논문이 돋보이는 과학 이미지·도표 작성법: 4가지 핵심 원칙

Scientific figures and images  are an essential part of academic publishing . Many journal websites provide thumbnails of figures along with the abstracts for all publications. Therefore, figures and images make a first impression on readers from the moment they start their initial search! It
has been confirmed in various studies and scientific discourses that scientific figures and images play an important role in improving the quality of manuscripts. Readers often prefer to look at figures and images rather than read boring and lengthy explanations.

Why it’s important to publish quality charts

High-quality scientific diagrams and scientific photographs convey data and information in a consistent and reader-friendly manner. They help present complex relationships, patterns, and trends clearly and concisely. That’s why it’s  so important for authors to publish (publish) diagrams that readers can interpret clearly and quickly . Images that are poor quality, poor resolution, or inconsistent in style can diminish the overall reader experience.

Four Simple Rules for Creating High-Quality Scientific Diagrams

Rule 1: Be clear about the message you want to convey.

If the author does not clearly understand the purpose of the diagram, the reader will have a hard time understanding it either! Therefore, before deciding on the type of diagram or image, you should first clarify what the core message you are trying to convey is. Be clear about the main idea you want to express through your diagram. You should also consider how to best express this message! Having this information will help you decide which format, design, image, or chart type is appropriate.

Rule 2: Adapt your chart to best fit the medium.

Scientific figures may need to be published in a variety of media. The two most common formats for this are printed articles and electronic media. Image resolution and size are two key attributes to consider when assessing readability online and in print. Resolution refers to the number of pixels within a defined area, usually measured in inches. Authors  should carefully review journal guidelines regarding image resolution before submitting to a journal. The resolution of images viewed on a monitor is expressed in pixels per inch (ppi). In print, the term “dots per inch” (dpi) is used to describe the resolution of printed images, which refers to the dots of ink that are printed.

Another important factor in determining image quality is color. Computer monitors, digital cameras, and video screens use a variety of combinations of RGB (red, green, and blue) color modes to create all the colors you see in an image. However, print images use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) color modes to create image colors. Journals recommend converting digital images to CMYK mode for submission. This allows you to more accurately preview how your image will appear in print.

Rule 3: Be prepared

Plan your scientific diagrams from the beginning, not afterward! Familiarize yourself with the equipment, instruments, and/or software you will use to capture high-quality images. Get formal training if necessary. When you capture images, make a note of any capture adjustments you make, such as brightness or contrast. This will help you maintain consistency throughout the image capture process. Also, when you save these images or diagrams, save them in an appropriate format at high resolution.

Journals recommend a variety of file formats for figures and images. However, the most recommended format for saving scientific photographs  is the Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), which is lossless . Lossless means that the number of pixels and colors are preserved even after multiple saves or modifications. TIFF also has the advantage of not degrading performance. JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) can be used for autoradiographs or micrographs, as it allows for much higher resolution images to be submitted without exceeding the given file size through compression. However, care should be taken to minimize the number of times modified versions are saved to avoid quality degradation. PNG (Portable Networks Graphics) can be used for images where some loss of quality is acceptable in order to reduce file size.

Regardless of the format you choose to save your final scientific diagram, you should always keep a backup of the original file. It is also recommended that you save the file in the native file format of your image acquisition software, as these files may contain metadata related to instrument settings. The best practice is to keep the file readily accessible at all times. This will help you prepare for questions from reviewers or editors during the peer review process.

Rule 4: Don’t tamper with scientific diagrams.

Before submission, authors   typically use image editing tools and  software to adjust or modify images to produce publishable quality data. Here are some things to keep in mind! The final scientific figures must accurately represent the original data and adhere to ethical standards. Improper manipulation of images can lead to rejection of the submitted paper or discredit the credibility of the research. For example, if you are comparing images showing cell fluorescence in a single image (when comparing control and treated groups), the instrument/equipment settings must be identical each time the image is captured. Also, important information must not be removed or obscured during adjustment or modification. If you adjust the gamma value or use colors that are different from the actual color to emphasize certain aspects, this must be clearly stated in the paper.

Image resizing is a necessary step to create images that meet the journal’s recommendations. Making the image smaller, i.e. reducing the number of pixels, is acceptable, because the software can combine multiple pixels into one. However, increasing the number of pixels is not acceptable, because if you try to increase the number of pixels, the computer software will have to create additional pixels, which can lead to misinterpretation of the data.

If you found these tips helpful in creating scientific diagrams and scientific photographs, please share your experiences in the comments section below!