Including Extenders in Medical Articles Significantly Boosts Reader Engagement

Recent analysis from Taylor & Francis has demonstrated that medical articles enhanced with 'extenders'—digital tools such as infographics, video abstracts, graphical abstracts, supplementary podcasts, and translations—garner substantially more views than those without. Specifically, plain language summaries and clinical trial protocols with extenders attracted 144% higher readership.

The study evaluated 21 Plain Language Summaries of Publications (PLSPs) and 19 Clinical Trial Protocols (CTPs) published across nine expert medicine journals between January 2023 and January 2025. Articles with extenders averaged 3,985 views for PLSPs, which is 154% more compared to 1,568 views for those without. Similarly, CTPs incorporating extenders received an average of 4,602 views, 126% higher than their counterparts without these supplementary resources, which averaged 2,029 views.

Extenders aim to translate complex research into more accessible formats, making findings understandable for healthcare providers, patients, and the general public. These tools include visual aids, multimedia content, and translations designed to highlight practical implications and increase accessibility.

According to Sam Cavana, head of publishing solutions at Taylor & Francis, although the dataset was limited to nine journals over two years, the clear trend indicates that extenders positively influence article visibility. Future research may explore whether higher readership correlates with increased research citations or social media sharing.

Rachel Jenkins, head of plain language summaries, emphasized that making research findings accessible is a key goal, and the observed boost in article views underscores the value of including extenders in publication strategies. Further information about plain language summaries and clinical trial protocols is available through Taylor & Francis Author Services.

This insight suggests that researchers and publishers should consider the strategic use of extenders to enhance dissemination and engagement with scientific research.