Most fairs cap the abstract at around 250 words. That is roughly seven sentences, and each one has a job.
- Context. One sentence on why the area matters. Not two.
- Gap. What is not known, specifically.
- Question or purpose. What you set out to determine.
- Method. Design, sample size, key measurement. Compressed hard.
- Result. The main finding, with a number.
- Second result or key comparison. Only if it earns its place.
- Conclusion and significance. What it means, hedged correctly.
Worked example, 96 words:
Antibiotic resistance in agricultural runoff is an under-monitored route of environmental exposure. It is unclear whether resistance markers persist downstream of small livestock operations in temperate climates. This study measured tetracycline-resistant coliform abundance at five distances (0–2 km) downstream of three sites over eight weeks (n = 120 samples). Resistant colony counts fell by 71% between 0 m and 500 m (p < 0.001) but remained above upstream baseline at 2 km. Persistence beyond 500 m suggests that buffer distances based on total coliform decay may underestimate the range of resistance markers.
Write the abstract last, after the results are final. Every number in it must appear in the poster.