Introduction

The graphical abstract is one image that is designed to give readers an immediate understanding of the take-home message of the paper.

Its intent is to encourage browsing, promote interdisciplinary scholarship, and help readers quickly identify which papers are most relevant to their research interests. 

Technical requirements

• Font: Arial, 12-18 points. Smaller fonts will not be legible online

•  Preferred file types: TIFF, PDF, JPG

A note about color: Effective use of color can enhance the graphical abstract both aesthetically and by directing the reader's attention to focal points of interest. Authors are encouraged to select colors that are consistent with and complementary to the colors used on the JES website. 

Content

Uniqueness and clarity

The graphical abstract should:

•  Have a clear start and end, "reading" from top-to-bottom or left-to-right

•  Be distinct from any model figures or diagrams included in the paper itself

•  Emphasize the new findings from the current paper without including excess details from previous literature

• Avoid the inclusion of features that are more speculative (unless the speculative nature can be made apparent visually)

• Not include data items of any type; all the content should be in a graphical form 

Keep it simple

The graphical abstract should also:

• Use simple labels

• Use text sparingly

• Highlight one process or make one point clear

• Be free of distracting and cluttering elements

 

Examples