Creating a video abstract for your research
Introduce your research in your own words
Bring your research to life with a video abstract that can increase visibility, boost engagement, and make your research accessible to broader audiences beyond your field.
What is a video abstract?
A video abstract is a short audio and visual summary of your research that aims to 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.
Don’t have time to create the video abstract yourself? Consider our Taylor & Francis Video Abstract service, for a high-quality video delivered within nine business days.
We can also help you with other article extenders, such as infographics, lay summaries, and graphical abstracts. For more information on the benefits of these extenders, see this Taylor & Francis abstract on ‘Evidence demonstrating how extenders increase the number of views of publications.’
What is a video article and how does this differ from an abstract?
In addition to traditional article types, Taylor & Francis also publishes peer-reviewed video articles. These can range from reviews, methodologies, original research and more, with the aim to present scientific research using a visual media format. Video articles are standalone articles and are assigned a DOI.
For more information about video articles, see the Video Journal of Biomedicine.
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When should I submit my video abstract?
For Medicine & Health journals, you should submit the storyboard for your video abstract at the time of submission. You can submit the full video at submission; however, a storyboard will still be required, and you should keep in mind that peer reviewers may recommend changes to the video during revisions. Some journals will consider publishing video abstracts post-acceptance, although we encourage authors to do this at submission, as there may be a fee involved. This option can be discussed with the journal’s Editor.
For all other journals, you can send your video abstract as soon as your paper has been accepted for publication.
How can you submit a video abstract?
Medicine & Health journals:
All other journals:
For all journals: When submitting your final video abstract, you must supply a written descriptive transcript (a written version of the audio you have presented together with a description of the visual content). This makes your video accessible to all.
Tips for a good video abstract
So, what makes a good video abstract? Here are our top tips to think about when creating yours:
Make it short
2 minutes and 20 seconds or less is perfect. Writing out a script (even just bullet points) in advance can help you with this.Be natural
If you’re using a script, try not to rely on reading it to the camera. Your video will be more effective if you speak naturally and let your enthusiasm for your work come across.Be clear and to the point
Answering these questions: what question did you want to answer with your research? How did you go about it? What conclusions did you come to? Make people want to find out more.Be accessible
Video abstracts can be a great way to engage people outside your field, so use clear language and be succinct. If you restrict it to only your field you may be missing out on opportunities for cross-discipline readership, press coverage, or even influencing the work of policymakers.Use images
Pictures speak a thousand words so include images, charts, tables – anything that helps you explain the focus of your article.Be heard
Make sure your audio is clear. Pick somewhere quiet to film, as background noise can be distracting, and use a plug-in microphone.Make it readable
If you’re using presentation slides with text or images on them, make sure there’s not too much on the slide, so others can easily read them while still listening to you talk.Have a call to action
You want people to read your article, not just look at your video abstract, so tell them what to do once they’ve watched the video.
Watch an example of a good video abstract
How to create video abstracts
The equipment you need
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.
Technical specifications
We do check all video abstracts for quality, to make sure they are watchable. Below are our technical specifications:
Format: .mov, .mpg, or .mp4
Aspect ratio: 16:9, square pixels, deinterlaced (landscape format is best)
Frame rate: 24, 25 or 30 fps
Frame type: 720p (min)
Get started
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.
Taylor & Francis Article Promotion services
We can help you showcase your research in an attention grabbing story.
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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