Abstract Submission Policies

APS membership and abstract submission eligibility

APS meeting eligibility

To submit an abstract, you must be a member of APS or of a reciprocal society.

If you’re not an APS member, you can join APS today.

Invited speakers and reciprocal society members are not required to be APS members to submit an abstract. However, they must create an APS web account. During this process, reciprocal society members will be prompted to select their reciprocal society.

Unit meeting eligibility

Membership requirements vary for unit meetings. Please review the APS Calendar for upcoming meetings and the specific requirements on their respective event websites.

Abstract deadlines

Abstracts must be submitted by the deadline to guarantee acceptance and inclusion in the scientific program.

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

For upcoming deadlines, visit the meetings and events calendar.

Abstract submission guidelines

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

• Review and proofread their abstracts before submission
• Limit contributed abstracts to 1,300 characters
• Include all co-authors before the deadline
• Ensure the abstract aligns with the meeting's topical scope

When submitting your abstract, please indicate your preferences for:

• An oral or poster presentation
• Whether you will present in-person or virtually; this choice is final and cannot be changed after the abstract submission deadline

Organizers will try to accommodate scheduling preferences but may face time and space limitations.

Editing abstracts

APS will only correct errors and misspellings in authors' names or affiliations. To edit the content of the abstract, return to the submission site and select "My Submissions." Select the pencil icon, then scroll to the field(s) you wish to modify. Make sure to select "Next" and then "Submit for Review" to save your changes. Please note that abstract content cannot be modified after the submission deadline and author notifications have been sent.

Rules for withdrawing abstracts

Please be aware of the following rules regarding abstract withdrawal:

Authorship responsibility

Submitting an abstract implies unanimous agreement among all listed authors and the primary contact person of the study. The submitter is responsible for obtaining consent.

Any listed author is regarded as a submitter and possesses the power to request withdrawal of the abstract at any phase of the submission process. The abstract will be put on hold until all authors have reached an agreement on authorship. If a consensus on authorship isn’t reached by the specified deadline, set forth by APS, the abstract will be withdrawn from consideration for the program.

Withdrawal process

Abstracts can be withdrawn online before the withdrawal deadline specified in the submitter/presenter confirmation email. After the official withdrawal deadline, withdrawal requests must be submitted via email to APS Abstract Help.

Requestors must provide a clear explanation for withdrawal and promptly notify all other listed authors.

Accepted abstracts will be removed at the conclusion of the program if the presenter fails to register and deliver the presentation.

Conflict resolution

Any disputes or conflicts regarding authorship, submission, or withdrawal should be resolved through open communication and consensus among all involved parties. APS can often not adjudicate authorship disputes and relies on authors and their institutions to find consensus.

Consequences for violation

Violation of these withdrawal rules may result in consequences, including withdrawal of the abstracts, as deemed appropriate by the relevant authorities or institutions. Abstracts will be withdrawn from our programs if they are found to violate research ethical standards.

APS aims to foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and mutual respect among authors and presenters. It is crucial to ensure that all stakeholders are actively involved and informed throughout the submission and presentation process. Through clear guidelines and proactive measures, we can mitigate conflicts and uphold the integrity of our academic community.

Abstract alterations or rejections

APS may alter or reject abstracts based on content relevance, length, or non-compliance with guidelines. Repeated cancellations by the submitter may also result in rejection.

Contributed abstract guidelines

Contributed abstract submission eligibility

APS members or reciprocal society members may submit one technical oral abstract and one technical poster abstract for both the March Meeting and April Meeting programs. If the presenter is not an APS member, an APS member may submit the abstract on their behalf, provided the non-member presenter attends the meeting and delivers the presentation.

Technical and non-technical contributed submissions

All abstracts must be submitted as either fully in-person or fully virtual; mixed formats are not allowed. Additionally, authors may present one non-technical abstract, such as one related to education or policy, in a session of broad interest to the physics community, provided it is sponsored by an APS Forum or Committee.

Contributed abstracts at the March Meeting and April Meeting are allotted 10 minutes for presentation, with two minutes for questions.

Presentation times for unit meetings vary.

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 before the edit deadline.

Invited abstract guidelines

Invited speaker eligibility

APS members or non-members may be invited to present scientific abstracts at the March Meeting or April Meeting.

Invited speakers cannot be invited to speak at two consecutive meetings. A speaker invited to the 2024 meeting cannot be invited to the 2025 meeting, except for APS Prize and Award recipients.

All invited speakers must register for the meeting, although some fees may be sponsored by APS units.

Invited abstract submissions

Invited abstracts should list the invited speaker as the sole author, with collaborators credited in a footnote or added as co-authors. The invited speaker must present, or arrange for a replacement through APS Abstract Help. Invited abstracts are allotted 30 minutes for presentation, plus six minutes for questions and answers.

Technical and non-technical invited submissions

Invited speakers may submit one technical abstract in addition to their invited abstract. Invited speakers may also submit a non-technical abstract on topics such as education, history, or public policy. This non-technical 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

Invited abstracts should not exceed 2,000 characters. Should an invited speaker submit additional contributed talks, they should not exceed 1,300 characters.

Withdrawing an invited abstract

If you cannot present after accepting an invitation, contact APS Abstract Help.

Advice for abstract writing

Your abstract and its title serve as the first opportunity to impress your audience and encourage them to attend your presentation or read your paper. When crafting your abstract and title, consider the relevance and context of your research. How does it align with the overall themes of the meeting?

Effective titles

An effective title should:

• Summarize the abstract’s content
• Include important keywords
• Clarify the research’s purpose, scope, and methods

Parts of an abstract

Good abstracts typically include:

• An introduction
• Previous or relevant references
• The project goal and a description of how that goal was met
• Key results
• Unique contributions; 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 limit of 2,000 for invited abstracts and 1,300 for contributed abstracts.
• Use proper submission format—LaTeX is not supported and APS uses a text editor for submissions. You may paste from Word or use plain text.
• Ensure clarity without requiring the full paper or presentation.
• Proofread carefully and define any acronyms to minimize jargon.

Abstract helpline

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

You may also contact the team through (301) 209-3290 (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern). Please note that staff are working remotely, and we appreciate your patience during peak periods.

Other resources include:

• The APS Membership team, for membership questions
• The APS Virtual Events team, for virtual meeting questions
• The APS Registrar, for registration questions