Which layout do you prefer? An analysis of readers' preferences for different typographic layouts of structured abstracts

BACKGROUND. Structured abstracts - which include subheadings such as this one - have replaced traditional abstracts in most current medical journals. However, the number and detail of the subheadings used varies, and there is a range of different typographic settings. AIMS. The aims of the studies reported in this paper were to investigate readers' preferences for different typographic settings of (i) the subheadings and (ii) the overall position and layout of such abstracts on a two-column A4 page. PARTICIPANTS. Over 400 readers took part - students, postgraduates, research workers and academics in the social sciences. METHOD. A series of studies was carried out in three main stages in order to narrow down readers' preferences for different typographic settings of the subheadings in structured abstracts. The most preferred version emerged from the final study. Two additional studies were then carried out to determine preferences for the overall position and layout of this most preferred version on an A4 page. RESULTS. The most preferred version for the setting of the subheadings was that used in this present abstract, i.e. to have them printed in bold capital letters. Readers also preferred the abstracts to have a line-space above the main headings (as here), and (unlike here) for the abstracts to be centred over the top of the subsequent two-column article (on an A4 page).