How to make a graphical abstract: Examples of graphical abstracts

In the dynamic arena of research publication, journals often request a “graphical abstract” or “visual abstract” along with the article. With a shift from physical prints to digital publications, the composition of scholarly content has seen a change. To be found, indexed, and distributed through search engines, and to be accessible to an evolving audience, journals and academic publishing houses must include more web-friendly elements like graphical abstracts with their manuscripts.  

A graphical abstract represents a simple, concise, and visual summary of the key findings of a manuscript. The advantage of a graphical abstract is that it conveys the crux of the article and its take-home message at a single glance. This, in turn, encourages the reader to dive into the full manuscript, promoting its readership. In fact, research has shown that the average use of an article with a graphical abstract annually is double that of one without a graphical abstract.  

Graphical abstracts can also double as bite-sized shareable imagery that can improve a paper’s social media engagement. A well-designed graphical abstract not only improves a paper’s social media engagement but also enhances the perception of the paper as more well-written, scientifically rigorous, and even written by a more intelligent group of authors! 

How to decide content for graphical abstracts: a writer’s perspective 

By Deep Sarkar

To create a graphical abstract, the first thing to look at is, of course, the manuscript. Specifically, the manuscript needs to be assessed to understand 1) the context of the research and its motivation, 2) the methodology, and 3) the key outcomes.  

• Context: While there are no strict guidelines for a graphical abstract structure, including a background can help the reader appreciate the motivation for the research and better understand the context and what makes the findings of the study unique. 
• Methodology: The importance of including the methodology in the graphical abstract varies with each study. In some cases, the unique feature of the study might be a novel method developed. In other cases, it may be important to include the methodology to better understand the findings and therefore the methodology finds its place in a graphical abstract as the central concept. Inclusion of a methodology section is discretionary. 
• Key Outcome: The key results and outcomes typically receive the greatest importance in a graphical abstract. In some cases, a graphical abstract could be based entirely on the results. A graphical abstract can be dedicated to even one key figure representative of the manuscript.  

How to make a graphical abstract: a designer’s perspective 

By Gopikrishnan Pillai

Karen Cheng et al., 2017 showed that professionally designed graphical abstracts adhering to certain design “best practices” had a higher positive impact on readers.

Key strategies to design a graphical abstract 

1. Keep it simple and legible. Ensure that all the text and icons are visible at the final size. Most journals host graphical abstracts in a 5 cm x 5 cm window. Including too much information at the cost of readability is counterproductive.  

2. Avoid using jargon and data-heavy graphs, tables, etc. Instead, opt for schematics. The goal is to provide a visual gist of the paper. Jargon and graphs that require interpretation can prevent a wider audience from understanding the study and also result in lower traction on social media. 

3. Pay attention to the flow of information. This is the most overlooked aspect of a graphical abstract. It is essential to design the graphical abstract so as to maintain a logical reading order and unidirectional information flow (either side to side or top to bottom). Multiple sections and divisions, if not well separated, often confuse.  

4. Use good-quality images. Ensure that high-resolution pictures (at least 300 dpi) or vector images are used. Low-quality, blurry, or pixelated images can appear unprofessional and will not stand apart in a crowd. 

Examples of Graphical Abstracts

Below are some examples of different graphical abstracts we have created for our clients: 

2D Graphical Abstracts 

As depicted in the graphical abstract above, sometimes a complex process is more easily comprehended through effective visuals. Additionally, textual cues have been provided to describe exactly how this method allows identification of substrate-ligand binding and help the reader visualize a molecular process.  

 This graphical abstract is a good example of how a large and complex study can be simplified to depict the exact core analysis and outcomes. Through the visuals, the readers can immediately see which protein the researchers studied, how they classified mutations, and what the classification can help with. 

This is an example of a more traditionally structured GA. Although more elaborate and detailed , these can be just as effective by neatly presenting the background, methods, and main results in distinct sections, allowing the reader to follow a logical flow from one section to another. 

3D Graphical Abstracts 

For this 3D GA, the visualization concept was to ‘zoom’ into a filamentous fungi to depict what is going on at the molecular level. The graphical abstract does not follow a standard structure, but instead uses a more abstract visualization to engage readers and make the abstract more visually interesting. The text is minimal but communicates the main methodology and take-away of the study effectively. 

This graphical abstract showcases how, without going into the details of the electrochemistry of a battery, its potentials and advantages can be highlighted. Minimal text was used alongside 3D graphics to give the reader an immediate idea of the topic and its applications (i.e. for electric vehicles). Rather than using text to label the constituents of the battery, the graphical abstract zooms in to show liquid metal and graphene visually. 

Looking to make your research more impactful? Check out Editage’s Graphical Abstract Design Services and get professional support to make your research stand out.

A previous version of this article was published on February 7, 2024.

FAQs

1. What does a graphical abstract look like?

A graphical abstract is the visual representation of a scientific paper, summarizing the main findings and a take-home message. It is typically laid out like a schematic flowchart using graphics, illustrations, and icons combined with minimal text. The visual components help present a clear story of the research paper in a compelling way.

2. What is the best AI tool to create a graphical abstract?

The ideal AI tool for creating graphical abstracts depends on your requirements, research field, budget, and your expertise in using the tool. Tools like Mind the Graph, BioRender, Adobe Illustrator, and Canva are often highly recommended. Because graphical abstracts are academic designs, select a tool that provides you access to scientific illustrations, graphics, icons, layouts, and templates. Apart from using tools, you can also choose to opt for professional graphical abstract creating services to take advantage of human expertise along with AI tools.

3. How to write a graphical abstract caption?

A graphical abstract caption is meant to concisely summarize the main findings and the key takeaway highlighted in the image. Describe the graphic briefly by avoiding jargon and acronyms to make the caption accessible to a broad, interdisciplinary audience. Most importantly, the caption should complement and match the visual representation. For instance, the caption for the final graphical abstract example shown in this blog can be something like this: The newly developed high-capacity batteries use an organic electrolyte by combining active liquid metal with graphene to achieve ultrafast charging of electric vehicles.

4. Does a graphical abstract bring more visibility to your paper?

Yes, graphical abstracts help promote your research on different social platforms. There is even evidence of papers with graphical abstracts receiving higher impressions and retweets on X as compared to those without one. Many journals have also seen benefits to their impact factors because of graphical abstracts, which has led to journals demanding submission of graphical abstracts for greater visibility.