Making Posters for Making Posters for Technical ConferencesTechnical Conferences

Originally by Chris PriceOriginally by Chris Price

Revised by Edel SherrattRevised by Edel Sherratt

ScenarioScenario You submit a paper for a You submit a paper for a

conference in your fieldconference in your field The reviewers recognise that The reviewers recognise that

you are working in the field on you are working in the field on interesting stuff, …interesting stuff, …

but do not judge your work but do not judge your work ready for presentation as a full ready for presentation as a full paperpaper

So they invite you to present a So they invite you to present a posterposter

AlternativelyAlternatively

You respond to a call for postersYou respond to a call for posters http://ieeevr.org/2013/cfp-http://ieeevr.org/2013/cfp-

postersposters

Before the conferenceBefore the conference

You are told that the poster needs to You are told that the poster needs to fit a certain size, say A0 (equivalent fit a certain size, say A0 (equivalent to 16 sheets of A4 in a 4 by 4 grid)to 16 sheets of A4 in a 4 by 4 grid)

You produce a poster that size and You produce a poster that size and take it with you to the conferencetake it with you to the conference

At the conferenceAt the conference

Perhaps 10 to 20 posters are being Perhaps 10 to 20 posters are being shown in a poster session. You may shown in a poster session. You may get to give a 2 minute advert talk for get to give a 2 minute advert talk for your posteryour poster

Or the poster session may be Or the poster session may be hugehuge People (including experts that can People (including experts that can

give you tips on your work) will have give you tips on your work) will have seconds to decide whether to talk to seconds to decide whether to talk to you or someone elseyou or someone else

At the ConferenceAt the Conference

http://colinpurrington.com/tips/http://colinpurrington.com/tips/academic/posterdesignacademic/posterdesign

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm1qTR22XPo&feature=relatev=Jm1qTR22XPo&feature=relatedd

What that means for youWhat that means for you

Sell your workSell your work Summarize what you are doing in Summarize what you are doing in

one or two sentencesone or two sentences Make your poster visually appealingMake your poster visually appealing Structure your poster to make it easy Structure your poster to make it easy

to followto follow Provide sources of further infoProvide sources of further info

Temptations to avoidTemptations to avoid

You wrote a six page paper in 10 You wrote a six page paper in 10 pointpoint

You can blow it up to 24 point and You can blow it up to 24 point and still get it all on 16 sheets...still get it all on 16 sheets...

Doesn’t need everything - you are Doesn’t need everything - you are there to “defend” your posterthere to “defend” your poster

How not to do itHow not to do it

http://www.nature.com/scitable/http://www.nature.com/scitable/ebooks/english-communication-ebooks/english-communication-for-scientists-14053993/for-scientists-14053993/interacting-during-conferences-interacting-during-conferences-sessions-14239345sessions-14239345

A poster is not a paperA poster is not a paper

Much better analogy is with slides Much better analogy is with slides - structure the material and - structure the material and bullet the main pointsbullet the main points

Like slides, you should avoid long Like slides, you should avoid long sentences and small print sentences and small print (probably not smaller than 24pt (probably not smaller than 24pt on A0)on A0)

Suggested structure (1)Suggested structure (1)

Title Name (s) Aim of the research

Can put your "research sentence" here, but think if you need to explain it.

Suggested structure (2)Suggested structure (2)

Progress so far "I've done this..." rather than "I've been working for two years on this"

Technical detail Some insight into what is being done: whatever is most relevant to the audience.

Future plans What do you need to do to finish it?

How is this work going to develop.

Suggested structure (3)Suggested structure (3)

Further information Can just be a name. Better to have a contact person AND a reference or two if they exist.

I’d actually USE these kinds of headings for everything except the name and title

May not be quite the same for May not be quite the same for your posteryour poster

Look at task you are setLook at task you are set Decide right areas for your Decide right areas for your

poster to coverposter to cover Put major pointsPut major points Set out logicallySet out logically Think HARD for useful pictures / Think HARD for useful pictures /

diagramsdiagrams

ExamplesExamples

Posters produced by Posters produced by Aberystwyth studentsAberystwyth students

Questions / comments?Questions / comments?

…… And thanks for participatingAnd thanks for participating