Plain Language Summaries: A Systematic Review of Theory, Guidelines, and Empirical Research
This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review [What does this mean?].
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Stoll, Marlene
Kerwer, Martin
Lieb, Klaus
Chasiotis, Anita
Abstract / Description
Background:
Plain language summaries (PLS) have been introduced to communicate research in an understandable way to a non-expert audience. Guidelines for writing PLS have been developed and empirical research on PLS has been conducted, but terminology and research approaches in this comparatively young field vary considerably. This prompted us to review the current state of the art on the theoretical and empirical literature on PLS.
Main Objectives:
Main objectives were (1) to develop a conceptual framework for PLS theory, and (2) to synthesize empirical evidence on PLS criteria. Major research questions were how theoretical considerations on PLS can be conceptualized and what the empirical evidence of their effects on defined outcomes is.
Methods:
We searched Web of Science, PubMed, PsycInfo, and PSYNDEX (last search 07/2021). In our review, we included empirical investigations of PLS, reports on PLS development, PLS guidelines, and theoretical articles referring to PLS. A conceptual framework was developed through content analysis. Empirical studies investigating effects of PLS criteria on defined outcomes were narratively synthesized.
Results:
We identified 7,714 records, of which 90 articles met the inclusion criteria. All articles were used to develop a conceptual framework for PLS which comprises six categories each for PLS aims and PLS characteristics. Thirty-three articles empirically investigated effects of PLS on several outcomes, but study designs were too heterogeneous to identify definite criteria for high-quality PLS. Insular studies identified effects of various criteria on accessibility, understanding, knowledge, communication of research, and empowerment. For most criteria we identified from PLS writing guidelines, we found no empirical evidence.
Conclusion and Implications:
Considerable work to establish and investigate PLS has been done, but empirical evidence on criteria for high-quality PLS is scarce. The conceptual framework developed in this review may provide a valuable starting point for future guideline developers and PLS researchers.
Persistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2021-08-13
Publisher
PsychArchives
Is version of
Citation
Stoll, M., Kerwer, M., Lieb, K., & Chasiotis, A. (2021). Plain Language Summaries: A Systematic Review of Theory, Guidelines, and Empirical Research. PsychArchives. https://doi.org/10.23668/PSYCHARCHIVES.5044
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Stoll et al_2021_Plain_Language_Summaries_Review_20210811.pdfAdobe PDF - 925.39KBMD5: 17e45932bb297af248bab34721af4d67
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22021-08-13After having submitted this manuscript, we were requested to update the search of our literature review. We updated the literature search and revised the manuscript and figures. Additionally, we added a Plain Language Summary of our review.
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Stoll, Marlene
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Kerwer, Martin
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Lieb, Klaus
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Chasiotis, Anita
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2021-08-13T09:37:24Z
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Made available on2021-06-22T15:14:53Z
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Made available on2021-08-13T09:37:24Z
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Date of first publication2021-08-13
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Abstract / DescriptionBackground: Plain language summaries (PLS) have been introduced to communicate research in an understandable way to a non-expert audience. Guidelines for writing PLS have been developed and empirical research on PLS has been conducted, but terminology and research approaches in this comparatively young field vary considerably. This prompted us to review the current state of the art on the theoretical and empirical literature on PLS. Main Objectives: Main objectives were (1) to develop a conceptual framework for PLS theory, and (2) to synthesize empirical evidence on PLS criteria. Major research questions were how theoretical considerations on PLS can be conceptualized and what the empirical evidence of their effects on defined outcomes is. Methods: We searched Web of Science, PubMed, PsycInfo, and PSYNDEX (last search 07/2021). In our review, we included empirical investigations of PLS, reports on PLS development, PLS guidelines, and theoretical articles referring to PLS. A conceptual framework was developed through content analysis. Empirical studies investigating effects of PLS criteria on defined outcomes were narratively synthesized. Results: We identified 7,714 records, of which 90 articles met the inclusion criteria. All articles were used to develop a conceptual framework for PLS which comprises six categories each for PLS aims and PLS characteristics. Thirty-three articles empirically investigated effects of PLS on several outcomes, but study designs were too heterogeneous to identify definite criteria for high-quality PLS. Insular studies identified effects of various criteria on accessibility, understanding, knowledge, communication of research, and empowerment. For most criteria we identified from PLS writing guidelines, we found no empirical evidence. Conclusion and Implications: Considerable work to establish and investigate PLS has been done, but empirical evidence on criteria for high-quality PLS is scarce. The conceptual framework developed in this review may provide a valuable starting point for future guideline developers and PLS researchers.en
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Publication statusunknownen
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Review statusunknownen
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CitationStoll, M., Kerwer, M., Lieb, K., & Chasiotis, A. (2021). Plain Language Summaries: A Systematic Review of Theory, Guidelines, and Empirical Research. PsychArchives. https://doi.org/10.23668/PSYCHARCHIVES.5044en
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/4361.2
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5044
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychArchivesen
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268789
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitlePlain Language Summaries: A Systematic Review of Theory, Guidelines, and Empirical Researchen
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DRO typepreprinten
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Leibniz institute name(s) / abbreviation(s)ZPIDde_DE