In fact, a graphical abstract is a photo or designed image that provides a general view of an article for better comprehension. To understand the answer to the question of what is graphical abstract , we will introduce the graphical abstract with more details in this article.
What is a graphical abstract goal?
As is clear from the name of the graphical abstract, like the abstract of the article that explains the main and general information of the content of the article in a few lines, the image must be designed in such a way that can transfer the general information to the reader at a glance.
Many researchers are visual people who review the images of the graphical abstract unconsciously before reading of the abstract or even the title of the scientific article during the time of searching articles in scientific databases. As a result, the graphical abstract can be very effective in viewing the article and increasing its citations.
An example of a search page in a scientific database that may attract the attention of researchers (the sample was designed by Inmywork.com, DOI:10.1002/chem.202002942)
The graphical abstract can also have positive effects on the decision of the editors and the judges of the journals, in a way that, in addition to enhancing visual appeal, the superb design of the graphical abstract shows them that the authors of the article pay attention to the article’s details.
Scientific words and discussions are enormous and sometimes specialized, which sometimes makes it difficult for the reader to understand the contents of the article properly without even knowing the subject. The existence of the graphical abstract, as a supplement of the abstract of the article, makes better comprehension for the reader and encourages him/her to download the article.
What are the standards of the graphical abstract?
Some academic and research journals use the graphical abstract. Most journals in different scientific fields, such as chemistry, biology, medicine, and the environment, prefer to use graphical abstracts.
1) Size
The general standards for designing of the graphical abstract vary from one magazine to another, and authors should pay attention to this matter. For instance, for the Cell magazine, the dimensions of the graphical abstract images should be 1200 by 1200 pixels with a resolution of 300 dpi, while in the RSC, the size of the graphical abstract is very small (230 by 120 pixels). However, larger dimensions are accepted, and they will be modified later by the RSC editor and resized.
In this sample of graphical abstract, standard size of journal, (the sample was designed by Inmywork.com, DOI:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c00561)
2) Color
Appropriate attention should be paid to choosing the color and placement of shapes in the graphical abstract space. If the graphical abstract is too congested or the arrows are intertwined, or if the graphical abstract segmentation is not well done, the images instead of helping the readers to better understand of the article, will make them confused after looking at the images. Selected colors should not be too cool and dry, but the colors must be sharp enough to attract the attention of the researcher. Extreme colors also make the eyes of the viewer tired. It should also be noticed that the graphical abstract images are also displayed in the image section of the Google search, which substantial design and color scheme affects the appearance of it.
In this sample of graphical abstract, sharp colors attract the attention of the researchers, and without any discussion or deletion, the arrows are aligned so as not to confuse the reader (the sample was designed by Inmywork.com, DOI: 10.1007/s00604-019-3344-6)
3) Printable
Today, with the Internet, the graphical abstract has become more and more important. The choice of colors among many authors is within the RGB range, which is very sharp and visible on the monitor, but it should be noticed that many of the journals are still being distributed in print, and it’s far better to select the colors of the graphical abstract in the CMYK range to avoid problems for print.
4) Font
Usually, there is no limit for the choice of fonts, but the use of fantasy or strange fonts should be avoided. It is suggested that the font size should not be less than 10 points, and in order to avoid congesting the graphical abstract, the number of words should not be more than 20.
5) Format
In most journals, sending the graphical abstract file is acceptable in TIFF, PDF, and JPEG formats. Some journals ask authors to send the graphical abstract in Word format in the early stages of the submission of the article, which reduces the quality of the image. Fortunately, if your article is accepted, it is possible to send higher-quality images individually.
Order or design of the graphical abstract
Now that you’ve figured out the answer to the question of what is graphical abstract , it is suggested that you go to the free download section of the objects in Inmywork.com , download them, and design your graphical abstract easily in Word or PowerPoint or Adobe Dimension. Or, you can register your order in the graphical abstract services section.
Leave A Comment