Answered By: Charlotte Beyer, MSIS, AHIP
Last Updated: Nov 02, 2022     Views: 50852

It really depends on where you find the abstract. The only way you should use the abstract is if the full article is not available. If you are citing the abstract as part of the full article, cite the full article. To learn how to find articles by title click here. 

If it is in society proceedings journal:

Author. Article Title [Abstract Number]. Journal Title. Year;Volume(issue): page numbers. 

Fliesler SJ, Richards MJ, Peachey NS, Buchan B, Vaughan DK, Organisciak DT. Potentiation of retinal light damage in an animal model of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome [ARVO abstract 3373]. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2001;42(suppl):S627.

Some journals have abstract sections like JAMA. In this case you would put the citation of journal it came from as part of the abstract citation.

Format: Authors. Abstract Title. [abstract taken from Journal Title. Year;Volume(issue):Page Numbers]. Abstract Journal Title. Year;Volume(Issue):Page Number. 

Example: Elner VM, Hassan AS, Frueh BR. Graded full-thickness anterior blepharotomy for upper eyelid retraction [abstract taken from Arch Ophthalmol. 2004;122(1):55-60]. Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2004;6(4):277.

If it is an abstract from a conference, there are a few ways to cite it:

If the abstract was published in an issue devoted to conference proceedings:

Format: Authors. Presentation title. In proceedings title; Date; Location of Conference. Abstract number. 

Example: Khuri FR, Lee JJ, Lippman SM, et al. Isotretinoin effects on head and neck cancer recurrence and second primary tumors. In: Proceedings from the American Society of Clinical Oncology; May 31-June 3, 2003; Chicago, IL. Abstract 359.

If abstract is only in the conference program:

Format: Authors. Paper or Poster Title. Paper or Poster presented at: Meeting title with Full Association Title; Date of Presentation; Location of Conference. 

Example: Durbin D, Kallan M, Elliott M, Arbogast K, Cornejo R, Winston F. Risk of injury to restrained children from passenger air bags. Paper presented at: 46th Annual Meeting of the Association for the Advancement for Automotive Medicine; September 20, 2002; Tempe, AZ.

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