Table 3.

Elements of plain language summaries from author instructions

Element	Description	Frequency (%)	Example(s)
Audience	How the audience is described	27 (100)	“Non-medical audience”a
			“Non-specialists in the field, including members of the public and non-academics”b
Word count/length	The recommended or maximum word count or length	27 (100)	“Two or three short sentences”c
			“No more than 250 words”d
Structure	How the summary should be structured	26 (96.3)	“3 brief bullet points”e
			“Formatted as a single paragraph”f “Should be short, clear sentences broken up into relevant sections”f
Content	The information that should be included in the summary	27 (100)	“Provide an accurate representation of the article”g “The summary should be based on the abstract of the paper”g
			“Descriptions of the paper that are easily understandable”h “True reflection of the research presented”h “Both merits and limitations should be discussed”h “Define the who, what, why, when, where and how of the research. Provide answers to the following questions: Why was this study done? What did the researchers do? What did the researchers find? What do the findings mean?”h “Ensure that your conclusion/take home message is clear”h
Purpose	Reason(s) for writing the summary and what it should convey to the reader	24 (88.9)	“Make the research findings presented in the article accessible to those outside the scientific community” i “Help you reach the people who may directly benefit from your research. These are the people who are affected by your discoveries—whose lives have the potential to improve because of your analyses and conclusions”i “A lay summary can be a valuable tool to tell the story of your research. And stories are what we all connect to most. In a lay summary, your research team is the hero, and your passion is the answer to the question of why”i “They make it quick and easy for people outside the research community to understand why your work matters”i
			“Plain language summaries (PLSs) communicate the significance of scientific research evidence to a broad audience, including patients and professionals in nearby disciplines, in jargon-free and clear language. As an author, expanding the reach of your work by engaging with a wider audience can help you:  Enable the reader to capture the content quickly and bookmark the paper for in-depth reading. Crucially, PLS improve public engagement with science and medical research. By helping the public to understand biomedical research, researchers can contribute to raising awareness of its value and attracting further public support, engagement, and involvement.  Attract more readers, increasing access to the article and its associated metrics  Connect with patients, caregivers, policy makers, and other decision makers  Connect with non-specialist healthcare professionals from other fields  Improve access to scientific data in a format that is easy to understand  Translate complex science into practical knowledge and initiatives  Expand your professional network and enhance your reputation Crucially, PLSs improve public engagement with science and medical research. By helping the public to understand biomedical research, researchers can contribute to raising awareness of its value and attracting further public support, engagement, and involvement” j
Wording	Specific recommendations regarding wording	25 (92.6)	“Should be written in an easy-to-understand manner, using language that is accessible but does not patronise the reader” g “Sentences should be written in the active voice, rather than the passive voice” g
			“Written in easy-to-understand language rather than complex words (see Universal Patient Language)”k “Written in plain English”k “Use the active voice rather than the passive voice (for example, “Dr Smith’s team report several improvements” rather than “Several improvements were reported by Dr Smith’s team”)”k “Phrase sentences in neutral language, remaining as objective as possible”k “Use person-centred language rather than focusing on the condition/illness or disability”k “Keep statements factual and avoid providing opinions or speculation on the study’s findings and significance. It is of primary importance that the PLS not be misleading”k “Avoid complex grammatical structures”k
Jargon, acronyms and abbreviations	Use of jargon, acronyms or abbreviations	19 (70.4)	“Jargon should be avoided other than where necessary; in which case it should be defined in full the first time it is used”l “Abbreviations should be avoided”l
			“Avoid jargon, use every day English terms to convey your message. If you need to use technical terminology or abbreviations, please explain the term when introduced”m
Resources	Resources for writing a plain language summary from an external source	19 (70.4)	“For further information on how to write about biomedical and health research in plain English, please read the INVOLVE Plain English Summaries (http://www.invo.org.uk/resource-centre/plain-english-summaries/) resource from the National Institute for Health Research”o
			“A few examples of online resources include the following: https://www.elsevier.com/connect/authors-update/in-a-nutshell-how-to-write-a-lay-summary; https://hbg.cochrane.org/sites/hbg.cochrane.org/files/public/uploads/Writing%20Plain%20Language%20Summaries.docx; https://www.agu.org/Share-and-Advocate/Share/Community/Plain-language-summary”p

^aEuropean Urology Oncology

^bNeurology and Therapy

^cEuropean Urology

^dPain and Therapy

^eJournal of Cardiac Failure

^fRheumatology and Therapy

^gCNS Drugs

^hTherapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology

ⁱCancer

^jExpert Review of Respiratory Medicine

^kExpert Review of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

^lAmerican Journal of Clinical Dermatology

^mTherapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease

ⁿCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

^oExpert Review of Respiratory Medicine

^pOsteoarthritis and Cartilage