Abstract Writing: How to Convince in a Page

Are you a new student in linguistics? First-timer at the LSA Annual Meeting? Wondering how to present a successful abstract? Or are you a seasoned scholar who would simply like some extra assistance in preparing your abstract for the upcoming LSA Annual Meeting?

This webinar recording "Abstract Writing: How to Convince in a Page" will have something for you. The webinar featured Khalil Iskarous, Associate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Southern California, Associate Editor of the LSA's flagship journal Language, and Co-Chair of the LSA Program Committee

Presenting your peer-reviewed research at a conference is a signal achievement of any linguistic scholar, yet writing a successful abstract is not always self-evident. The goal of this webinar is to discuss successful abstract writing through reviewing a set of abstracts that were selected for presentation at the last two LSA meetings. Although there is no single formula for a successful abstract, since each reviewer brings their own scholarly perspective to the review process, we can identify the building blocks of a convincing argument of abstract length. We go through how successful abstracts gain the attention of the reviewer in the first few sentences, proceed by building the argument, and are then able to preview the abstract argument made in the work by using a few sentences. Participants were encouraged to apply the abstract points discussed to their own work. This webinar is expected to benefit first-time abstract submitters, as well as any others who feel that they may benefit from explicit discussion of this art. There is time for Q&A at the end, so watch until the end!