Striving for Modernity: Layout and Abstracts in the Biomedical Literature
Most academic journals have a fairly consistent look: they are structured similarly, their text is divided into similar sections; for example, they have an abstract at the beginning of the manuscript, and their text is usually organized in two columns. There may be different reasons for this similar...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-07-01
|
Series: | Publications |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6775/8/3/38 |
id |
doaj-2171ef1f368b4e5a9ec5aaf75014c529 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-2171ef1f368b4e5a9ec5aaf75014c5292020-11-25T03:36:42ZengMDPI AGPublications2304-67752020-07-018383810.3390/publications8030038Striving for Modernity: Layout and Abstracts in the Biomedical LiteratureCarlo Galli0Maria Teresa Colangelo1Stefano Guizzardi2Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Volturno 39, 43126 Parma, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, Histology and Embryology Lab, University of Parma, Via Volturno 39, 43126 Parma, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, Histology and Embryology Lab, University of Parma, Via Volturno 39, 43126 Parma, ItalyMost academic journals have a fairly consistent look: they are structured similarly, their text is divided into similar sections; for example, they have an abstract at the beginning of the manuscript, and their text is usually organized in two columns. There may be different reasons for this similarity, ranging from the need to contain publication costs by using less page space to conforming to an internationally well-accepted format that may be perceived as the hallmark of academic articles. We surveyed 35 medical journals founded before 1960 and looked for their change in format over time and how this was experienced by and explained to readers. We then discussed what recent research has shown about the effects of layout on reading, looking for further explanations as to why this format was so successful.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6775/8/3/38layoutacademic publishingabstract |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Carlo Galli Maria Teresa Colangelo Stefano Guizzardi |
spellingShingle |
Carlo Galli Maria Teresa Colangelo Stefano Guizzardi Striving for Modernity: Layout and Abstracts in the Biomedical Literature Publications layout academic publishing abstract |
author_facet |
Carlo Galli Maria Teresa Colangelo Stefano Guizzardi |
author_sort |
Carlo Galli |
title |
Striving for Modernity: Layout and Abstracts in the Biomedical Literature |
title_short |
Striving for Modernity: Layout and Abstracts in the Biomedical Literature |
title_full |
Striving for Modernity: Layout and Abstracts in the Biomedical Literature |
title_fullStr |
Striving for Modernity: Layout and Abstracts in the Biomedical Literature |
title_full_unstemmed |
Striving for Modernity: Layout and Abstracts in the Biomedical Literature |
title_sort |
striving for modernity: layout and abstracts in the biomedical literature |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Publications |
issn |
2304-6775 |
publishDate |
2020-07-01 |
description |
Most academic journals have a fairly consistent look: they are structured similarly, their text is divided into similar sections; for example, they have an abstract at the beginning of the manuscript, and their text is usually organized in two columns. There may be different reasons for this similarity, ranging from the need to contain publication costs by using less page space to conforming to an internationally well-accepted format that may be perceived as the hallmark of academic articles. We surveyed 35 medical journals founded before 1960 and looked for their change in format over time and how this was experienced by and explained to readers. We then discussed what recent research has shown about the effects of layout on reading, looking for further explanations as to why this format was so successful. |
topic |
layout academic publishing abstract |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6775/8/3/38 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT carlogalli strivingformodernitylayoutandabstractsinthebiomedicalliterature AT mariateresacolangelo strivingformodernitylayoutandabstractsinthebiomedicalliterature AT stefanoguizzardi strivingformodernitylayoutandabstractsinthebiomedicalliterature |
_version_ |
1724548575806881792 |