During initial client meetings, we frequently receive questions regarding the utility of visual abstracts and cover images. Will these images increase the number of citations and amount of attention an article receives? Considering that many journals now have very limited print distribution and even more are now completely online, one would assume that these visuals would have a diminished effect on disseminating journal articles.
However, social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, have an increasingly large role in disseminating research online. It has always seemed that posts with images, animations and illustrations garner more attention than those with no visuals. This report by Ibrahim et al. in the Annals of Surgery supports this notion specifically for visual abstracts.
Journal articles associated with the cover image may garner a similar type of social media attention and could benefit from a similar increase in online dissemination.
Full Citation:
Ibrahim, Andrew M., Keith D. Lillemoe, Mary E. Klingensmith, and Justin B. Dimick. “Visual Abstracts to Disseminate Research on Social Media: A Prospective, Case-control Crossover Study.” Annals of Surgery (2017)
