The Education Committee of the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) offers scientist educators and clinicians the opportunity to exchange the latest information in Optometry and the Business of Eyecare during the 2020 NOA Annual National Conference. We, by this message call for submission of scientific programme Abstract of Research Paper Presentations and Scientific Posters.
Submission window opens November 12th 2019 and runs until January 31st 2020. Proposals may include research results, case studies, current and innovative diagnostic procedures or treatment techniques, position paper tailored to the Conference themes.
Conference Theme: Quality Eyecare services in Nigeria: Tackling the Economic and Security Challenges
Sub Themes:
- Prospects and challenges to delivering quality Optometric Services in Nigeria
- Optometric services as a major contributor to Nigeria’s GDP
- Regulating Ophthalmic products and services in a Developing Economy
Submission Guidelines
- Abstract submission will only be accepted through the website from November 12th 2019 to January 31st, 2020 by 6:00 pm GMT. In the event of technical difficulties, kindly use email address locedu2020@gmail.com. The abstract can be submitted as a word document, double-spaced typed, Times New Roman, 12 points.
- The abstract can consist of text and images, image sizes must be restricted to 1MB and images can be uploaded in PDF, JPG or JPEG formats.
- Authors are permitted a maximum of 2 first-author presentations within the scientific programme. Any combination of paper or poster presentations are permitted, however, no more than 2 first author submissions will be accepted. There is no limit to the number of co-authored submissions, e.g authors may be listed as second, third or other positions on any number of submissions.
- The primary author’s CV is required to be uploaded at the time of abstract submission.
- Authors presenting their work at the Scientific Conference must be registered for the meeting.
- The first author is solely responsible for the presentation of an accepted abstract at the date and time assigned by the Education committee. Co-authors, substitutes or multiple presenters are not permitted.
- First authors may be scheduled to present a paper or poster presentation from 7:30 am on Thursday 23rd July 2020 to 6:00 pm on Friday 24th July 2020. Authors should not submit their abstract unless they can commit to being present when assigned.
- Submission of previously published copyrighted material (e.g. Journal articles) will not be accepted.
- Submissions may be rejected if the author(s) have failed to make scheduled presentations at previous meetings.
- All presentation must avoid commercialism. Presentations that constitute promotion and advertising will be prohibited. This specifically includes pervasive and inappropriate use of logos.
Rules for Submission:
- The abstract will be accepted as a poster and oral presentation.
- First authors of presentations must be registered participants and attend the meeting.
- Substitute presenter approval requests will only be considered; where the first author is unable to attend, in cases of illness, family emergencies, change of employment or inability to obtain a visa. The request must be submitted to locedu2020@gmail.com by the first author not later than 4:00 pm the day before the scheduled presentation. The substitute presenter must be one of the co-authors and registered for the annual meeting. Failure to obtain prior information may result in cancellation of the presentation and loss of privileges for the first author to submit abstracts or proposal to subsequent NOA Scientific Conferences.
- Submission of an abstract assumes your acceptance for the abstract to be published in all printed material of the Conference. Authors are required to transfer the copyright for their submitted abstracts to NOA, and first authors must provide assurance that all co-authors agree to the copyright transfer.
- The abstract must be original and must not have been published or presented at any other meeting prior to NOA Conference 2020
- The abstract must be submitted in English
- Conflicts of Interest / Disclosure: Work submitted for presentation must include an acknowledgement of funding sources of commercial nature and/or consulting or holding of significant equity in a company that could be affected by the results of the study. First authors are responsible for disclosing any conflict of interest document. Click here.
- Any conflict of interest must also be disclosed at the time of presentation. This applies to both scientific paper and poster presentations.
- Ethical and Regulatory requirements for Research and Case Reports. All studies must have been approved by institutional committees on ethics of experimental and human investigations. Research involving human subject must have been conducted in accordance with the tenets of the declaration of Helsinki and with adherence to any applicable national and local human subjects’ research requirements. Consistent with the National Institute of Health guidelines, if the number of human subjects in the study exceeds three, Institutional Review Board approval must be obtained. The authors cannot automatically assume that certain studies are exempt from IRB review. Only an IRB can determine if a specific study fulfils the exempt status.
- Research involving the use of animals must be conducted in accordance with international standards for animal treatment and care (e.g. the Society of Neurosciences and ARVO statements on the use of animals and research) as well as applicable regulatory requirement)
- Failure to conform to the ethical standards may result in loss of privileges for all listed authors to submit abstracts for proposals to subsequent NOA annual meetings.
Major Abstract Evaluation Criteria
- Each abstract will be reviewed for the following elements: (i) scientific and clinical quality (ii) methodological soundness, (iii) the level of scientific or clinical novelty, (iv) multi-disciplinary nature and (v) completeness of case work-up to support the proposed diagnosis. Each submission received will be independently peer-reviewed and rated on a blind evaluation basis.
- First authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by February 21st, 2020
Abstract Preparation
The abstract should contain the following information:
- Presenting author’s contact details
- Email address
- Full postal address
- Phone/mobile number
- Author and Co-authors; details: Full first and family name(s), Authors’ names must be in upper and lower case (Okon B Akpan). Affiliation details: Department, institution / hospital, city, state (if relevant), country
- Abstract title must not exceed 20 words
- Abstract text must not exceed 300 words, including acknowledgements.
- Abstract of the research project should clearly state: patient’s symptoms, findings, diagnosis, treatments outcomes
- Abstracts of diagnostics or therapeutics techniques should clearly describe: the procedure, its applications, its unique or innovative characteristics
- Use only standard abbreviation; place special or unusual abbreviations in parentheses after the full word appears the first time.
- Used generic names of drugs
- Express numbers as numerals
Note:
No advertising matter of any decryption may be distributed. No materials may be displayed that in any way directly promotes the commercial interest of any particular company or enterprise, or of the author(s) / presenters(s). If the cost presentation has been underwritten to any extent, a clear acknowledgement stating support and identifying the particular source should be included (e.g. “the support of
for this project is gratefully acknowledged”.)
Expenses: All accepted presenters/authors/speakers are required to register for the conference, and are fully responsible for all of their expenses related to the conference (e.g. registration, airfare, hotel, meals)
All presenters are hereby informed that oral presentations will be presented by Power Point, posters will be placed on Boards (to be provided). Details of dimensions of the posters will be communicated to authors of selected abstract.