Ten simple rules for designing graphical abstracts

Explanatory graphics that summarize knowledge are common in science communication.These graphics integrate new insights with the existing body of knowledge in a particular field of research.Explanatory graphics have been widely used in chemistry for many years to depict structures [1], and they have now gained popularity across various scientific disciplines as graphical abstracts [2].Scientific journals are increasingly asking authors to provide graphical abstracts along with a paper to attract audiences online and on social media.These graphical abstracts are prominently displayed on the journals websites, embellishing the table of contents, and serving as a visual pendant to the written abstract.Due to this usage, graphical abstracts are also referred to as "TOC" image or "thumbnail views."Graphical abstracts are not intended to provide a complete understanding of a research article, even though they are often presented online with just the title of the work.A study confirmed graphical abstracts by themselves are insufficient to comprehend the key message of a paper [3].Instead these visuals serve to attract attention and are meant to be read in conjunction with the written abstract.According to Cell press guidelines, graphical abstracts should inspire audiences to browse, stimulate their interdisciplinary curiosity, and allow them to rapidly screen for papers in journals [4].As graphical abstracts are a relatively recent addition to the publishing landscape, quantitative data on their usage and usefulness are still limited.However, early analyses indicate that while graphical abstracts do not necessarily increase full-text reads or citations, they do enhance the abstract views [5] and boost altimetric attention scores of articles [6].Like other explanatory visualizations, graphical abstracts have common features such as a central visual element, often icons, diagrams or photos, explanatory text, and use clear layout and color schemes to increase readability.These elements are often structured using arrows and lines and enhanced with color.The design elements of graphical abstracts were recently quantified in a research study that classified graphical abstracts based on their overall organization [2].In their work, Hullman and Bach revealed the diversity of graphical abstracts in the current literature, and in particular, the many possibilities to use layout for readability.They also pinpointed common problems associated with graphical abstracts, such as inconsistent visual styles, unclear relationships between pictures, and missing annotations.These challenges were also identified in a complementary qualitative study of graphical abstracts [7].Training of scientists, especially early career researchers, in the art of crafting comprehensible and attractive graphical abstract has been somewhat lagging.A brief guide for graphical abstract design is available for medical writers [7] and for creating overview figures [8].