What are plain language summaries?

It is now recognised that making the results of clinical research accessible and understandable to non-specialist audiences via plain language content is vital to promote patient engagement activities and to allow the integration of new research into future patient care. Providing scientific content that is understandable to a lay audience also instils transparency in the research.

Various plain language options to accompany scientific journal publications are starting to emerge, including short-form lay abstracts and infographics as supplementary materials. Future Science Group has also recognised a need to build on these existing options, and improve the availability and discoverability of this extremely valuable content. To address this, we introduced a new standalone article type – the Plain Language Summary of Publication (PLSP) in 2020.

PLSPs use non-technical language to provide a summary of a recently published research article to be read and understood by non-specialists (from patients and their caregivers to HCPs and decision-makers). They can have a range of authorship, but are generally written by at least one of the authors from the original publication and we also encourage the inclusion of patient authors. A patient author can be someone who has directly participated in the study, a person who lives with or is affected by a disease (such as caregivers or family members), or someone who has provided a patient perspective on a subject.

As standalone articles, PLPs have numerous benefits.

1. The high-quality of the information can be under-pinned by independent peer review. We have an Advisory Panel of patients, patient advocates and other PLS specialists who provide robust feedback on every PLSP we publish.
2. The PLSP has its own unique DOI number, as with any traditional article, and can be cited in its own right by those that want to – something that isn’t as clear to do when the PLS is a supplementary file.
3. More importantly, this also means that PLSPs receive their own specific article metrics, including download and citation numbers, and online impact (e.g., on social media) – allowing the authors to track the attention they receive.
4. As standalone articles, PLSPs are also much more easily discoverable. They can be found using the usual publisher search tools and indexing sites, such as PubMed and Google Scholar. Crucially, they can also be found on Google, making them more discoverable by patients and the lay public.
5. Finally, as with a traditional article, all the usual publishing ethics practices apply, so for example PLSPs can be corrected using the usual journal mechanisms, such as correction notices – improving transparency and ethical compliance of this type of content.

How to write a plain language summary

For authors planning to write a PLSP, Future Science Group provides a PLSP article template with the sections we recommend you include. For example, as the PLSP is standalone, it is important to include a clear link the to the original publication(s) being summarised, and we also suggest including links to any other relevant resources to help readers find more information on the study. However, each PLSP is unique and will have a different style depending on the subject matter. A ‘personalized’ approach to writing each PLSP is necessary in order to meet the educational requirements of the intended audience.

In addition, Future Science Group has developed a comprehensive set of Author Guidelines specifically for PLSPs, which includes:

• Further details on the suggested article template
• Details and links to helpful resources on language use and readability/reading age
• Advice on developing graphics with improved clarity and accessibility
• Our ‘How to Publish’ guide
• General tips and tricks for developing plain language summaries
• Links to useful resources, and the most relevant recent publications and industry guidelines

Both the PLSP article template and Author Guidelines are updated regularly as new resources and recommendations emerge, and can be requested by contacting us.

Future Science Group plain language summary writing service

While some authors are happy to develop PLSPs independently, we recognise that conveying medical results and complex concepts in plain language can be challenging and time-consuming. Future Science Group is therefore pleased to offer a complete writing service for plain language summaries, to ensure the vital information contained in medical publications is appropriately conveyed to non-expert audiences and incorporated into patient care.

Our highly skilled writing team will work with you and your authors at every stage to:

• Develop an outline based on the original research/review article(s)
• Determine the need and obtain any relevant permissions from the original publisher
• Draft the content using appropriate plain language
• Develop relevant bespoke graphics and illustrations
• We are also able to work with you to create additional digital add-ons, such as audio content, videos and animations

For further information and pricing for our plain language summary writing service, please contact Joanne Walker.

Please note, all writing services are separate from our editorial/publishing services. Should the plain language summary be submitted for publication in an FSG journal, acceptance and the decision to publish the article will be dependent on the journal’s standard peer review and editorial processes.

Please note, all writing services are separate from our editorial/publishing services. Should the plain language summary be submitted for publication in an FSG journal, acceptance and the decision to publish the article will be dependent on the journal’s standard peer review and editorial processes.