The document discusses the importance of rewriting abstracts in life sciences research to enhance discoverability and citation potential. It emphasizes identifying the target audience and focusing on key ideas and common terminology to improve abstract clarity and effectiveness. Additionally, it provides guidance on utilizing resources like the PubMed MeSH database for better keyword selection.

1. Making Research
In the Life Sciences
More Discoverable

2. Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?
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3. Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?
‐
Image credits: <<https://openclipart.org/detail/293410/big-bag-of-cash>

4. Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?
Image credits: <https://openclipart.org/detail/175355/open-innovation-on>

5. Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?
Image credits: <https://openclipart.org/detail/185914/scientist-with-beaker>

6. Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?
Image credits: <https://openclipart.org/detail/219181/impact> <https://openclipart.org/detail/293410/big-bag-of-cash> |
<https://openclipart.org/detail/175355/open-innovation-on> | <https://openclipart.org/detail/185914/scientist-with-beaker>

7. Image credits: <https://openclipart.org/detail/110257/citation-needed>
Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?

8. Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?

9. Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?

10. Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?
The
Rest
Most cited journal list:
http://www.scimagojr.
com/journalrank.php

11. Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?
The
Rest
WHY?

12. Caveats
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<https://openclipart.org/detail/271641/quality-vs-quan
tity>

13. No Disaggregation Articles Only
Physical Sciences 47% 22%
Social Sciences 75% 48%
Humanities 98% 93%
Caveats
LIFE SCIENCES

14. Caveats
‐
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15. Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?
Image credits: <https://openclipart.org/detail/219181/impact> <https://openclipart.org/detail/293410/big-bag-of-cash> |
<https://openclipart.org/detail/175355/open-innovation-on> | <https://openclipart.org/detail/185914/scientist-with-beaker>

16. Image credits: <https://openclipart.org/detail/110257/citation-needed>
Why would you want to rewrite your abstract?

17. What would a
(more) citable
abstract look
like?
Image credits:
<https://www.journals.elsevier.com/neuroimage/news/
most-cited-articles-in-2017>

18. What would a
(more) citable
abstract look
like?
Image credits:
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pi
i/S105381191600210X>

19. What would a
(more) citable
abstract look
like?
Image credits:
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pi
i/S105381191600210X>

20. Image credits: <https://twitter.com/NEJM/status/968970361760112642>
What would a
(more) citable
abstract look
like?

21. Before you start

22. Who is your
primary audience?
Image credits: <https://openclipart.org/detail/232921/scientist-with-hand-in-pocket> |
<https://openclipart.org/detail/216555/scientist-with-purple-hair>

23. Who is your secondary audience?
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| <https://openclipart.org/detail/7868/us-capitol-building-drawing>

24. Who is the audience for the abstract?

25. Who is the audience for the abstract?

26. Who is publishing the article?
Image credits: <https://openclipart.org/detail/201542/theater-audience>

27. Planning strategy

28. What are the most important ideas?
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<https://openclipart.org/detail/35149/jon-phillips
-notepad-idea-session-1>

29. … for which audience?
Image credits: <https://openclipart.org/detail/222289/bright-idea> <https://openclipart.org/detail/244714/brainstorming>

30. What are the most common words for
them?
Image credits: <https://openclipart.org/detail/226080/search-engine-optimization-word-cloud-typography>

31. What are the MeSH Terms for those
concepts?
Image credits:
<https://www.flickr.com/photos/rosefirerising/
3314010233>

32. Let’s find out …
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<https://openclipart.org/detail/237029/Seek-a
nd-you-will-find-photocopy>

33. Let’s do it!

34. Start in Pubmed

35. Start in Pubmed

36. Go to the MeSH Database

37. Example: Osteogenesis

38. Example: Osteogenesis

39. Example: Osteogenesis

40. MeSH Browser

41. More about MeSH

43. We Like to Help
The NLM is not able to provide individual
assistance in selecting keywords for journal
articles; individual, personalized assistance
should be sought from your local medical
library.

44. MeSH on
Demand

45. Yale
MeSH
Analyzer

46. Go
Pubmed

47. Plain Language
Abstracts

48. Visual
Abstracts

49. Visual
Abstract
Example

50. Contact
PF Anderson
@pfanderson
<pfa@umich.edu>