A conference poster is a visual display of a project. It may describe the results of research, a work in progress, an innovative teaching idea, a program or project, or a position on an issue. Several posters are displayed on easels in a common room for an entire day, although they are officially “presented” during scheduled sessions. During a scheduled session, presenters stand next to the poster and share a brief speech to viewers and then respond to questions or comments.
For the presenter, a conference poster is a way to share a project with a larger audience than a traditional presentation because conference participants usually visit the posters throughout the day. During the presentation, the conference poster is an interactive experience, a chance to converse with the audience.
For the conference participants, poster sessions are an opportunity to ask questions, offer suggestions, and get ideas. It also allows viewers to spend as much or as little time as they like learning about a project and to view the posters at their convenience rather than at a scheduled time.
How is a conference poster different than a traditional presentation?
In a traditional presentation, a speaker is allocated 25 minutes in a small conference room to present his/her work. Most presenters spend 15-20 minutes of time on a formal presentation and use the remaining time to answer questions.
By contrast, several posters are on display in a large conference room throughout the day for viewers to peruse at their convenience. During the scheduled poster session, presenters stand next to their posters and give a brief (5-10 minute) informal talk about their project. The focus of the poster session is interaction and networking with the audience.
Why should I propose a poster rather than a traditional presentation?
There are four advantages to presenting a poster at conferences: wider audience, new audiences, interaction with the audience, and fewer time constraints.
Because the posters are on display all day, you have the potential to reach a much wider audience than you would in a small conference room with several other presentations scheduled concurrently. You also have the potential to reach new audiences, people who might not normally attend presentations on your topic or in your research area.
Poster presentations offer a completely different experience than the usual conference presentation because they are informal and interactive. Because the “speech” is much shorter than a traditional presentation, many poster presenters say that the whole experience is much less stressful and more fun. Furthermore, the poster presentations can develop into comfortable conversation with one or two people or a lively group discussion. You get a chance to develop professional relationships and you won’t be rushed out of the room by someone else needing the space. Talk as long as you want.
What information is included in a conference poster?
The content of the poster will vary depending upon its purpose, but the following elements should be included on all posters:
You should also consider leaving some business cards and perhaps even a handout with the poster when you are not presenting.
What does a conference poster look like?
Conference posters are as unique as the projects they describe and the people who created them. For a gallery of conference posters, visit http://goo.gl/g75sd
Remember that a conference poster is a visual medium and needs to be able to communicate even when you’re not around. Create a focal point within the poster so that people will notice it from a distance and be intrigued enough to walk closer and learn more. Within the poster, use plenty of whitespace to separate the sections rather than lines. Too much visual clutter tends to be intimidating and confusing but whitespace helps readers focus their attention.
Select simple typefaces and type sizes that are legible from 5 feet away. Some rules of thumb:
Keep the design simple. Aim for easy readability through the use of strong contrast between your background and text or images (e.g. black/white, red/white, yellow/dark blue). Avoid red/green combinations, which may be difficult for colorblind readers to see.
Conference posters are traditionally formatted in a landscape orientation, but you may choose a portrait orientation if that allows a better fit of your information on the page.
How do I create a research poster?
Desktop publishing software like Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Publisher let you easily create posters. The software presents a blank page and you can add textboxes, graphics, headings, rules, and other graphical elements anywhere on the page. Microsoft Publisher is part of the Office 2010 Professional Suite, so you may already have it on your computer. If you don’t have desktop publishing software, don’t worry. Many people use slide presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint to create posters because it offers a similar ability to manipulate and layer objects on the page.
Before you begin, adjust the page settings to the size you want your poster to print. Add textboxes and visual elements to summarize your project. Remember that a poster needs to be attractive and inviting, and that you won’t always be around to explain the poster. Use graphical techniques to lead readers through your poster; use tables, charts, and illustrations to help them understand data; and use a large type size so that it can be read from a few feet away.
Coordinate typefaces and type sizes automatically with styles (in PowerPoint, use the Slide Master) rather than adjusting each section manually. Styles reduce inconsistencies and make it much easier and efficient to modify the text later.
Images should be at least 5”x7” in size and accompanied by descriptive captions, credits, or citations. When inserting images into your poster, use high resolution images of at least 300 dpi to avoid pixelation. Images from the web are usually low resolution (72 dpi), so either create your own graphics and photos or find high quality images online. For example, great images are inexpensive at iStockphoto and free at MorgueFile and Stock.xchng. Creative Commons images are available at Flickr Creative Commons, the Library of Congress, and Wikipedia Commons.
Where can I print a conference poster?
Most printing shops with plotter printers can create your conference poster from a PDF file. While commercial print shops like FedEx Kinkos can create your poster, you should also contact your university’s printing services. Many university print shops can create a poster for you at competitive rates.
What file type should I use to save my poster for printing?
Contact your print shop for advice, but many print shops accept Adobe PDF files. You may be able to save your file as a PDF within the desktop publishing or slide presentation software. If not, there are several PDF converters available online.
What size should the poster be?
Posters for the ABC 2013 conference should be 36 inches by 48 inches. Templates for conference posters are available at http://www.posterpresentations.com/html/free_poster_templates.html and http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/science-project-poster-TC104001343.aspx
What materials do I need to bring to display my poster?
All you need to bring is your poster. We recommend transporting your poster in a poster shipping tube, which is available at most office supply and big box stores.
Easels, 36” x 48” boards, and binder clips will be available for displaying the poster during the ABC 2013 conference.
Colin Purrington’s Designing Conference Posters
An exhaustive description of how to create posters and prepare to present them at conferences.
http://colinpurrington.com/tips/academic/posterdesign
Preparing and Presenting Research Posters by Jane E. Miller
A journal article with advice for academics who are preparing research posters (NIH Health Sciences Research)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1955747/
University of Texas at Austin Guide to Creating Research Posters
Helpful examples of research posters for different disciplines
http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/our/poster
Adobe’s Design an Eye-Catching Conference Poster
A video tutorial using InDesign
http://tv.adobe.com/watch/adobe-for-academics/design-an-eyecatching-conference-poster/
Jennifer Veltsos’s Technical Communication Genealogy Project
A video demonstration of a poster presentation