Guide
How to create a conference abstract book
Updated · WebMobi
How do you create a conference abstract book?
Create a conference abstract book by fixing the list of accepted abstracts, choosing an order (by track, by presentation type or alphabetically), deciding what each entry shows — reference, title, authors, numbered affiliations and the abstract text — adding a table of contents, and producing the PDF and the web version from the same source so the two never disagree.
An abstract book is the permanent record of what was presented. The work is mostly editorial — a fixed list, a consistent entry format, clean names and affiliations — and it goes wrong mainly when the book is assembled by copying text out of another system.
Create the abstract book in eight steps
Freeze the list of accepted abstracts
Start only when decisions are final. Every late acceptance or withdrawal after layout means rework in both the PDF and the website.
Choose the order
By track mirrors the program and suits most readers. By presentation type separates orals from posters. Alphabetical by title is easiest to search in print.
Fix the entry format
Every entry the same: reference, title, authors, affiliations, the abstract, then keywords. Decide whether to show the presentation type and the session.
Clean up names and affiliations
The same institution should be written the same way throughout. Authors type their own affiliation, so expect several spellings of the largest institutions.
Number the affiliations
When authors come from more than one institution, put a number after each name and list the numbered institutions below. It keeps the author line short and unambiguous.
Add the front matter and contents
A title page, the committee, a short note on how to read an entry and a table of contents by track or section.
Decide on an author index
In print, an index of authors with their references lets readers find a colleague’s work. On the web, search does the same job.
Produce the PDF and the web version from one source
Generate both from the same list rather than editing each separately, then check a sample of entries against the accepted abstracts before publishing.
What an entry looks like
The book of abstracts template sets this layout out in Word and Markdown, with the front matter and an author index.
Print and web have different jobs
The PDF is the record: it is downloaded, printed, archived and cited, so it needs page numbers and a stable order. The web version is for finding things during the meeting: it should link from the conference site and be readable on a phone. Both should list exactly the same abstracts in the same order — which is only reliable if both come from the same source.
Before you publish: a checklist
- Every decision is final, and no accepted abstract is still waiting to be published.
- Withdrawn abstracts are gone from the list, not just marked.
- Each institution is spelled one way throughout.
- The order matches the program attendees will see.
- The table of contents points at the right pages in the PDF.
- A sample of entries has been read against the accepted text — first, last and a few from the middle.
What to leave out
Leave out authors’ email addresses unless every author agreed to publication. The abstract book is public and long-lived; the committee already has the contact details it needs.
Doing it in WebMobi
The abstract book is generated from abstracts that were accepted in peer review and then published. You choose the title, the sections (table of contents, tracks, abstracts, authors, affiliations) and the order (track, presentation type or alphabetical); references, titles and presentation types always appear, affiliations are numbered when there is more than one institution, and email addresses are never printed. Preview it, download the PDF, and publish it to your conference website — the PDF and the web book come from the same entries. See abstract book software.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an abstract book and conference proceedings?
An abstract book collects the abstracts of the work presented. Proceedings collect full papers, usually with their own review and publication process.
When should the abstract book be published?
Once decisions are final and the program is settled, so the order matches what attendees will see. Publishing the web version before the meeting lets attendees plan their day.
How long should each entry be?
As long as the abstract the committee accepted — the book prints the accepted text, not a summary of it. If entries run too long for the page, shorten the word limit in next year’s call rather than editing accepted work.
Should the abstract book include email addresses?
Only with every author’s agreement. WebMobi’s abstract book never prints them.
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