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A summary of the session I gave on the topic of preparing posters to 'present' at academic research conferences. This is part of a longer development session entitled "The Research Conference Survival Guide" The title is deliberately alliterative and there is probably no such thing as a 'perfect poster'...Acknowledgements:-Piero Vitelli www.island41.comwho helped me shape this into something more visually effective
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Research Conference Survival Guide
Dr Paul SpencerResearcher Skills Development OfficerPaul.spencer@uwe.ac.ukTel: 0117 328 3974
"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham
Preparing Conference Posters
Overview
• What are they & why do we have them?• Visual communication• Practicalities• Design• Hints and tips
You tell me...
• What are they?• Why have them?• Who other than you benefits from them?• What part might they play in your careers?• What aren’t they?
A thought...
How well we communicate is
determined not by how well we say
things, but by how well we are
understood.
Andy Grove
A picture is worth a thousand words
Possible Limitations
• A non-captive audience• An uncomfortable audience• Poster size• Viewing from a distance• Committing to preparing them
Benefits• Audience controls their viewing time• Opportunity for personal contact• They can be seen as a ‘whole entity’• They can be more informative than an oral
presentation• It is a visual medium so graphics better
A wise adage
“ It takes intelligence, even brilliance, to condense and focus information into a clear, simple presentation that will be read and remembered. Ignorance and arrogance are shown in a crowded, complicated, hard-to-read poster.”
Barriers to communication
Elements of a good poster?
• Simplicity• Clear purpose• Understand your audience• Preparation• Maximise impact• Impactful message
Approaches to poster designTiled All-in-One
Things to consider
• Submission to conference organisers?• Things to include on poster?• Dimensions for display?• Decide on format?• Plan ahead!
Design
Optimum reading level
Use this space for title and authors
Use this space for less important information
Design
Optimum reading level
Use this space for title and authors
Use this space for less important information
DesignTitle
intro
method
a
b
Resultsc
d
Conc.
Click for example
Does this inspire?
What typeface?
No right answer - subjective
Serif versus Sans Serif“evidence” for serif fontsRemember this is a visual mediumConsider text size & amountBullet points not essays
Remember your purpose!
The purpose of a poster is to communicate one or two central ideas, it’s not about vanity or ambition. Think about the process of communicating your ideas. We could learn a lot from advertisers…..
Poster titles
Should they be long & monotonous?Should they contain a colon?What would attract you to view a poster?Make it brief without losing the meaning?
Graphics
Extremely importantLess textMore diagrams, pictures & graphicsSimplifyUse colour to enhance not detractSeek help/advice
Getting it printed
Plan for time to printSome faculties have large format printersUWE usually outsource large format printingTiled option is quickerA0 size, laminated, colour: approx £50Get it right first time
Before the conference
Is it the right size/format?Do you know where to be and when?Smaller copies of the poster?Relevant paper you could take?
At the conference
Push pins and/or velcro?Anticipate questions?Contact detailsBe enthusiastic!(Again and again and again…)
Further Reading
The UWE online resource for research tools http://ro.uwe.ac.uk/
Loads of advice, hints & tips on research conferenceshttp://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters/NewSite/Resources.html
More advice here from Bandwidth.orghttp://www.bandwidthonline.org/howdoi/effective_poster.asp
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