POSTER POSTER PRESENTATIONPRESENTATION

What is a poster?What is a poster?

A poster is a tool to present work to an A poster is a tool to present work to an audience who is walking through a hallway audience who is walking through a hallway or exhibit. or exhibit.

In poster presentations at conferences, the In poster presentations at conferences, the presenter usually stands next to the poster, presenter usually stands next to the poster, thus allowing for passers-by to engage in thus allowing for passers-by to engage in one-on-one discussions with the presenter. one-on-one discussions with the presenter.

In other situations such as the hallways of In other situations such as the hallways of laboratories, universities, and corporations, laboratories, universities, and corporations, posters are stand-alone presentations for posters are stand-alone presentations for passers-by passers-by

An effective poster …An effective poster …

Focuses on a single message.Focuses on a single message.

Lets graphs and images tell the Lets graphs and images tell the story; uses text sparingly. story; uses text sparingly.

Keeps the sequence well-Keeps the sequence well-ordered and obvious.ordered and obvious.

An affective poster…An affective poster…

... get your main point(s) across to as many people as possible.

... engage colleagues in conversation.

Poster featuresPoster features

General guidelines to make a General guidelines to make a posterposter First, the title should quickly orient the audience.First, the title should quickly orient the audience.

1. Make the title the most prominent block of text on the poster (either center or left 1. Make the title the most prominent block of text on the poster (either center or left justify at the top).justify at the top).2. Do 2. Do notnot typeset the title in all capital letters (such text is difficult to read). typeset the title in all capital letters (such text is difficult to read).3. Use small words such as 3. Use small words such as of, from, with, to, the, a, an,of, from, with, to, the, a, an, and and toto separate details in the separate details in the title.title.

Second, the poster should orient the audience to the Second, the poster should orient the audience to the subject and purposesubject and purpose..

Third, the specific sections such as the results Third, the specific sections such as the results should be easy to locate on the poster.should be easy to locate on the poster.

Fourth, you should design the individual sections of Fourth, you should design the individual sections of a poster so that they can be quickly read.a poster so that they can be quickly read.

For more information:For more information: http://http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters/IndexStart.htmlwww.ncsu.edu/project/posters/IndexStart.html

•use a visual grammar to guide readers to the important parts of your poster.

•use a column format to make your poster easier to read in a crowd.

•use organization cues to guide readers through your poster.

•use "reader gravity“which pulls the eye from top to bottom and left to right

(Wheildon 1995). •use headings intelligently

to help readers find your main points and key information. •balance the placement of text and graphics

to create visual appeal. •use white space creatively

to help define the flow of information.

Your poster should ...

Visual grammar is a graphic hierarchy that Visual grammar is a graphic hierarchy that helps readers identify the most important helps readers identify the most important parts of your poster.parts of your poster.

A good use of grammar hierarchyA good use of grammar hierarchy

But not…But not…

Balance and white space Balance and white space Balance occurs when images and text are reflected (at least approximately) across a central horizontal, vertical, or diagonal axis. This axis is know as the axis of symmetry.

Horizontal & Vertical Symmetry

Diagonal Symmetry Asymmetry(text-heavy on left, image-heavy on right)

Use organizational cues Use organizational cues Another way to make sure readers know how to navigate your poster is to use cues - numbers, letters, arrows - to guide them.                                                                                           

Minimize text and make it Minimize text and make it large!! large!!

•Minimize text - use images and graphs instead. •Keep text elements to 50 words or fewer. •Use phrases rather than full sentences. •Title should be at least 5cm tall.

Many Many ineffective postersineffective posters suffer suffer from easy-to-fix problems, from easy-to-fix problems, including…including…

objective(s) and main point(s) objective(s) and main point(s) hard to find hard to find

text too small text too small poor graphics poor graphics poor organizationpoor organization

POSTER SAMPLESPOSTER SAMPLES