Creating your research poster
Software Options
Now that you know how to plan your poster, and have looked at examples, you're ready to start creating your poster. You have a variety of software options for creating your poster, outlined below. Select the tutorial button to learn how to use the program.
Google Slides
Recommended for collaborative research posters
Google Slides is a web-based platform that is a more simple version of Powerpoint. You might be more familiar with using Slides for presentations, but you can also make posters and storyboards by using a single slide and adjusting the size.
Slides is the best option if you need to work collaboratively with a group. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of Powerpoint but most of those extra features are not needed.
Microsoft Powerpoint
Recommended for non-collaborative research posters
Powerpoint is actually still an excellent vector-editing program. You can use it to create posters and other printed materials, not just presentations! We prefer Slides, which is more simple but has all the tools that we need.
Adobe InDesign
Recommended for zines, multi-page booklets, advanced research posters, text-heavy infographics
Adobe InDesign is another of Adobe's vector-based design programs. It is somewhat similar to Microsoft Word + Powerpoint, but more complicated.
After you're done: final checklist
Did you include your contact information somewhere prominent on the poster? Will you also bring business cards?
Is your poster legible and accessible? Can it be viewed from a distance and with enough contrast?
Did you leave enough negative space so that your poster does not feel crowded? Is it clear how the eye should move around the poster?
Do you have photos and figures? Are they telling the story effectively?
Are all of your sections organized in a way that makes sense? Is it clear which section content goes with each header?
Printing your poster
If you are presenting your poster as an in-person conference, follow these steps to print it ahead of time:
Save your poster as a PDF (not at jpg)
All university-affiliated users may submit jobs to plot queues CCITPlot36 and CCITPlot42. Submitting to these two queues will deduct funds from the user’s Paw Prints quota and then from their TigerStripe account once the quota has been depleted.
One side must be 36” or 42” in length
Employees/faculty may alternatively submit plot jobs using a 23-digit departmental account number. These jobs must be submitted to the CCITPlotDEP36 and CCITPlotDEP42 queues and a valid 23-digit departmental account number must be provided. If you are an undergraduate researcher, check with your supervising faculty member to see if they have a print quota for you.
Get Feedback
There are lots of ways to ask for feedback on a poster: ask friends outside of your field and in your field, ask your advisor, or stop by the Adobe Digital Studio on the 5th floor of Cooper Library during open hours. You can also contact me, Kelsey Sheaffer, by emailing me at ksheaff@clemson.edu or scheduling an appointment with me.