Do Preprints Need Graphical Abstracts? A Researcher’s Guide
The scholarly community is gradually accepting the inclusion of graphical abstracts as part of science communication. However, questions remain as to its role in preprints. “Should I include a graphical abstract in my preprint?” If this question is on your mind and you are unsure about preparing graphical abstracts for preprints, here’s a guide that can help you decide easily.
Do Graphical Abstracts Increase the Reach of Preprints?
Are Graphical Abstracts Shown on Preprints?
Practical Recommendations for Designing Graphical Abstracts for Preprints
Do Graphical Abstracts Increase the Reach of Preprints?
Visual communication is definitely effective, but is there evidence of graphical abstracts benefitting preprints? Here’s a snapshot.
1. In 2017, a case-control crossover study reported that posts shared on X with a graphical abstract received 7.7× more impressions, 8.4× more retweets, and 2.7× more article visits compared to title-only posts. This outcome is exactly what you need when promoting a preprint.
2. Another study in 2022 reported that graphical abstracts can effectively increase impact factor of medical journals while also improving social media exposure. And while their influence on citations was inconclusive, graphical abstracts seemed to show a positive trend in some fields.
3. In 2023, a study determined that graphical abstracts can improve Altmetric attention scores in the field of sports science. However, no difference was observed with respect to citations.
In summary, graphical abstracts have shown a positive impact on research dissemination, especially on social media platforms. Because preprints are meant to promote your paper before being formally peer-reviewed and published, this enhanced exposure on social platforms can be valuable.
Are Graphical Abstracts Shown on Preprints?
You may choose any one of open preprint servers to publish your results before the paper undergoes an official peer review for journal publication. Preprint servers like arXiv, medRxiv, bioRxiv, Preprint.org, Research square, and Figshare do encourage the use of graphical abstracts.
Although arXiv, medRxiv, and bioRxiv do not have a separate option to upload graphical abstracts, you may upload them as part of the figure files shared along with your paper. You may also provide graphical abstracts as supplementary files.
Research square, on the other hand, does give you the option to explicitly publish graphical abstracts on the preprint page. It also helps you track the views, downloads, twitter mentions, likes, and Altmetrics to analyze the reach of your preprint.
Practical Recommendations for Designing Graphical Abstracts for Preprints
1. Design for easy skimming: Keep the graphical abstract simple and follow a structured design template with easy-to-skim text. For instance, include one sentence on the research question, one key method, one significant result, and a major implication. Let the images and icons do the rest of the talking.
2. Upload the graphical abstract separately: When you post on Research square, include a separate graphical abstract because it ties in prominently with the preprint page. If you are posting on bioRxiv or medRxiv, you can provide a standalone page as the graphical abstract or upload the first figure file as the graphical abstract.
3. Actively promote on social platforms: Always share your preprints along with visual abstracts on social platforms to gain engagement. However, note that the increase in citations varies depending on the field. So, keep your expectations low.
Final Thoughts
Including a graphical abstract alongside preprints can definitely boost visibility and online engagement, especially on various social platforms. While there is mixed evidence of graphical abstracts increasing citations depending on the research field, there is compelling evidence of higher shares, impressions, and clicks—all of which can be extremely beneficial in the preprint stage.
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