How can “enhanced publications” improve yourresearch impact?
Richard Bradly Harris and Caryn Jones
ThinkSCIENCE, Inc. | Publishing

As authors, we are operating in ahighly competitive environment where
we want our research findings to havethe most impact they can. By impact,
we mean getting people’s attention on
our research so that we cancommunicate our findings to them.
Traditionally, this has meant attracting
readers’ attention by writing clear andeffective abstracts for research papers
published in scholarly journals or conference proceedings or posted on preprint
servers.
With recent advances in technology and the rise of social media, the scholarly publishingenvironment is evolving rapidly. To address the change in the way people find and consume
scientific content, many scholarly publishers, journals, and academic societies have introduced
new ways to disseminate quick snapshots of research works. These so-called “enhanced
publications” (or “enhanced content”) supplement and complement journal and conference
papers. They are designed to summarize research outcomes quickly, clearly, and in multiple
forms that can attract attention from specialists, non-specialists, and a more general audience
via various media routes.
While readers in our specialist field can benefit from reading our research papers, a broader
audience may also benefit from learning about our work. Interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary
research is growing, and the general public can more readily access scientific works. Nowadays,
we have the chance to reach more people who could be interested in and could benefit fromknowing about our work, but we have to compete hard to get their attention.

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Creating enhanced content can be a good way to get their attention through different routes
and increase the impact of our research.
If you are not familiar with creating enhanced publications yet, and you’re not sure whether
they would help to increase the impact of your latest paper that you plan to submit, in thisfeatured article we provide brief descriptions of enhanced publications and offer some practicaltips on making them.

What are “enhanced publications” and should you be creating them?
Enhanced publications that support a research paper include a graphical abstract, video
abstract, infographic, plain language summary, lay person summary, and even a podcast.
For example, some journals require a graphical abstract that they can share on social media or
publish as a cover image to attract attention to the published article, increasing its impact.
Other journals require that authors submit a plain language summary so that a broader
audience can understand the value of the research. Most commonly though, journals
encourage authors to provide some form of enhanced content to drive reader engagement andincrease research impact.
Because many of these enhanced publications are relatively new, it can be challenging to create
effective enhanced content that is both accurate and attractive. We hope that the descriptionsof the following enhanced publications and practical tips for creating them are helpful.
••••

Graphical (visual) abstracts
Video abstracts
Infographics
Plain language summaries and lay summaries

What are graphical abstracts?
A graphical abstract (also called a visual abstract) is a single image that quickly communicatesthe author’s most important message, often the main research finding. You might have comeacross graphical abstracts in a journal’s table of contents or on the journal’s social media posts.
Research has shown that the use of graphical abstracts can significantly increase annual
engagement with an article. For example, in 2020, a paper in the Journal of Plastic
Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery found that papers that included visual abstracts andinfographics could have as many as double the citations as those without such enhanced
content.

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At a glance, your graphical abstract should be clear and easy to understand but also engaging,
driving readers to find out more. When done well, a graphical abstract can help to makeresearch findings more accessible and engaging, leading to increased impact and visibility in theacademic community.

Tips for creating graphical abstracts
Creating an effective graphical abstract requires careful consideration of design elements and aclear understanding of the main message to be conveyed.
1.

Before you start, keep in mind any relevant guidelines or requirements from the journalor publication you are submitting to. Some journals may have specific formatting ordesign guidelines for graphical abstracts, so be sure to review these before creating yourgraphic. Many authors choose one of their research paper figures as their graphicalabstract, but consider whether this would be suitable in your case. Figures are oftenvery specific to a single result. A slightly more general overview of your study and its
findings might be better. Also, some journals have stricter requirements for dimensions,typeface, etc., for graphical abstracts than for figures. Other journals do not allow
authors to use one of their research paper figures as a graphical abstract.

2.

Remember to ask yourself: Who are my readers? Are they specialists, the generalscientific community, or the general public? Think about how your graphical abstract
will be distributed. For some journals, graphical abstracts are included with the article
title and abstract in the table of contents. Other journals use graphical abstracts solely
to promote published articles on social media. Knowing who will encounter yourgraphical abstract, and how they will encounter it, can help you to decide whether or
not to use highly technical content.

3.

Settle on the general layout of your graphical abstract. Graphical abstracts can beformatted as diagrams or in the style of infographics or comics, depending on your field,
audience, and the type of information you need to share. There are many templates andexamples readily available, often provided by journal publishers such as Elsevier and Cell
Press or included in figure creation tools such as BioRender. Another useful resource is
Mind the Graph, which offers templates and thousands of scientifically accurate
illustrations. Free users must cite Mind the Graph for any generated images, while paid
subscribers can freely use them without citation.

4.

Focus on a single point, likely your main finding and/or implication to highlight theoriginality and value of your work.

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5.

Use colors with intent to convey meaning. Decide on a small number of colors (2 or 3) touse for cohesion and consistency, but don’t be afraid to use complementary or
contrasting colors to show change or to emphasize a difference.

6.

Use a simple flow from top-to-bottom or left-to-right. Your graphical abstract shouldhave a clear start and finish. If needed, arrows can be used to guide the reader’s gaze. If
you’re discussing a cyclical process then you can arrange your graphical abstract as a
circular flowchart.

7.

Use text sparingly. Remember that your graphical abstract should be immediately
understandable. Consider using icons or symbols to represent key concepts or findings,
as they can be more visually appealing and easier to understand than text. For example,
arrows can be used instead of the words “increase” and “suppress”. However, makesure that your icons are clear and unambiguous to an international audience, and avoid
using overly complex or abstract symbols.

8.

Above all, aim for clarity.
•

Make sure your text is easy to read: Use san serif typefaces and ensure the font islarge enough to read (e.g., will your readers be looking at your graphical abstract ona smartphone)? Do not include unnecessary text effects like shadows.

•

Make use of white space to clearly show separation, groupings, hierarchy, andemphasize important points. Don’t aim to fill all the space in your graphic, as thiswill result in an overly crowded image, diluting your main point.

What are video abstracts?
As the name suggests, a video abstract is a short video that presents the most importantmessage from your work. Think of a video abstract as a “movie trailer” for your study—clearlystate the question your research is meant to answer, what you did, and what your conclusions
are, but leave your audience wanting more and eager to read your research in full.
While video abstracts are not yet as commonly required as graphical abstracts are, more andmore journals are at least giving authors the option to upload a video along with theirsubmissions. Also, studies have suggested that including a video abstract may result in an
increase in citations. For example, a 2019 article in the journal Scientometrics found that
articles that included a video abstract were cited 1.206 times more often than those without
one.

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Tips for creating video abstracts
Many of the considerations for creating graphical abstracts apply here also, especially about
who will see the video abstract and where will they access it. However, authors should also
bear in mind the following points inherent to the video format.
1.

Keep it short and be mindful of journal guidelines. For example, Taylor & Francis
recommends keeping video abstracts within 2 minutes and 20 seconds.

2.

Bearing in mind the length of the video, try to “hook” your audience as quickly as
possible—within the first 7 seconds if possible, according to PLOS tips for creating avideo abstract.

3.

Tell a story. Consider formatting your summary as a narrative—start with an image orquestion, and guide viewers from the research goal to the findings to the conclusions.

4.

Include a call-to-action. What should viewers do after they’ve watched your video
abstract? Include call-to-action words—encourage viewers to “read” or “download” thearticle, or “contact” the authors for more information. Give clear instructions for how
and where viewers can engage with your research (e.g., by including a direct link to yourresearch article on the journal website).

5.

Use visuals instead of text. As with graphical abstracts, try to minimize the use of text inyour video, and instead use images, charts, or other visual aids to help explain your
work.

6.

Use simple language: Avoid jargon (or at least define any highly technical terms needed)and use clear, succinct language aimed at a general audience. Consider whether to use
any real-world examples to engage a broader audience.

What are infographics?
An infographic is a visual representation of information or data that presents complex ideas in a
concise and engaging way. Infographics are widely used in marketing and have been shown toincrease website traffic by up to 12%. In the context of academic research, they can be
powerful tools for disseminating key findings.
Effective infographics make use of images and symbols rather than text to convey information.
They should be understandable at a glance and include only the most important details or
statistics. Their purpose is to convey important, engaging key information and encourage
readers to refer to the full paper.

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Infographics are best suited to promoting your study on platforms such as social media,
although some journals allow authors to publish them alongside their manuscripts. For
example, Sage Publications gives authors advice for how to prepare and submit infographics fortheir research.
Studies have shown a clear correlation between the use of infographics and engagement. For
example, in an analysis of infographics and matched research articles, it was found that the
Altmetric Attention Score, which is a metric of social media attention, was approximately 5
times higher for infographics than the control research articles. In addition, a 2022 survey ofhealth professionals, researchers, academics, and the general public published in BMC Medical
Education demonstrated the benefits of infographics, with over 90% reporting the belief that
infographics were useful tools for communicating research and for increasing awareness andengagement with studies.

Tips for creating infographics
1.

Create a storyboard. Think of a title that describes the infographic’s content. Clearlystate the purpose and context of your research, and describe the approach, key findings,
and implications.

2.

Establish a clear hierarchy or flow. Arrange your information with a clear direction inmind, usually top-to-bottom. Use consistent styling for headers or any text to quickly
show equal importance of information or contrasting ideas.

3.

Clearly separate ideas or points into groups or sections. Don’t be afraid to use multiple“mini infographics” within a single larger image. If your key findings include 3 separate
but equally important points, consider dividing these into 3 sections, one on top of theother.

4.

Make use of color to convey meaning. Similar items should use the same colors, while
contrasting items should use opposite colors. However, be mindful to limit the total
number of colors in your infographic to 2 or 3 for clarity.

5.

Minimize the use of text and keep it simple.
•••

Look for opportunities to replace text with images, icons, or arrows and othersymbols.
Consider expressing scale or degree with size—a larger icon can imply growth, forexample.
Where text is necessary, keep it as simple and brief as possible. Often keywords are
more useful than full sentences.
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6.

There are many tools available online for creating infographics, such as Canva andPiktochart. Mind the Graph also has many infographic templates available for use.

What are plain language summaries and lay summaries?
Plain language summaries and lay person summaries are both short summaries of a study
written for non-experts in plain, easy-to-understand language. While these terms are often
used interchangeably, they are in fact distinct.
Plain language summaries are written for a specific audience—usually people who are notexperts in a particular field. The purpose of a plain language summary is to present complex
information in a way that is easy to understand and accessible to a wide range of readers.
Lay person summaries are written for the general public. These summaries are typically evenshorter and simpler than a plain language summary, and they are often used to convey
information about a product, service, or event. Lay person summaries are often used inmarketing materials, press releases, and other types of public communication and play a keyrole in disseminating findings, especially for clinical trials.
Both plain language summaries and lay summaries are useful because they can help people
understand complex information quickly and easily. By presenting information in a clear,concise manner, they can help readers make informed decisions and take appropriate action.
Journals across a wide range of fields are increasingly encouraging authors to make theirresearch more accessible to patients and the public via these summaries. For example, Elsevier
journals that now promote the inclusion of lay summaries with submissions include Epilepsy &Behavior Case Reports, the International Journal of Paleopathology, the Journal ofArchaeological Science: Reports, and the Journal of Hepatology.

Tips for creating plain language summaries and lay summaries
It’s important to keep your audience in mind when creating these summaries. Both types ofsummaries should be written in plain language, avoiding technical jargon or complicatedsentence structures that might be difficult for non-experts to understand. It’s also important tofocus on the most important information, presenting it in a way that is easy to digest.
•

For plain language summaries specifically, it's important to include enough detail toconvey the main points of the research, but not so much that the summary becomesoverwhelming or difficult to read.

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Page 7 of 9•For lay summaries, the summary should be brief and to the point, highlighting the key
benefits or features of the product or service being described.

It's important to remember that both types of summaries should be accurate and trustworthy.
Summaries that are misleading or incomplete can be confusing or even harmful, so it's
important to take care when creating them.
Authors should be mindful of journal limits, particularly regarding length. Many journals andpublishers provide guidance and even templates for these summaries, including Cochrane, Sage
Publications, and Elsevier. In addition, consider looking at other published examples, such as lay
summaries in various Sage journals.
These summaries should be concise, easy to understand, accurate, and trustworthy. Balancing
these aspects is crucial. Authors should consider the following key points, which apply to bothplain language summaries and lay summaries.
1.

The summary should be easy to understand but without oversimplifying the key points,
which could potentially mislead the readers. Remember that readers may have different
levels of English proficiency, so do not use overly complicated vocabulary and grammar.
The readers should focus on the scientific message and not on the language in which it
was written.

2.

The summary should be concise. Work within journal limits and bear in mind how
readers will access it. Describe key aspects of the study, such as its purpose, why it was
conducted, the methods used, the results, and (if appropriate) the researchers and theirbackground.

3.

The summary should be free of jargon. Related to point 1 above, plain language
summaries, and especially lay summaries, should be written in simple language—thinkof this as a conversation between the researcher and the reader. If technical terms arenecessary or helpful to use, then explain them as clearly and simply as possible.

4.

Your summary should be relevant. Provide context about the study and describe its
impact on the field. Who will read the summary: how will your work interest them andwhat value can they get from reading the summary?

Summary
It is likely that the popularity of enhanced publications to increase research impact will continue
to grow, as we all compete for readers’ (or listeners’) attention. We hope that this article canhelp you decide whether it is worthwhile to create an enhanced publication to complement andsupplement your research paper and also how to create it.
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We already support many authors in conceiving, making, and/or editing or translating
enhanced content, so if you have any questions or need guidance creating these, our subjectspecialists here at ThinkSCIENCE are happy to help.

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