Graphical Abstracts and Research Highlights: A Guide

Many readers now meet a paper first as a thumbnail image and a few bullet points in a contents list, search result or social media post. That is the job of the graphical abstract and the research highlights: to tell a busy reader, in seconds, what the study found and whether to open it. Both are short, but they are harder to produce than they look. This guide explains what journals usually ask for, how to design a single image that carries one message, and how to write highlights that fit tight character limits without losing meaning.

What graphical abstracts and highlights are

A graphical abstract is a single, self-contained image that summarises the main finding of a paper. It usually appears in the online table of contents, on the article page beside the text abstract and in alerts or social media posts. It is not a figure from the results section reused as is; it is designed to be understood without reading the paper.

Research highlights are three to five short bullet points, each stating one key finding or contribution. They are typically displayed above or beside the abstract and in search results, and they help indexers and readers grasp the paper quickly.

Related formats you may meet include:

• Visual abstract: a structured, often template-based summary used by some medical and clinical journals, showing population, intervention, outcome and main result in fixed panels.
• Table of contents (TOC) graphic: a small image, common in chemistry and materials science, that works like a graphical abstract but at a smaller size.
• Key points or plain-language summary: a text summary for non-specialist readers.

None of these replaces the written abstract. The text abstract remains the formal summary; for writing it, see research paper abstracts: structure, examples and tips.

When journals ask for them

Requirements vary widely. Some journals make a graphical abstract and highlights mandatory at first submission, some request them only after acceptance, some list them as optional, and many do not use them at all. The author guidelines and the submission form are the only reliable sources; look for an upload field labelled "graphical abstract", "TOC graphic" or "highlights".

A few practical points follow from this:

• If the journal requires them and you omit them, the submission is often returned before review, adding days or weeks.
• If the journal does not request them, do not insert an image at the top of your manuscript. It will confuse the formatting and may be removed.
• If they are optional, a well-made graphical abstract can still help an editor understand your paper quickly, so consider including one when the finding is visual.

Multidisciplinary journals often have their own rules. If you submit to JMVRA, check the publication guidelines for the files expected; if a graphical abstract or highlights are not listed and you want to provide them, ask [email protected] before adding them. Either way, the images and highlights you prepare are useful for conference slides, posters and sharing the paper after publication.

Size and format specifications commonly requested

Exact specifications differ between publishers and even between journals from the same publisher, so treat the table below as a guide to what is typical, not a rule. Always follow the target journal's figure and highlights instructions.

Two habits save time. First, design at the required pixel size or larger from the start; enlarging a small image later makes it blurry. Second, check how the image looks when reduced to around 5 cm wide, which is roughly how many readers will first see it. Shared rules for figure files are covered in preparing figures and tables for journals.

Design principles that make one image work

A good graphical abstract answers one question: what did this study find? Everything in the image should serve that answer.

• One message. Write the main finding as a single sentence before opening any software. If you cannot, the image will try to show too much.
• Clear reading direction. Arrange the content left to right (or top to bottom) from context, through approach, to result. Readers should never have to guess where to start.
• Visual hierarchy. Make the result the largest or most prominent element. Methods can be small icons.
• Few words. Use labels, not sentences. As a rough guide, keep text under 30 to 40 words in total.
• Limited palette. Two or three colours plus grey is usually enough. Use colour to mean something, such as control versus treatment, and keep that meaning consistent.
• Consistent style. Mixing clip art, photographs and 3D renderings looks cluttered. Choose one icon style and line weight.
• White space. Leave margins and gaps between panels; crowded images become unreadable as thumbnails.
• Nothing new. Show only results that appear in the paper, with the same numbers.

Abbreviations should be avoided unless they are widely known outside your subfield. If a reader needs the paper to decode the image, the image has not done its job.

Three layouts that suit most papers

Most effective graphical abstracts follow one of three simple structures. Choosing one first makes the design faster.

1. Linear process: problem or input on the left, method in the middle, outcome on the right, connected by arrows. Suits experimental, engineering and computational studies.
2. Comparison: two panels side by side, such as before and after, control and intervention, or two groups, with the key difference highlighted. Suits trials, policy evaluations and comparative studies.
3. Central concept: a main idea in the centre with connected factors around it. Suits reviews, conceptual frameworks and qualitative studies with several themes.

Sketch the layout on paper first. Three rough versions take ten minutes and usually reveal which arrangement reads most naturally.

Tools for making graphical abstracts

You do not need specialist software. Choose a tool you can export from at the required size and resolution.

• Presentation software (PowerPoint, LibreOffice Impress, Google Slides): familiar and quick. Set the slide size to the required dimensions before you start, then export at high resolution.
• Free vector editors (Inkscape, diagrams.net): lines and text stay sharp at any size; export to PDF, EPS or high-resolution PNG.
• Paid vector editors (Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer): precise control, with a steeper learning curve.
• Icon and template platforms (BioRender, Canva and similar services): fast, but read the licence, because some free plans restrict use in publications or require attribution.
• Plotting tools (R with ggplot2, Python with matplotlib, spreadsheet charts): use them for the one key chart, then simplify labels and remove gridlines.

Whatever you use, keep icons and images legally reusable. Images from search engines are rarely licensed for publication. Openly licensed icon sets, your own photographs and drawings you create yourself are safest, and any licence requiring attribution should be credited in the figure legend or acknowledgements.

Writing 3-5 highlights under 85 characters

Highlights are not sentences copied from the abstract. They are compressed statements of what is new, each readable on its own. Use this process:

1. List every finding and contribution you might claim, in full sentences.
2. Choose the three to five that matter most: usually the main result, a secondary result, the method or data source if novel, and the implication.
3. Cut each to its core: subject, verb, specific result. Remove "this study shows that" and similar openings.
4. Count characters including spaces. Most word processors show this; the usual limit is 85.
5. Read them in order: together they should tell the story of the paper.

Good highlights share some features:

• Specific: include a number, a population or a comparison where possible.
• Plain: avoid undefined abbreviations, citations and symbols that may not display correctly.
• Honest: no claims stronger than the paper supports, and no words such as "novel", "first" or "breakthrough" unless clearly justified.
• Parallel: similar grammar across bullets, usually present or past tense throughout.

Highlights also carry search terms. Using the main keywords naturally, as discussed in choosing keywords that get your paper found, helps the paper surface in search results.

Weak and strong highlights compared

The examples below are illustrative, for hypothetical studies, and show how vague statements can be turned into informative highlights within the 85-character limit.

Notice that each improved version states a result rather than an activity, names the population or method briefly and could be understood without the others. Weak highlights usually describe what the authors did; strong ones describe what they found and why it matters.

Accessibility and alt text

Graphical abstracts are read by people with low vision, colour vision deficiency or screen readers, and by search engines. A few steps make the image usable for all of them.

• Contrast: keep text contrast at least 4.5:1 against its background, the level set in the WCAG contrast guidance.
• Colour-safe palettes: avoid relying on red versus green. Palettes designed for colour vision deficiency, such as the Okabe–Ito colour set, remain distinguishable for most readers.
• Do not use colour alone: add labels, patterns or shapes so the meaning survives in greyscale printing.
• Readable text: no text smaller than the journal's minimum font size at final dimensions.

Alt text is a short text alternative that describes the purpose of the image. Many submission systems now ask for it. Describe the message first, then the structure, in one to three sentences, following principles such as those in the W3C images tutorial.

Mistakes that get graphical abstracts sent back

Editorial offices return graphical abstracts and highlights for a familiar set of reasons. Check yours against this list before upload:

• Too much text: full sentences, paragraphs or a miniature abstract inside the image.
• Unchanged results figure: a complex multi-panel figure from the paper, unreadable at thumbnail size.
• Wrong size or low resolution: a screenshot or enlarged small image that blurs on screen.
• Extra elements: paper title, author names, institutional logos or the journal name.
• Unlicensed images: pictures copied from websites or other papers without permission.
• Results not in the paper: numbers that differ from the manuscript or claims not supported by it.
• Highlights over the limit: bullets longer than 85 characters, more than five bullets, or highlights that repeat the title.
• Hype: superlatives and exclamation marks that make the work look less credible.

Fixing these takes minutes before submission but can cost days if the file comes back. A graphical abstract is also a strong asset after publication for making your paper easier to find online and for growing citations ethically. When your files are ready, JMVRA accepts manuscripts through its free online submission form.

Quick Checklist

1. Read the guidelinesRequired, optional or not used? Note the specs
2. Write one sentenceState the single finding the image must show
3. Sketch a layoutLinear, comparison or central concept
4. Design to specCorrect size, resolution, fonts and licensed icons
5. Draft the highlights3-5 bullets, each 85 characters or fewer
6. Test and describeThumbnail and greyscale check, then alt text

Questions Researchers Often Ask

In Summary

Graphical abstracts and research highlights are small elements with a large influence on whether a paper is noticed. Start from the journal's requirements, reduce the paper to one clear finding, and choose a simple layout that shows it from left to right. Keep text minimal, use a limited and colour-safe palette, respect image licences and export at the required size. Write three to five specific, honest highlights of 85 characters or fewer, and add alt text that states the message. Done well, the same image and bullets will serve the journal, your slides and every place you share the paper.

References and Sources

• W3C Web Accessibility Initiative — Images tutorial (alt text)
• W3C WCAG 2.1 — Understanding contrast (minimum)
• Okabe and Ito — Color Universal Design: colour-blind safe palettes
• Inkscape — free and open-source vector graphics editor