Graphical Abstracts

"A picture is worth a thousand words". According to this adage, images are better at conveying complex ideas than verbal explanations. This is also true for graphical abstracts. 

Definition of Graphical Abstracts and its purpose 

The graphical abstract is a stand-alone visual summary of the article's findings. It can be a combination of a figure and a text, or it can be just a figure. Graphical abstracts are intended to convey the main ideas of a paper in a clear and concise manner. "Infographics" are a modern way of referring to them. 

 An ideal graphical abstract should speak for itself. It should be easy to understand, and the reader should be able to decide whether to continue reading rest of the article. A graphical abstract serves as an advertisement for a manuscript, motivating the readers to read the full paper. Additionally, it may appear in an image search. So, if someone is browsing the internet for information or images related to a topic, they will be led to the publication. As a result, a graphical abstract helps increase readership of the scientific artifact. 

Preparation of Graphical Abstracts 

To create a graphical abstract, follow the three 'I" s: 

• Ideation 

• Imagination 

• Illustration 

It is a common misconception among scientists that they cannot create effective graphical abstracts due to their inability to illustrate. Well, it’s not true anymore. Using tools such as PowerPoint, BioRender, or Inkscape, impressive images can be created by combining figures, graphs, or conceptual images.

Four Pillars of Graphical Abstracts: 

1.    Simplicity and Clarity 

·      Use simple labels and fewer words to clearly illustrate the scientific concept. 

·      Visualize the biological context of the results. 

·      Graphical abstracts are independent of any scientific diagrams in the publication. 

2. Eye-catching images 

·      Impactful color combination and good contrast with a high-resolution image quality are key to noteworthy graphical abstracts. 

3. Concise 

·      Summarise concepts in a concise manner. 

·      Avoid cluttering of ideas and use of scientific jargons. 

4. Unique/ Creative 

·      Ensure that the graphical abstract stands out and appears different from other graphical abstracts. 

·      Include the novel findings of the current paper without including excessive details from previous studies. 

References 

[i]  Create effective graphical abstracts | Mind the Graph. Accessed August 16, 2022. https://mindthegraph.com/create-graphical-abstract 

[ii] Using graphical abstracts to enrich and expand the reach of your research. Accessed August 16, 2022. https://www.elsevier.com/connect/using-graphical-abstracts-to-enrich-and-expand-the-reach-of-your-research