Graphical abstracts
The journal Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine requires graphical abstracts (GAs) for papers accepted for publication. The editorial office of Adv Clin Exp Med does not offer graphic design or DTP services – the authors have to provide GAs in a finished form. The GAs should be submitted as a separate file in the submission system.
A GA is a single, concise, pictorial, and visual summary of the main findings of the article. It is a visual representation of the key messages of a research paper that captures the content of the article for readers at a single glance. A GA can be compared to a film trailer – it outlines the key points in 2–3 minutes of reading and entices the reader to read the whole paper.
It should be a figure specially designed for the purpose (and not a compilation of figures and tables from the paper).
TIPS ON HOW TO PREPARE A GA
1) A GA cannot exceed the size of one A4 page – it should be less complicated than, e.g., a conference poster. Choose the graphical material wisely – since the space available is limited, each picture, chart, or table should have informative, not only decorative, value.
2) A GA can be read horizontally (from the left to the right), vertically (from top to bottom), or circularly, can have a radial arrangement or employ a more eccentric design; it have a rectangular, square or round shape – but it has to have a clear beginning and end. A single column cannot be read from top to bottom – such a format will not fit a screen display.
3) Start by identifying the study's central message. This serves as the focus of the GA and provides further guidance in determining the design and content of the illustration. Concentrate on an average of 1 or 2 key points (not more than 3).
4) A GA should be comprehensible without the context of the text (self-explanatory) – it should enable the readers to decide whether the text is worthy of their attention by making clear what the paper is about, not by providing a riddle. Therefore, a GA should include the paper's title – its contents can be a riddle without it. The very nature of a visual abstract demands that it be succinct; hence, it can be prone to oversimplification. The results presented may be at risk for misinterpretation because they do not include specific study details.
5) A GA should clearly state the question or purpose of the study (to contextualize it) and describe the research design (e.g., randomized trial, retrospective review, meta-analysis) to make the quality of evidence more straightforward. If you are confused about what your GA should look like, refer to GAs for already published papers with similar designs to your study.
6) A GA has to have a clear structure, albeit it does not have to reflect the structure of the plain text abstract or the whole paper. If it proves impossible to present material and methods, results and conclusions, it can provide a more general overview of the paper.
7) Regarding text within a GA, sans serif typefaces are considered a better choice (mainly for aesthetic reasons). Use text sparingly, but if you feel that conclusions should be provided as full sentences or they will be unclear, use complete sentences in a separate box/section. Lower text density can make your GA more easily readable.
8) Effective use of color can enhance a GA aesthetically and by directing the readers’ attention to focal points of interest. Use colors consciously, e.g., to discern different parts of a GA or highlight key issues. More than 3 colors in one GA can be confusing. Negative space (containing neither graphical material nor text) is also important as a “resting spot” for the eyes of the reader.
WHAT TO AVOID
1) Neither one of the figures from the paper nor the PRISMA flowchart can serve as a GA. A GA should not contain tables or figures taken directly from the paper or whole paragraphs of text, or be compiled from several tables/figures from the manuscript.
2) A GA cannot be text with illustrations – supplementing the text abstract with some graphics is insufficient.
3) A GA cannot consist only of graphical material (figures, charts, graphs) that were not used in the paper; their meaning is unclear outside the context of the whole paper, and the GA contains no text commentary.
4) Stark color contrast between the letters and the background (e.g., red letters against a green background) makes the text, even very short, virtually illegible.
5) Presenting numerical data (like p-values) whose meaning is unclear outside the context of the whole paper has no sense in a GA.
6) Do not use abbreviations that can be unclear without reading the text (obvious acronyms, like DNA, are, of course, a good choice).
7) No additional text, outline, synopsis or other text commentary to the GA should be included. Please do not use the “Graphical abstract” heading in the image file.
8) A GA must not include:
- reference showing how the paper should be cited;
- logotype of Wroclaw Medical University;
- title of the journal;
- cover of the journal.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
Allowed data formats: PDF, JPG, PNG, and TIF (min. 2400 pixels of the base in the drawing (width)). The minimal resolution of TIF, JPG and PNG files is 300 dpi. Regarding text within the GA, its size should be 12–16 points (smaller fonts will be illegible online).
A GA can be designed using various online, free, or professional software, such as PowerPoint, Mind The Graph, Google Slides, Google Drawings, Adobe Illustrator, and Affinity Designer.
A paper on graphical abstracts has been published in ACEM:
In the blink of an eye: Graphical abstracts in Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine
MORE ON HOW TO PREPARE A GA (WITH EXAMPLES AND ONLINE TOOLS)
1) https://www.elsevier.com/authors/tools-and-resources/visual-abstract
2) https://mindthegraph.com/blog/create-effective-graphical-abstract/
4) https://www.biorender.com/blog/top-4-tips-for-designing-a-graphical-abstract
6) https://www.annaclemens.com/blog/make-graphical-abstract-paper
7) https://learning.edanz.com/creating-graphical-abstracts/
8) https://www.futuremedicine.com/graphicalabstracts
Should any questions arise, do not hesitate to contact the editorial office. Please send the graphical abstracts via e-mail to the e-mail address marek.misiak@umw.edu.pl [alternative e-mail for Chinese authors: marek.misiak@friend.pl].
SOME INSPIRING GRAPHICAL ABSTRACTS
