Poster Presentations By Jodi L. Bartley Plymouth State University

What does a poster presentation session look like? O Many students and professionals convene in a large space. O Posters are displayed on easels or tables in pre- established locations within the venue. O Professionals and guests walk around the room at their leisure – stopping at those posters that interest them. O Students stand near their posters to present key information, answer questions, and provide handouts.

Presenter’s Role “The relative informality of the poster situation should not relieve a scientist of the responsibility for clear communication and a professional attitude.” (Davis, 2005, p. 201)

Presenter’s Role Continued Presenters should: 1. Remain professional during the entire session (even when participants are not near the poster). 2. Communicate clear and accurate knowledge about the poster. Answer participants’ questions candidly and respectfully. 3. Dress appropriately (e.g., black suit and tie). 4. Stay close to the poster at all times. (Davis, 2005)

Presenter’s Role Continued Presenters should not: O Chat socially about topics unrelated to the poster O Appear unengaged O Appear overzealous O Stand in front of their posters (Welch & Waehler, 1996)

Audience The audience often consists of professionals in a specific field or related fields. Therefore, presenters should: O Incorporate accurate research consistent with the specific area of study. O Display all text and graphics clearly and logically based on the specific subject area. (Davis, 2005)

Audience Continued… To accommodate the audience, Davis (2005) suggests that the poster be: O Simple and brief (remember that professionals are walking around from poster to poster) O Organized around a central theme O Clearly legible O Aesthetically pleasing (Davis, 2005)

Poster Organization The organization of the poster should follow the organization of a scientific paper. 1. Abstract/Introduction 2. Method (participants, data collection, and data analysis) 3. Results (themes) 4. Discussion 5. Clinical Implications 6. Limitations and suggestions for future research 7. Conclusion 8. References (Some of these may be group together if appropriate.) (APA, 2010)

Example Layout Title Short and Catchy Title Authors’ names Abstract Introduction Methods Results Discussion Limitations/ Implications GraphicConclusion References Graphic Table/Graph Graphic

Example Poster Layout Image from

Example Poster from Davis, 2005

Example Poster Image from

Example Poster Image from

Example Poster Image from

Poster Creation Logistics O Posters can be created out of tagboard, tri-fold cardboard, or even professionally laminated boards. O Some people choose to create posters using the “scrapbook method” – printing text and graphics, cutting them out, and mounting them on the board. O Others choose to create posters using professional printing companies such as poster_templates.html poster_templates.html O If done well, all approaches can be effective.

Text & Color O Refrain from including any distracting or superfluous information. O Include text that is brief (use lists wherever possible). O Make sure that the text type and font size are readable from a distance (e.g., Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, etc.). O Incorporate graphics with the text. O Choose and coordinate professional-looking colors. It is recommended that backgrounds be light colored and matting be dark colored. (Davis, 2005)

Spacing and Organization O Place information in an aesthetically- pleasing manner – not too crowded or too empty. O Plan the layout of the poster before actually creating it. O Organize the information in 4-5 blocks based on sections of the research. O Intersperse text with associated tables and graphics. (Davis, 2005)

Handouts Presenters are encouraged to provide handouts for their audience. Ideas for handouts include: O Brief overview of the poster (e.g., abstract, results, list of important themes, etc.) O Authors’ names, affiliations, addresses, and phone numbers O List of related resources O Small copy of the entire poster (Davis, 2005)

Characteristics of Great Poster Presentations O Aesthetically-pleasing visual presentation (including graphics and text) O Clear and concise communication of main research themes O Specific relevance to the audience O Presenter characteristics (i.e., personal, friendly, and positive) (Welch & Waehler, 1996)

Effective Posters Highest ratings are given to posters that: O Include all sections (e.g., abstract, conclusion, etc.). O Distinguish individual sections from one another. (In other words, include a clear introduction section, a clear results section, etc.) O Provide relevant handouts for participants. (Nalbone & Aberson, 2003)

Ineffective Posters O Lowest ratings are given to posters that: O Include too much background information and detail O Lack testable hypotheses O Neglect to include future implications or limitations O Appear disorganized O Fail to present information in an aesthetically-pleasing manner (including text, tables, and graphics) (Nalbone & Aberson, 2003)

Questions???

References American Psychological Association [APA]. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Davis, M. (2005). Scientific papers and presentations (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Academic Press. Nalbone, D. P., & Aberson, C. L. (2003). Psychology poster presentations: Analysis of characteristics and recommendations for improvement. North American Journal of Psychology, 5(2), 171. Welch, A. A., & Waehler, C. A. (1996). Preferences about APA poster presentations. Teaching of Psychology, 23(1), 42.