in the short-term to patients with dementia complicated by an acute psychotic condition. 3 So it would still be wrong to say that you should never prescribe risperidone to people with Alzheimer's disease.

Example 6. Limitations of MCQs

Some authors fail to recognise the limitations of MCQs. They are good for testing knowledge and decision making skills but they cannot test higher level skills such as communication skills. Consider the following question:

A 58 year old woman whose husband has Alzheimer's disease writes a letter of complaint to your practice. She is unhappy with the way she and her husband were told of the diagnosis. What is the best course of action?

A. Strike her name off the practice list—she is clearly a troublemaker

B. Tell the practice manager that you will reply in the next couple of months—you are much too busy at present

C. Send a prompt letter of explanation and apology and arrange to see her and her husband again soon

D. Tell her that details of neuropsychiatric phenomena are too difficult for her to understand.

This question tries to test communication skills but is much too blunt an instrument to do this. The correct answer is too obviously correct and the distractors are crass and clearly wrong. In any case, a doctor may know what good communication skills are but that does not mean that they have good communication skills. The best way to assess communication skills is by observing consultations in real life or role play situations. You cannot do it with a pen and paper or in front of a computer screen.

When do I start?

A good time to start writing MCQs is when you are studying. They can help you focus your attention and remember important facts. I started writing before I did the membership but admittedly it didn't help me very much. My only excuse is that it was the Irish exam—and everyone knows how hard that is.

Competing interests: Kieran Walsh works for www.bmjlearning.com , which is part of the BMJ Publishing Group. He is paid a fixed salary.

• ↵ Warner J, Butler R, Arya P. Dementia. In: Clinical Evidence Issue 11. London: BMJ Publishing, 2004 .
• ↵ Case SM. The use of imprecise terms in examination questions: how frequent is frequently? Acad Med. 1994 ; 69 (10 Suppl): S4 -6.
• ↵ Committee on Safety of Medicines. Atypical anti-psychotic drugs and stroke. Available online at http://medicines.mhra.gov.uk/ourwork/monitorsafequalmed/safetymessages/antipsystroke_9304.htm (accessed 7 Nov 2004).
• Case SM, Swanson DB. Constructing written test questions for the basic and clinical sciences (3rd edn). USA: National Board of Medical Examiners, 2001. www.nbme.org/PDF/2001iwgindex.pdf (accessed 7 Nov 2004).

Abstract Submission Policies

Share your research with the physics community at aps meetings and events., aps membership and abstract submission eligibility, aps meeting eligibility.

You must be an APS member or member of a reciprocal society to submit an abstract. If you aren't yet a member, you can join APS . If you are a member, please log into your myAPS account to submit your abstract.

If you are an invited speaker or reciprocal society member, you do not need to be APS member to submit an abstract. However, you will need to create an APS web account .

Please review the list of reciprocal societies to learn if you are a member of a reciprocal society.

Unit meeting eligibility

Membership requirements vary when submitting an abstract to unit meetings. Please review upcoming unit meetings on the APS Calendar and the requirements detailed on the appropriate unit event website.

Verifying membership when submitting your abstract

You will need to include your APS membership ID number with your abstract submission. If you are a current member, you can find your membership ID number through your myAPS account .

After joining APS, you will receive your APS membership ID number within 24 hours. If you have joined APS but do not yet have your membership ID number, please enter "membership pending" when submitting our abstract and your membership will be verified after submission.

APS Membership will not issue membership ID numbers during the week of abstract deadlines, so please plan ahead.

Abstract deadlines

Abstracts must be submitted by the deadline to be guaranteed acceptance in the scientific program.

Meeting organizers are not obligated to include contributed abstracts submitted after the deadline.

Upcoming deadlines

Visit the meet meetings and events calendar to find upcoming meetings and submission deadlines.

Abstract submission guidelines

Please refer to the specific abstract submission instructions on the meeting or event website. In general, however, authors should:

• Thoroughly review and edit their abstracts before submitting
• Keep contributed abstract length within the 1,300 character limit
• Add all co-authors before the submission deadline
• Ensure the abstract is relevant to the topical scope of the meeting or event

When submitting your abstract, please include your preference for:

• An oral or poster presentation
• Your preferred presentation time and/or date
• Your preferred order of presentations within a session

At their discretion, event organizers will make an effort to accommodate these scheduling preferences. However, scheduling may be affected by time and space limitations.

Editing abstracts

APS will only correct mistakes and misspellings in the author’s name or affiliation. To edit abstract content, please withdraw the original abstract and resubmit a corrected version before the abstract submission deadline.

You cannot change your abstract content after author notification have been sent to submitters.

Withdrawing abstracts

After submitting your abstract, you will receive a confirmation email with the withdrawal deadline. Abstracts can be withdrawn online before this date and will not appear in the event program. Only the abstract submitter can request to withdraw an abstract.

After the withdrawal deadline, you must contact us to withdraw an abstract submission . The abstract will still appear as "abstract withdrawn" in the printed program, if one is available for the event.

Altered or rejected abstracts

APS may alter or reject abstracts based on the appropriateness of the content for the meeting or for other reasons such as:

• Excessive length
• Failure to comply with style guidelines
• Repeated cancellations from the submitter

Contributed abstract guidelines

Contributed abstract submission eligibility.

APS members and reciprocal society members may give one technical contributed presentation, either an oral or poster presentation, at March or April Meeting.

APS members may also submit a contributed abstract that lists a non-member as a presenter. The presenter must attend the meeting and give the presentation.

Technical and non-technical contributed submissions

For each presenting author, only one contributed oral abstract on a technical topic will be accepted into the scientific program. At our discretion, APS may accepted additional technical abstracts as poster presentations, if space is available.

An author may submit an additional oral abstract on a non-technical topic, such as education or policy, to present at a session sponsored by an APS Forum or Committee.

At the APS March and April meetings, oral presentations of contributed abstracts are given 10 minutes for presentation and two minutes for questions. Unit meeting presentation times vary.

Submitting and editing contributed abstracts

Please proofread your abstract carefully and thoroughly before submitting. APS will only correct system-generated LaTeX mistakes and misspellings in authors' names or affiliations. APS will not make additional edits, add new authors or reorder the author list.

When submitting your contributed abstract, please do not exceed 1,300 characters and please comply with the submission system style defaults—do not introduce your own formatting in the abstract.

March Meeting abstract edits

Submitters to APS March Meeting may edit abstracts in the online submission system up until the submission deadline.

Contributed abstract acceptance

If your contributed abstract is accepted, APS will notify you via email. You are responsible for confirming your session date and time and requesting changes by contacting APS Abstract Help .

Invited abstract guidelines

Invited speaker eligibility.

APS members may be invited to present a scientific abstract at March or April meeting.

Individual speakers may not be invited to speak at two consecutive meetings. That is, an invited speaker who presented at March Meeting 2023 may not present as an invited speaker at March Meeting 2024. Exceptions are made for speakers who will receive APS Prizes and Awards at the meeting.

Please review the speaker nominations instructions for more information.

In addition to their invited presentation, invited speakers may submit one contributed abstract for the scientific program. APS will communicated with invited speakers about submitting their abstracts and registering for the meeting.

Invited speakers must register to attend the meeting where they are presenting. Some invited speakers' registration fees may be sponsored by an APS unit.

Invited abstract submission instructions

Authors and collaborators.

Abstracts submitted for an invited speaker may only have that individual as the author. APS suggests that the invited speaker credit collaborating researchers in a footnote in the paper.

During the submission process, an invited speaker can add collaborators as co-authors. However, the invited speaker must give the presentation, unless a replacement speaker is agreed upon beforehand, as discussed with APS Abstract Help .

An invited paper is expected to have 30 minutes for presentation time, plus six minutes for a question and answer session.

Technical and non-technical invited submissions

If you are submitting an invited abstract, you may also submit one additional abstract of a non-technical nature, such as on education, history of physics or public policy. This abstract may be presented at a session, sponsored by an APS forum or committee , of broad concern to the physics community.

Invited abstract character limits

When submitting an invited abstract, please do not exceed the 2,000 character limit for your invited abstract text.

Withdrawing an invited abstract

If you accept an invitation to present but are later unable to do so, please contact APS Abstract Help .

Advice for abstract writing

As an initial summary of your research, your abstract and its title are your first chance to impress your audience and entice them to attend your presentation or read your paper.

When writing your abstract and title, think about your research's relevance and context. How does your research fit into the broad scope of the meeting where you will present?

Effective titles

When crafting an effective title, be sure that it:

• Predicts the abstract contents
• Contains important keywords
• Defines the research's purpose, scope, tone and methods

Parts of an abstract

Good abstracts include many of the parts of a paper, condensed or simplified to the most essential information:

• Introduction
• Previous or relevant references
• The goal of the project
• A description of how that goal was met
• Key results
• Details about why your results are unique or noteworthy

Additional advice

While writing your abstract, also keep the following in mind:

• Stay within the required character or word count
• Use proper submission format—often LaTeX, MS Word or plain text
• Ensure your abstract is understandable without reading the paper or seeing the presentation
• Define acronyms and minimize jargon

Abstract helpline

If you have questions or require assistance in submitting your abstract, please contact the APS Abstract Help team.

Phone: +1 (301) 209-3290 (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern) Email : The APS Abstract help team

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