A video abstract lets you introduce readers to your article in your own words, telling others why they should read your research. These short videos (2 mins 20 seconds or less is optimal for social media) are an increasingly popular way of getting others to engage with published research, increasing the visibility of your work and raising your profile. Your video abstract will be published alongside the text abstract on Taylor & Francis Online.
So, what makes a good video abstract? Here are our top tips to think about when creating yours:
Video Abstract – Making Women Into Protagonists: Midwives Reimagine The Mexican Childbirth Narrative from Taylor & Francis on Vimeo.
Most institutions will have digital recording devices or services, which you should be able to use. Use a tripod and a camera you are familiar with. If you use your phone or tablet, make sure it can record high definition (and still use a tripod). If you have access to one, a plug-in microphone will give you better sound quality.
We do check all video abstracts for quality, to ensure they are watchable. Below are our technical specifications:
Please include a written transcript (a written version of the material you have presented) when sending in your file. This is to ensure that your video is accessible to all.
Now you’ve filmed your video, how do you submit it?
You can send us your video abstract as soon as your paper has been accepted for publication, unless you are submitting to one of our medical or pharmaceutical titles. In these journals, you should submit either the full video or transcript with your article so they can be peer-reviewed and published together (if accepted). If your video abstract is not ready when you submit your paper but you are planning to create one, you should tell the Commissioning/Medical Editor so they can let the reviewers know to expect it at a later date. In these cases, your paper and video abstract are likely to be published at different times.
If you have questions or need further guidance on requirements for a specific medical or pharmaceutical journal, please contact the journal’s Commissioning/Medical Editor. You can find their contact details on the journal’s page on Taylor & Francis Online.
You may already have software and features on your computer or laptop to create a video, but below are some useful resources to help you get started.
How to shoot high quality video
Apple: iMovie
YouTube: create videos
Go! Animate
WeVideo
Adobe Spark
Don’t forget to promote your article and abstract once they’re published, on social media and beyond. All that hard work deserves to be talked about, so read our top 10 tips for increasing the impact of your research.
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