Lay Summary Services – Taylor & Francis

Why choose a Lay Summary?

A lay summary is a clear, concise, jargon-free summary of your research article, written in plain language. It is designed to improve understanding of key research findings amongst non-expert audiences such as patients, practitioners, professionals in nearby disciplines, funders, the media, and the public.

Lay summary

Improves research accessibility by communicating the significance of your research in an easy-to-understand manner, encouraging readers outside of your field to engage with your research.
Is easily shareable through a variety of channels, helping to connect you with researchers outside your field who may be interested in collaborating.
Is perfect to use in newsletters, blogs, grant applications and other areas where you need to communicate your research findings simply to a lay audience.
Enables you to engage new audiences and expand your reach by sharing extracts from your summary in social media posts, along with a link to your published journal article or lay summary.

$275

Delivery in 5 business days

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What to expect

A concise, structured, 250-word summary of your manuscript written in jargon-free, clear language, and delivered in Microsoft Word format.
Includes a reference, and link, to your published article.

Suggested descriptions for social media channels, search engine optimized alt text, and suggested hashtags to improve your reach on social media.

How it works

Step 1

Place your order at any stage after your journal article has been accepted or published.

Step 2

Select a service, securely upload your article, and complete the author questionnaire.

Step 3

Our team will study your article and any supporting material and prepare a first draft.

Step 4

Complete your payment, review the draft, and provide feedback.

Step 5

Our team will incorporate your feedback and share the final deliverable file.

Frequently asked questions

Who writes the lay summary for my journal article?

Our team of scientific writers will communicate your research findings accurately using language that is easy to understand by non-experts.
A senior reviewer will check the summary for quality assurance.

What will I receive from this lay summary service?

We summarise your research article in plain language that is suitable for a lay audience. Our standard lay summary service will provide you with a 250-word summary, with structured subheadings to help readers understand your research and how it fits into the broader context. See our sample gallery for examples.
A lay summary can be widely shared through a variety of channels, including blogs and websites, while extracts can be shared in social media posts, linking back to your original article.
Some journals offer the facility to publish a lay summary online, alongside your published article. Check the specific journal’s instructions for authors, as requirements often differ by journal.

What is the difference between a lay summary and a plain language summary?

The terms lay summary and plain language summary (PLS) are frequently used interchangeably, although in some subjects a plain language summary carries a peer review requirement if the author intends to submit it alongside their journal article.
Please check your intended journal’s instructions for authors carefully and confirm if you have requirements that fall outside our standard service. Where possible, we will try to accommodate your requirements, although depending on the scope, it may incur an additional fee.

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Lay Summary