How to make graphical abstracts for review papers
Review articles and original research articles serve different purposes in scholarly communication. Review articles synthesize findings from multiple studies on a topic, providing a comprehensive overview. Meanwhile, original articles present new findings, offering in-depth, specific data and insights on a focused topic. Both article types stand to benefit from graphical abstracts. In this post, we will discuss how to make graphical abstracts for review papers.
A graphical abstract is a clear, brief, and visual snapshot of the main findings of a manuscript, communicating the essence of the article and its key message. To effectively reach a diverse audience, journals and academic publishers are incorporating web-friendly elements like graphical abstracts into their submissions. Graphical abstracts are also used in a journal’s table of contents and feeds such as RSS feeds.
Purpose of graphical abstracts for review papers
Review articles are of great value to researchers and students because they summarize relevant studies, providing insights into trends, methodologies, and gaps in the literature. Therefore, they are commonly referred to when determining future research directions. However, review articles can be long and information-heavy. Moreover, there appears to be a trend of declining readability of scientific literature. For your review to stand out, it might be a good idea to include a graphical abstract. Review articles with graphical abstracts might be more visible and shareable, resulting in a wider reach and readership. For example, this review article published in Materials Advances was featured as being a highly cited review article. Do you see the accompanying graphical abstract (also referred to as “Table of contents entry”)? Like many journals, Materials Advances (a journal publishing only reviews) asks for a catchy graphical abstract containing up to two sentences of text for its table of contents and web feeds (see a sample contents page with graphical abstracts).
You must be wondering, “How to make graphical abstracts for review papers?” Read on to know more!
Key points when making a graphical abstract of a review paper
When designing the graphical abstract of a review paper, the key points to consider remain the same as for graphical abstracts for original articles:
Use images, diagrams, or icons that represent key concepts or findings from your review. Avoid clutter and focus on clarity.
Structure the content logically, guiding the reader through the main points in a coherent manner, typically via left-to-right or top-to-bottom layouts.
Include a short description (around 50 words); avoid excessive text or complex graphs that may confuse readers. Aim for legibility at smaller sizes.
Use clear language and avoid technical jargon unless absolutely necessary.
Follow a consistent color scheme and font style throughout your graphical abstract.
Last, but not least, consult your target journal’s guidelines for creating and submitting graphical abstracts to ensure compliance with the requirements.
However, graphical abstracts for review papers might differ slightly from those for original articles. This is mainly because you might need to reuse images (even your own) from published papers. In that case, be mindful of the following:
If the figures are copyrighted, contact the copyright holder (usually the publisher) to request permission for reuse.
If the figures fall under any of the Creative Commons licenses, check if your use falls under reuse without permission (e.g., CC-BY licenses are most permissive, allowing reuse with attribution) or limited reuse.
Always give appropriate credit to the original source of the figure.
Ensure that your target journal has specific guidelines regarding figure reuse and adhere to them during submission.
To boil it down
Designing a compelling graphical abstract for a review paper involves understanding its purpose, incorporating key components effectively, and complying with best practices and guidelines. A well-designed graphical abstract in the table of contents page might capture the attention of potential readers. Therefore, it is important not only for communicating your findings but also encouraging readers to engage with your work.
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