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Ten Tips for Capturing Figures with Captions
ACS Energy Lett. 2019.4:637-638. Downloaded from pubs.acs.org by 146.185.206.201 on 03/09/19. For personal use only.
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carefully scrutinized in our editorial office for the accuracy of the data presentation and figure captions. We convey these errors through our editorial comments, which are included in the revision request letters. On the basis of our in-house experience, we have compiled a few tips that authors can follow while composing the captions for figures. Here are our top 10: 1. In the first sentence of the caption, describe what the figure is about, followed by the sample description. The sample description should include analyte concentrations (M, moles, g/L, monolayers, etc.) and the solvents or substrates used to prepare the sample for measurements. 2. Include the experimental conditions used in the data collection. Depending on the type of experiment, include, for example, temperature and pressure; degassed or deaerated; excitation wavelengths for recording emission spectra or photolysis; scan rates for CV and J−V curves; etc. 3. Be precise in your use of terminology. In particular, know the differences among the terms “normalized”, “relative”, and “arbitrary”. They are not interchangeable. Include the criteria used for normalization or obtain relative comparison, if any. 4. Define any symbols or acronyms you used in the figures. If you need to use symbols in the axis titles, remember to explain them in the caption. (Note that some symbols have different definition in different disciplines.) 5. All of the data points or plots need to be correctly identified. (A mislabeled graph can lead to a wrong conclusion and increase the possibility of a reviewer rejection decision.) Do not crowd the figure with too many traces. 6. Color-coded identification in the caption is often unproductive because colors vary with screens and printers. It is better to identify with legends such as a, b, c, etc. or with distinguishable symbols. 7. Indicate whether the curves, if any, are guides-to-the-eye or actual fits. 8. If an inset is present, describe it in the caption and clearly identify the details of the experiment or analysis. 9. Cite the source of any previously published graphic or use of previously published data in the caption. (Do not forget to obtain any necessary copyright permission to use the previously published graphic.) 10. Last, but definitely not least, double-check that the caption description matches the graphic before submission. (This is one of the most common mistakes we see.) The success in delivering research advances depends on capturing the scientific essence of the paper through its figures and captions. The examples given in Figures 2 and 3 illustrate some of the aforementioned tips. It is important for new
ave you ever had trouble understanding a graphic because of poor data presentation and/or incomplete information in the caption? If you answered yes, you are not alone. In the editorial office, we often receive submissions with poorly presented graphics, which can undermine the quality of the paper and result in a less than favorable first impression. It is important to note that it is not the number of figures or amount of data that matters in a paper; it is how the results are delivered through figures and figure captions. Readers often judge the merit of a study based on the care taken in drawing the figures and the description presented in the captions. If the authors were careless creating the graphics and captions, what does this say about how they conducted their research? We would like to highlight some of the common pitfalls associated with creating graphic content and offer some tips for making figure captions more effective. Tips for drawing highquality figures were discussed in an earlier editorial (Graphical Excellence, DOI: 10.1021/jz500997e). In this Editorial, we focus on the importance of composing the figure captions. The caption that accompanies a figure is an important entity as it provides the details of the data collection and analysis (Figure 1). Because the figure should stand alone (and not
Figure 1. Figures and captions should go hand in hand.
require the reader to search through the accompanying article text for the necessary information), the reader should be able to capture the details of the experiments quickly and completely. Despite this requirement, we frequently encounter one-line captions such as “Absorption and emission spectra of semiconductor QDs”. Questions that may come to mind while evaluating a graphic include, for example: What is the concentration? Is it suspended in a solvent or deposited as a film? Were these spectra recorded under ambient conditions or under inert atmosphere? What is the excitation wavelength used to record emission spectra? Was the emission spectrum corrected for detector response? Incomplete captions lead to reviewer/reader frustration because they have to spend additional time to scan through the entire text or Supporting Information, which may or may not provide all of the details. At ACS Energy Letters, we pay special attention to the figures and figure captions. Manuscripts considered for publication are © 2019 American Chemical Society
Published: March 8, 2019 637
DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.9b00253 ACS Energy Lett. 2019, 4, 637−638
Editorial
Cite This: ACS Energy Lett. 2019, 4, 637−638
ACS Energy Letters
Editorial
Figure 2. (A) Absorbance spectra and (B) photoluminescence (PL) spectra of CsPbBr3 (a,a′), CsPbBr1.5I1.5 (b,b′), and CsPbI3 (c,c′) NCs without (a′,b′,c′) and with (a,b,c) PbSO4−oleate-capped NCs in hexane. The PL spectra were recorded using 370 nm excitation. Panel (B) insets show photographs of the NC dispersions in hexane under UV light (ambient conditions). (Reproduced from Ravi; et al. ACS Energy Lett. 2018, 3, 1049−1055. DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.8b00380. Copyright American Chemical Society.)
Figure 3. Performance of a halide perovskite-based photovoltaic device (PV). (a) Current density−voltage (J−V) curve of a representative PV under (i) dark (black) and (ii) simulated AM 1.5G solar illumination (blue). (b) The corresponding (i) external quantum efficiency (EQE) spectrum (blue) and (ii) integrated Jsc (red) reveal the photoresponse across the visible spectrum. (Reproduced from Kim; et al. ACS Energy Lett. 2019, 4, 293−298. DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.8b01661. Copyright American Chemical Society. Note: The original figure has been modified to identify the traces with (i) and (ii).)
researchers to go through earlier papers and learn to compose well-rounded figure captions. A well-composed figure accompanied by a detailed caption will make your data stand out and help build a good impression among editors, reviewers, and readers.
Constance M. Biegel, Coordinating Editor
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
Prashant V. Kamat, Editor-in-Chief
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University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
AUTHOR INFORMATION
ORCID
Prashant V. Kamat: 0000-0002-2465-6819 Notes
Views expressed in this editorial are those of the authors and not necessarily the views of the ACS. The examples given in this editorial are intended to draw attention to well-composed figure captions.
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DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.9b00253 ACS Energy Lett. 2019, 4, 637−638
