Plain Language Summaries

ASGCT encourages authors to make their work more accessible to the broad CGT community by including plain language summaries.

Ensure your research findings are accessible to disease communities by submitting an abstract summary using plain language.  These submissions will not be used during the review process for abstract acceptance. These plain language summaries (PLS) will be available for reference to those viewing abstracts, and some may also be shared with the disease community or through ASGCT communications. All plain language summaries will be under the same embargo policy as the abstracts.

Guidelines and Tips

• Summaries should be 200 words or less.

• The intended audience of these summaries is patients, caregivers, and advocates in the rare disease community. 

• Start with the most important message for the intended audience and then move on to how the methods or findings may impact the disease community or the field.   

• Be wary of including details and scientific jargon that may cloud the main message. 

• Concepts should be explained as simply as possible while keeping their meaning.

• We recommend you structure your summary with the following elements:  

  • What was the main finding of the research? 

  • What does a patient or caregiver need to know about the subject to understand your research? 

  • Why is this study important to the disease community? 

There are many useful resources online to assist with writing a Plain Language Summary:  

• Asses the readability and grade level scores of your summary (aiming for a readability score above 55 and a grade level score below 11).

• Check out this report from the U.S. Department of Education for writing about research in everyday language which includes a glossary of technical terms and their revised PLS usage.

• Visit this site for tips on plain language or clear communications best practices.

• View this checklist of items to include in your plain language summary.