Unfortunately, not all Internet browsers are able to support special text formatting (for example: italics, boldface, sub- or superscripts) or special characters (for example: mathematical symbols, Greek letters, ampersands) in forms.

If your abstract contains special text formatting or special characters, it is crucial that you read this page and use one or more of the methods below to ensure that your work is accurately presented.

1. If you are using Internet Explorer 5.5 or above as your Internet browser, special formatting and characters should not be a problem. Simply cut and paste the abstract from your word processing document into the submission form, then check to make sure that your special characters were retained. Be aware that Netscape browsers do not support this technique.
   
   If you are unsure which version of Explorer you are using, go to the "Help" menu at the top of the browser and select "about." If your version is earlier than 5.5, you can download and install the new version by clicking here.
   
   
2. Insert HTML code directly into the text of your submission. Even if you don't know HTML, this is not as difficult as it sounds. Use the tables at the bottom of the page for reference. Table A lists the code for special text formatting; Table B lists the code for special characters.
   
   
3. If formatting (bold, italics, etc.) is not required and you only need special characters (Greek letters), you can substitute text versions for the symbols themselves: write out "alpha" in lieu of the symbol a, for example.
   
   
4. If all else fails, send an email with the subject line "Help" to science2003@hs.pitt.edu. If you include contact information in the body of the email, we will get in touch as quickly as possible to provide personalized assistance.