The research summary is a collection of short and clear paragraphs that contain the most important research information, and what aims and results in an easy and clear way for the reader and the public.

It is a cue to the whole research in few simple lines but still comprehensive. Regards.

Agree with Arwa Abdulrasoul Salman answer.

Dear Professors Mutasem, Isam, Arwa and Muhammad,

Thank you greatly for your rich comments. Best regards

Dickson Adom

Well , Lay is guess to be understood by everyone ...

Einstein quote: "if you can't explain it simply then you don't understand it well "...

All I can say is E=mc2

Energy and mass are related :)

Few concentrated words with unlimited size in meaning.

Emad

Oh, I do agree with all above comment and thank you colleagues for sharing your point of views.

Also Thanks Dr. Dickson for your time and efforts Sir.

Emad from Babylon

I am grateful to you Professors. Aparna and Professors. Emad for your meaningful comments. Best regards

Dickson Adom

The research in a nutshell about all with a clear concept to write which needs to expertise and experiences.

To show the main idea of scientific research and the most important scientific conclusions and it is necessary write in short and the number of words should be not exceed 250-300 words.

Regards,

Dear Prof. Barbara,

Thanks for your insight in that concise but powerful comment. Best regards

Dickson Adom

Dear Prof. Md.,

I sincerely appreciate you great contribution. Best regards

Dickson Adom

Dear Prof.Qhatan,

I am very thankful for your valuable view and the word limit for lay summaries. Beat regards

Dickson Adom

What is a lay summary?

A lay summary is a brief summary of a research project that is used to explain complex ideas and technical and scientific terms to people who do not have prior knowledge about the subject. A lay audience is diverse and includes members of the general public, people living with MS (multiple sclerosis) donors, and researchers in different disciplines that could be potential research collaborators. A lay summary is intended to explain why the research is being suggested, what researchers aim to achieve and how this may impact the rest of the research community and the quality of life of people with MS. Typical summaries might discuss the purpose of the research, its relevance to MS, and the proposed methodology.

Tips to write a good lay summary

• Try to explain your research in 25 words and then use this as your first sentence.

• The text should provide answers to the essential questions: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How?

• Give the reader a reason to care about what you do- address the “so what?” Focus on the relevance, the application of the benefits of your research for people living with MS; why is the work important to them?

• Provide context. Give concrete everyday examples. Paint a picture for the reader.

• Write in active voice.

• The language used should be person centered rather than focusing on the circumstance, illness or disability. For example “people with MS” preferable to “MS sufferers”; a person “has MS” rather than “is a victim of MS”.

• The text should be ordered logically and flow naturally. For example, ideas should be introduced as they are required, and new ideas usually should not be introduced late in the text.

• Use short, clear sentences (25 words or less) and avoid complex grammatical structures.

• Minimize the use of jargon, scientific and technical terms and acronyms. If this is unavoidable, provide explanations.

• Grammar and punctuation should be accurate and spelling should follow appropriate conventions.

• Avoid complex terms and phrases and use plain English.

• Find someone who is not in your field to read over the summary. Get feedback on your draft from colleagues, supervisors and at least one non-specialist to your field.

• Respect the length requirements for the lay summary.

Use simple words and cut out unnecessary words. Here are examples of words and phrases that can be simplified in order to make it easier to understand for a reader:

• Participate in – take part

• Prior to – before

• Discontinue – stop

• In the event of – if

• Duration – time

• Inform – tell

• Scheduled to undergo – due to have

• Accordingly, consequently – so

• With reference to, with regard to – about

• If this is the case – if so

• For the purpose of – to

Please go through enclosed PDF for more details with an example....

Lay research is describing creatively, your research in just some few words in a convincing fashion that turns the heads of policy makers and everyone concerned with the implementation of the recommendations in one’s research.

Do you write lay summaries of your research? I do. It is a door to the oasis of knowledge in my research works

Very interactive comments thank you so much my colleagues for your kind response.

Regards,

Emad

Abstract is the synonim for brief/lay summary. It is first part of the article after title, that is read by an interesting reader. Depending on quality of lay summary, someone will read full article or not. Visibility of article depends on good abstract.

Dear @Dickson, here are some related threads about the issue.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_are_the_elements_of_abstract_of_a_research_paper

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Can_anybody_recommend_practical_guidelines_on_how_to_report_research_findings

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_the_standard_for_writing_abstract_of_a_scientific_research_paper_for_publication

https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_would_you_differentiate_Executive_summary_from_an_Abstract

https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_to_write_an_attractive_abstract_to_a_paper_thesis_book_etc

There are fine answers and very good resources.

Dear Prof. Ljubomir,

Thank you so much for the insightful comments and valuable links. They are really helpful. Best regards

Dickson

Thanks dearly Prof. Emad for supporting the discussion. I am really grateful. Best regards

Dickson

A lay summary is a brief summary of a research project that is used to explain complex ideas of technical nature to people who do not have prior knowledge about such subject.

It is a summary for lay men so far as your research is concerned.

Precisely what Dr K N Sheth has stated

Well, the summary of every research is very main thing and it is very important. simply just we write in few lines what we have achieved through this research and which method we have used.

Thanks greatly for your valuable comments and support to the discussion, Prof. Sheth, Dr. Hitesh and Dr. Farkhanda. Best regards

Dickson

Dear, thank you for sharing and accompany the proposal of the illustrious Prof. Ljubomir. Greetings!

Summary made simple !!!

Thanks Professors Osmar and Aparna for your rich comment and support to the discussion. Best regards

Lay summaries are short accounts of research that are targeted at a general audience. They play a significant role in most research grant applications and can also be useful in supporting wider public engagement with research. Lay summaries are particularly important for research in medicine and health, and are normally a prerequisite for grant applications made to the UK research councils and to medical charities.

I agree with Al-Ani on the point that lay summary explains complex ideas and technical and scientific terms to people who do not have prior knowledge about the subject.

Very interesting question and answers. I´m following.

Many thanks to you Dr. Suha, Dr. Harry and Prof. Hess for your valuable opinions and support to the discussions. Best regards

How to Write a Lay Summary

Lay summaries are short accounts of research that are targeted at a general audience. They play a significant role in most research grant applications and can also be useful in supporting wider public engagement with research. Lay summaries are particularly important for research in medicine and health, and are normally a prerequisite for grant applications made to the UK research councils and to medical charities.

This guide will help you to understand what lay summaries are, how they are used and why they are important. It describes some general guidelines for writing lay summaries and explores some issues and challenges with lay summary provision.

This guide should help researchers who are required to write lay summaries and organisations with an interest in public engagement with research, or those with responsibility for making research accessible.

It also provides pointers to other resources to help with the writing of lay summaries. Although the guide draws in particular from the experience of charities involved in communicating about research in medicine and health, the lessons and guidelines should be transferable to other disciplines.

regards

Dear Selvam Ramasamy

Thanks for your good answer.

to explain your research to the Audience which don't have prior knowledge about your idea/methodology/experiment and results findings using appropriate words for readers

Insugytfuk contributions and support, my dear colleagues, Dr. Hassan, Dr. Abass, Dr. Paul and Dr. Tahir. I am very grateful. Best regards

Dickson

lay summary is a sort of crux

Interesting analogy Dr. Ahmad

A lay summary is a brief summary of a research project that is used to explain complex ideas.. Lay summaries are short accounts of research that are targeted at a general audience. They play a significant role in most research grant applications and can also be useful in supporting wider public engagement with research.

Concise but valuable comment on lay summaries, Dr. Kiran. I am very grateful. Best regards

Thanks Dr. Karthik for supporting the discussion. I am very grateful. Best regards

Here is a great explanation of how lay summary or plain language summaries originated.

According to the US' Plain Writing Act of 2010, ‘The term ‘‘plain writing’’ means writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended audience.’ Thus, lay summaries, also referred to as plain language summaries, are primarily intended for audiences who do not have the same level of knowledge as the researchers performing the study. The readers of lay summaries could be taxpayers, journalists healthcare providers, patients, professionals in fields related to the research area, policymakers, or decision makers in funding bodies and grant application committees. Research areas in which lay summaries could have the greatest impact include (but are not restricted to) medicine, healthcare, public health, psychology, disaster science, environmental science, climate change, finance, and law. 

Here are a few related threads on the same topic:

https://mssociety.ca/uploads/files/guide-to-writing-lay-summary-eng-final20130726.pdf

https://www.editage.com/insights/lay-summaries-are-not-just-for-researchers-they-are-for-funders-too

http://www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/how-guides/write-lay-summary

Excellent information and very useful links Dr. Zuheb. Thanks dearly for sharing. I am very grateful

In a published research article, the purpose of summary is to give the reader/audience a brief overview of the study.

Good question Dr. Deckson

The summary is short and understandable to the work done in which a section of the study is mentioned and the results of the research are therefore very important

Best regards

Use active not passive phrases; say ‘we will look at the build-up of amyloid in the brain’ rather than ‘the build-up of amyloid in the brain will be looked at’. • Keep sentences short.

A lay summary, or impact statement, is a very efficient way of conveying the essence of your article briefly and clearly. Fundamentally, what you’re aiming to produce is a short paragraph outlining the article content, aimed at non-specialists in the field and written in a way that they can easily understand. This element differentiates it from the abstract, which is designed with your subject peers in mind. The structure of a lay summary should answer the main questions of “who/what/where/when/how many/why?” (in essence, you’re trying to justify why someone should spend time in reading what you’ve produced). Answering these questions in a concise manner will deliver all the details the reader needs. The most important part of it is a “summary within a summary”: one final sentence which explains why the research is important, and what the article has concluded...

https://www.elsevier.com/connect/authors-update/in-a-nutshell-how-to-write-a-lay-summary

Dear Ljubomir,

Good contribution! I agree with you.

A summary is a cream of your research. It tells us very briefly and concise the most essential things about your work: