Analysis of Abstracts from the Medical Theses Written in Macedonian Language and Proposal of Standards for Abstract Preparation

AIM: The aim of this study was to analyse abstracts from the medical theses written in Macedonian language and propose standards for abstract preparation.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total number of 97 English abstracts from the medical PhD theses and 122 Medical MSc theses defended at the Faculty of Medicine, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Republic of Macedonia in the period of 2007-2012 were analysed. Author definition, institution definition, language definition, deposition in the Central Medical Library, presence or absence of English abstracts, number of structured abstract, key words, and mentor declaration were analysed.RESULTS: In the 97 Macedonian medical PhD theses (defended 2007-2012) author, institution or language were not defined. All PhD theses were deposited in the Central Medical Library. In 18.6% PhD theses, there was no English abstract, in 74.2% the abstracts were not structured, 36.1% of them were without key words, and 8.2% were without statement of the mentor. Similar findings were noticed in the 122 Macedonian medical MSc theses (defended 2007-2012) which did not have author, institution or language defined. Four percentages of MSc theses were not deposited in the Central Medical Library, 32.8% MSc theses were submitted for defence without an English abstract, 65.6% MSc theses had no structured abstracts and 45.9% of them had no key words. Significant number of MSc theses (21.3%) was submitted for defence without statement of the mentor and one medical MSc was retracted.CONCLUSION: Standards for preparation English and Macedonian abstracts for medical PhD and MSc theses are proposed in order to increase their quality and international availability.