Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Sep 22;15(9):e45762.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.45762. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Graphical Abstract in Scientific Research

Madhan Jeyaraman  1 , Harish V K Ratna  2 , Naveen Jeyaraman  1 , Nicola Maffulli  3   4   5 , Filippo Migliorini  6 , Arulkumar Nallakumarasamy  1 , Sankalp Yadav  7
Affiliations
Review

Graphical Abstract in Scientific Research

Madhan Jeyaraman et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

A graphical abstract (GA) summarizes the key and important findings of an article graphically, potentially stimulating researchers to view the published manuscript. A GA should enhance dissemination, augment engagement, and impact clinical practice. Infographics play a key role in a quicker understanding of the significant findings of a manuscript. Few level 1 studies reported that GAs enhanced the engagement of readers on social media when compared to plain text abstracts. With the evolution of Industry 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0, GA plays a major role in understanding the technical aspects of various technologies. This article outlines tips to prepare an effective GA and reports the impact of GAs on research and clinical translation.

Keywords: graphical abstract; graphics; research; social media; visual abstract.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Triad of graphical abstract
Picture courtesy of Dr. Madhan Jeyaraman
Figure 2
Figure 2. Tips for creating an effective graphical abstract
Picture courtesy of Dr. Madhan Jeyaraman
Figure 3
Figure 3. Design principles for a good graphical abstract
Picture courtesy of Dr. Madhan Jeyaraman
Figure 4
Figure 4. Process of creating an effective graphical abstract
Picture courtesy of Dr. Madhan Jeyaraman
Figure 5
Figure 5. A 'GRAPHIC' model for an effective graphical abstract
Picture courtesy of Dr. Madhan Jeyaraman
Figure 6
Figure 6. Schematic presentation of a graphical abstract
Picture courtesy of Dr. Madhan Jeyaraman
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Seeing is believing: using visual abstracts to disseminate scientific research. Ibrahim AM. Am J Gastroenterol. 2018;113:459–461. - PubMed
    1. Smiciklas M. Que; [ Sep; 2023 ]. 2023. The Power of Infographics: Using Pictures to Communicate and Connect With Your Audiences.
    1. Visual abstracts to disseminate research on social media: a prospective, case-control crossover study. Ibrahim AM, Lillemoe KD, Klingensmith ME, Dimick JB. Ann Surg. 2017;266:0–8. - PubMed
    1. Speed of processing in the human visual system. Thorpe S, Fize D, Marlot C. Nature. 1996;381:520–522. - PubMed
    1. A randomized trial of social media from Circulation. Fox CS, Bonaca MA, Ryan JJ, Massaro JM, Barry K, Loscalzo J. Circulation. 2015;131:28–33. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources