General Guidelines

• Authors are invited to submit both an abstract and an extended abstract based on their research findings for oral presentations at the conference.
• During the initial submission, authors should upload both the abstract and the extended abstract to the CMT system.
• Abstracts and extended abstracts that include author details will not undergo review. After submission, author names, affiliations, and acknowledgments will be removed for the purpose of review before being sent to the reviewers.
• Previously presented or published research will not be considered.
• Any identified instances of plagiarism will lead to an immediate rejection of the abstract without further evaluation.
• Prior to submission, authors are strongly advised to utilize an authentic or freely available online plagiarism checker to review their abstracts and extended abstracts.
• Authors must categorize their abstracts under one of the five specified Themes. However, the Editorial Board retains the right to reassign a selected abstract to a more suitable theme if deemed necessary.
• To streamline the reviewing and editing process, authors must submit a signed Author Declaration Form, endorsed by all authors, along with the initial submission. The final assessment and editing phases will commence only upon receipt of all relevant documents and information.

Abstract Guidelines

• Abstracts for the 12th Annual Science Research Session (ASRS 2023) will be published in the conference proceedings. Please adhere to the following formatting guidelines:

Paper Specifications:
• Paper size: A4
• Margins: Left margin 3.0 cm, all other margins (top, bottom, and right) 2.5 cm
• Font: Times New Roman
• Font size: 12 (except for authors' affiliations)
• Line spacing: Single
• Page limit: One page

Language and Software:
• All abstracts must be in English and prepared using MS Word 2007 or later.


• Abstract Content: Please use the provided Abstract template and structure your abstract as follows:
Title:
• Brief and descriptive, reflecting the study
• Bold, uppercase letters, center-aligned
• Use uppercase italics for scientific names of organisms, with common names in parentheses
• Two-line spaces between the Abstract number and title
• Single line space between title and author names
Author(s):
• Initials before surname (last name)
• Bold, lowercase letters, center-aligned
• Initials followed by a full-stop, no space
• Corresponding author (Primary contact) marked with an asterisk (*)
• Single space between last initial and surname
• No line space between author names and affiliations
Affiliation(s) of Author(s):
• Italics, font size 11, lowercase letters (with necessary uppercase)
• Different affiliations numbered with superscript
• Each affiliation on a separate line
• Superscript number at beginning of affiliation and end of author's name
• Single line space between affiliations and abstract text
Abstract text:
• Single paragraph with an introduction, objectives, methodology, results, brief discussion, and conclusion(s)
• Justified alignment
• No sub-headings, figures, or tables
• No references
Keywords:
• Up to 5 keywords, separated by commas and a space
• Each keyword starts with an uppercase letter
• Single line space after the abstract text
Acknowledgement:
• Acknowledge funding organizations with grant numbers in parentheses
• Italics, a single sentence
• Single line space after the Keywords

Additional Notes:
• Full form of abbreviations and acronyms on first use (except standard abbreviations)
• Do not use abbreviations and acronyms in the title, unless necessary
• Non-English and technical terms should be in italics.

Extended Abstract Guidelines

• Please be aware that the extended abstract will not be included in the Proceedings. Its sole purpose is for the review process.
• When preparing the extended abstract, adhere to the subsequent formatting instructions:
Page size: A4
Margins: Maintain 2.5 cm margins on all sides (top, bottom, left, right)
Font: Times New Roman
Font size: 12
Line spacing: Single
Page count: 3-4 pages
Page numbering: Place at the bottom right corner
Title: Include the title, author(s) names, and their respective affiliations exactly as presented in the abstract.


• Arrange the content under the subsequent subheadings:
1. Title: Followed by the authors' names and affiliations
2. Introduction: Clearly state the objectives
3. Materials and Methods
4. Results
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion(s): Present the outcomes


• If applicable, ensure that any Figures and Tables are clear and fit within the designated page limit.

• Live zoom presentation
• On-site Presentation

Guidelines

• All oral presentations must be in MS PowerPoint 2013 or earlier format and be sent to asrs-2023@seu.ac.lk before October 31^st, 2023.
• In case of participating physically, we recommend you bring a backup copy (CD-ROM, DVD, or USB storage device) of your presentation to the meeting.
• Please limit your Oral Presentation to 10 minutes (Maximum 20 slide)

Presentation suggestions:

• Limit your speech to the allotted time.
• Please discuss the material as reported in the abstract.
• Speak slowly and clearly.
• Use short sentences.
• Use one graphic for each 1 or 2 minutes of presentation time.
• Avoid using small fonts:  Break up a complex slide into a series of slides.
• Devote each graphic to a single fact, idea, or finding. Illustrate major points or trends, not detailed data.
• Avoid long or complicated formulas or equations. Each graphic should remain on the screen for at least 20 seconds.
• Use the minimum number of words possible in titles, subtitles, and captions.
• Standard abbreviations are acceptable.

Abstract Review Process

• All submitted abstracts will undergo a double-blind peer review conducted by a panel of internal and external expertise in sciences.
• Results of the abstract review will be sent to the author (Conditions apply if there is an emergency).
• Failure to remove template text from your paper may result in your paper not being published.
• Notices of acceptance or rejection of the paper will be sent to the author with reviewer comments.
• If revisions are required according to the reviewer comments, the revised abstract must be sent back within the given deadline.
• If your abstract is accepted, you will be invited to register for the Conference.

Abstract Assessment Criteria

• Originality
• Rationale of the research concept and objective (Aims/objectives clearly stated)
• Quality of the research design/Methods and Techniques and data analysis
• Interpretation of results
• Clarity of writing/ language
• Relevance to the conference
• Structure of the paper
• Overall presentation