TIPS FOR GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT:
Designers and infographics are everywhere. Some of them are spectacular making us question ourselves how they were made. Undoubtedly making good infographics is no easy task. You must have a clear and simplified idea of the subject. Even if you follow all rules of data visualization and look for hundreds infographic tutorials, practicing is the only way to perfection.
However, as scientists, we are not aiming here to be a perfect art designer. Our job is to communicate our findings. If we have trouble doing that (and we do) then we have a problem. My advise is first anser some key questions:
1. What does it mean to have a good communication in the scientific world?
2. What is my research about?
3. What are my main findings?
4. How are my findings connected with the references I used?
5. Do I really understand my own work/ research presented through the graphical abstract?
A graphical abstract serves as a visual summary of an article’s main findings. It can be helpful for your reviewers, researchers and readers trying to get a sense of an article's findings or readers searching through databases looking for particular findings. A Graphical Abstract should be a one-image file and should visualize one process or make one point clear. For ease of browsing, the Graphical Abstract should have a clear start and end, preferably "reading" from top to bottom or left to right. Try to reduce distracting and cluttering elements as much as possible. Graphical abstracts have been widely accepted by scientific publishers like Nature, Open Engineering, Springer, Wiley, RSC, ACS, Elsevier, IEEE, JCEE, ASCE, etc.
Also, a Graphical Abstract is a single, concise, pictorial and visual summary of the main findings of the article, according to one of the Journal publishers-Elsevier. This could either be the concluding figure from the article or a figure that is specially designed for the purpose, which captures the content of the article for readers at a single glance. The Graphical Abstract will be displayed in online search result lists, the online contents list and the online article, but will not (yet) appear in the article PDF file or print. Please see examples given below.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT AND LITERATURE REVIEW:
Graphical abstracts usually apply to summarizing the outcomes of your individual study (just as a traditional abstract would do). While you may also include a literature review for your study, a literature review itself does not generally need a graphical abstract.
SAMPLE JOURNAL INSTRUCTIONS ON GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT:
Different journals have different instructions. Here is another sample instructions:
BCREC Author Instruction:
A Graphical abstract is mandatory for this journal since year 2013. It should summarize the contents of the article in a concise, pictorial form designed to capture the attention of a wide readership online. Authors must provide images that clearly represent the work described in the article.
Graphical abstracts should be submitted as a separate file in the online submission system or otherwise can be submitted by email to: bcrec@undip.ac.id after the manuscript has been accepted. Please state the manuscript number in your email subject.
Image size: please provide an image with a minimum of 531 × 1328 pixels (h × w) or proportionally more. The image should be readable at a size of 5 × 13 cm using a regular screen resolution of 96 dpi.
Preferred file types: TIFF, EPS, JPG, PDF or MS Office files.
Elsevier Author instructions:
A Graphical Abstract should allow readers to quickly gain an understanding of the main take-home message of the paper and is intended to encourage browsing, promote interdisciplinary scholarship, and help readers identify more quickly which papers are most relevant to their research interests.
Authors must provide an image that clearly represents the work described in the paper. A key figure from the original paper, summarising the content can also be submitted as a graphical abstract.
Graphical Abstracts should be submitted as a separate file in EES by selecting “Graphical Abstracts" from the drop-down list when uploading files. Image size provided is a minimum of 531 x 1328 pixels (hxw) using a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. If you are submitting a larger image then please use the same ratio (200 high x 500 wide). Please note that your image will be scaled proportionally to fit in the available window on ScienceDirect; a 500 by 200 pixel rectangle. The font to use are either Times, Arial, Courier or Symbol font with a large enough font size as the image will be reduced in size for the Table of Contents to fit a window of 200 pixels high. The file types preferred are TIFF, EPS, PDF or MS Office files. No additional text, outline or synopsis should be included. Any text or label must be part of the image file. Please do not use unnecessary white space or a heading “Graphical Abstract” within the image file.
Here are some examples of graphical abstracts in various journals:
1. Cross talk between activation of microglia and astrocytes in pathological conditions in the central nervous system, W. Liu, Y. Tang, J. Feng, Life Sciences, Volume 89, Issues 5-6, 1 August 2011, Pages 141-146. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2011.05.011
2. Keyframe-based recognition and localization during video-rate parallel tracking and mapping, R.O. Castle, D.W. Murray, Image and Vision Computing, Volume 29, Issue 8, July 2011, Pages 524-532. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.imavis.2011.05.002
3. Targeting the lymphatics using dendritic polymers (dendrimers), Lisa M. Kaminskasa, Christopher J.H. Porter, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, Volume 63, Issues 10-11, 10 September 2011, Pages 890-900. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2011.05.016
4. Biomass of freshwater Cladophora as a raw material for agriculture and the cosmetic industry. B. Messyasz, B. Leska, J. Fabrowska, M. Pikosz, E. Roj, A. Cieslak, G. Schroeder, Open Chemistry. Volume 13, Issue 1, ISSN (Online) 2391-5420, August 2015 https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/chem.2015.13.issue-1/chem-2015-0124/chem-2015-0124.xml,
5. Curcumin Pyrazole and its derivative (N-(3-Nitrophenylpyrazole) Curcumin inhibit aggregation, disrupt fibrils and modulate toxicity of Wild type and Mutant α-Synuclein. Nuzhat Ahsan, Satyendra Mishra, Manish Kumar Jain, Avadhesha Surolia & Sarika Gupta; Nature Scientific Reports 5, Article number: 9862 http://www.nature.com/articles/srep09862#f17
6. Modifying organic/metal interface via solvent treatment to improve electron injection in organic light emitting diodes, Q. Wang, Y. Zhou, Organic Electronics, Volume 12, Issue 11, November 2011, Pages 1858-1863.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.orgel.2011.07.021
Here are steps to Design Your Graphical Abstract:
1. Consider the scope of your study. The goal is to express the main point of your study in an easily digestible image, therefore it is important that you center your graphical abstract around the concept of your research. If you are studying a particular molecular change, make sure that the mechanism is part of your image. Likewise, if you are working with one particular genome, include some important piece of it in your image. You can find an open source image or create one yourself. Once you have the image, you can use text boxes to add any relevant titles or legends. The image may also be a graph or chart, which could be generated in Excel or similar programs.
2. Focus on key concepts of your study. Most likely, you will need some text within the image. Be sure to use key phrases in the text that will make it easy for readers to identify the focus of your study. This will help your work be found by more readers. If the graphical abstract will consist of an offshore platform process of hanging off vessel, you can use a title like "Vessel hang-off on platforms"
3. Use concepts from this study rather than referenced literature. Though referencing literature is an important part of all research, it should be used sparingly in a graphical abstract. You what the abstract to relay what your study resulted in rather than what led you to do the study. If at all possible, avoid using anything outside of your actual research.
4. Choose appropriate software. It is usually best to use a program that you are familiar and comfortable with. Microsoft Office is generally a good choice. It offers enough flexibility in its programs to create a professional graphical abstract, and most people are familiar with using Microsoft Office. You can use Microsoft Powerpoint or Word, use one slide.
5. Summarize your findings in a visual format. When you are using a graphical abstract, it is important to focus on what you found rather than what you did. Other researchers looking for your paper will be looking for results that interest them before being bothered to read the process. The graphical abstract allows you to provide them exactly what they are looking for in a visually pleasing picture
6. Design a new image. It can be tempting to snag a figure from somewhere in your paper to serve as your graphical abstract. While this is the easiest route, it isn’t the best. Designing a whole new image that centers around the study as a whole allows you to think about the main points you want to convey. It also helps to get potential readers a more comprehensive look at your study.
7. Target interdisciplinary researchers. Make your graphical abstract more visually appealing to draw more people to it. The use of technical jargon is often necessary in research, but it can be difficult for people of other disciplines to understand readily. A clear and concise graphical abstract allows you to relay technical information that appeals to a wide range of audiences without losing them on too much technical jargon. This will allow your work to spread much faster than if it were only being found by others in your field of study.
8. Choose a professional font for any text. While your image should be focused on a pictorial representation of your research, it is likely that you will need some text in the image. This might include a graph title or legend, or some other writing to help the reader understand what they are looking at. This text should be presented in a professional font such as Arial, Courier, Vandana, or Times New Roman.
9. Keep the graphical abstract design simple. Your graphical abstract should be only one image. Do not submit an abstract that is made of a series of images, such as a slideshow. If needed, you can use a split panel format to show more than one image. This might be useful for showing the progression of an experiment.
10. Check the unique specifications of your publisher. Guidelines for abstract submissions are different in different disciplines. They even vary slightly from one publisher to another within the same discipline. The rules governing graphical abstracts are no different. You will need to work closely with your publisher to make sure that you are meeting all appropriate requirements.
11. Submit the image file only. All text included should be in the image itself and not an addition or attachment to the image. The image should have a directional flow that is easy to follow, (e.g., left to right). Check with the publication you are submitting to for preferred file types, but common formats are TIFF, PDF, and MS Office files.
12. Ask for help if you need it. Some publishers offer services to assist researchers in making a great graphical abstract. If this is not available through your publisher, they will likely know of an independent agency that will help you polish your abstract. Your graphical abstract is the face of your research, and you want to be sure you are putting your best face forward to get your work recognized.
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