For example see http://ccforum.com/content/5/S4/1

Formatting:

• Select A4 page size (210 x 297mm, 8.25 x 11.69")nt>
• The complete abstract should not exceed one page
• Set all margins to 2.54cm (1")
• Use single line spacing
• Use only Arial font 12pt (13pt with Macintosh)
• Do not use right hand margin justification
• Start at the top of the page with the title in bold sentence case with no full stop Leave a line
• List authors' initials and last names in bold typeface and sentence case On a new line and in italic text give the address where the work was carried out.
• Leave a blank line
• Start each paragraph with a header (e.g. Introduction: Methods: Results: Conclusions: or Acknowledgement:).Use bold text for the heading, leave a space then begin the text in normal font
• Use only one diagram or table
• Tables should be formal word processor tables, not spaced or tabbed text
• References should be indicated in the text as: [1] [2] [3,4] etc.
• Equipment used should be described as: Model (Manufacturer, City, Country)
• Leave a blank line after each paragraph
• Put any "References" header in bold on its own on a separate line
• On the next line give the numbered references in the order they appear in the text. Use an new line for each reference and the following reference style:

  1. Journal. Stein PD, Hull RD, Raskob G: Risks for major bleeding from thrombolytic therapy in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: consideration of noninvasive management. Ann Intern Med 1994, 121:313-317.

  2. For more than six authors. Rouby JJ, Lherm T, Martin de Lassale E, et al: Histologic aspects of pulmonary barotrauma in critically ill patients with acute respiratory failure. Intens Care Med 1993, 19:383-389.

  3. Journal supplement. Walker LK: Use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for preoperative stabilization of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Crit Care Med 1993, 21(suppl):S379-S380.

  4. Book. Doyle AC: Biological Mysteries Solved, 2nd edn. London: Science Press, 1991.

  5. Book chapter. Lachmann B, van Daal GJ: Adult respiratory distress syndrome: animal models. In Pulmonary Surfactant. Edited by Robertson B, van Golde LMG, Batenburg JJ. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1992:635-663.

Accompanying Letter:

An accompanying letter, signed by all the authors, should state

• That you wish to present the paper
• Whether the study received ethics committee approval or was conducted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (include licence numbers)
• That the study has not been published as an abstract at a national meeting, nor will be submitted for publication in a journal prior to presentation
• Whether you have a preference for verbal or poster presentation
• If you do not wish your abstract to be displayed on the ACTA website or published in Critical Care Forum
• The address, email, telephone and fax of the corresponding author

Publication:

At least one author who is a full member of ACTA should be present during the presentation. Where none of the authors is a full member of ACTA, the abstract should be accompanied by a letter from a sponsoring full member, stating that they have read the abstract, agree to sponsor the paper and will be present during its presentation.

Responsibility for obtaining ethics committee approval and observing their requirements, and the accuracy of the data and its interpretation rests with the authors and not with the Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthetists.

Publication of abstracts in Critical Care has been made possible by an unrestricted grant from Bayer plc. Abstracts submitted to the meeting organiser will be ranked according to set criteria ahead of the meeting. As many abstracts as funds allow will be published according to the rank order. The rank order will decide only which abstracts are published in written form, not the order of presentation or publication nor whether an abstract is selected for oral or poster presentation.

Reproduced from the ACTA web site (www.acta.org.uk)