Contextual analysis of Biology and Chemistry academic graphical abstracts

Abstract

The Graphical Abstract (GA) is a non-regular discursive practice held in the academic context, and that, when occurs, coexists with the academic abstract (AA) in the table of contents of scientific journals, and in HTML versions of academic articles, materializing by the combination of the verbal and visual semiotics. In this paper, in the light of the Critical Analysis genres (MEURER, 2002; BHATIA, 2004; MOTTA-ROTH, 2006, 2008), which allow us to study a text based on the investigation of its context’s critical research, we present the results of the contextual analysis of GAs in the areas of Biology and Chemistry. This analysis was done by: i) interviews with researchers of the investigated areas; and ii) documentary analysis. Results show that, in general, GA: i) is highlighted by presenting an advertising nature, which seeks to attract the reader’s attention; ii): summarizes the topic and the main findings of scientific research; and iii) does not replace the academia abstract (AA).