GUIDE FOR AN EFFECTIVE POSTER

What can a Poster be or include? Art Piece Video Other Form of Media

Submitting a Proposal What’s an Abstract? http://www.stmarys- ca.edu/poster Proposal submissions due April 23rd What’s an Abstract? Short summary of your project; should include your findings Title Be Descriptive! Link

An Effective Poster is: Focused: focuses on a single message Simple: avoid saturating the viewer with text Graphic: don’t tell, show; graphics dominate Ordered: use a visual hierarchy for emphasis

Design for the Overall Audience not Someone from Your Field Use context Avoid jargon and uncommon abbreviations (that you don’t identify) Explain your work or findings Otherwise: Only people in your field will understand your poster

Design for Three Audiences Attract more than just competitors Competitors take no effort to attract Viewers who know your area need context and accessibility Viewers outside area need problem/purpose explained If you develop context, you reach a larger audience

Layout Lay out poster in columns, not rows: Otherwise, viewers who read the top row will be unable to return back to the beginning of the second row.

Do not do rows (as pictured):

Organize Poster in Columns:

Indicate the Sequence Supply Clues: Use numbers, letters and a logical sequence Order the panels visually in units/columns If the sequence is clear, viewers won’t have to search to find your evidence Think of a well composed photograph

Use a Visual Hierarchy Visually reflect importance: If something is important, make it BIG Title is biggest, then headings, then explanations If your message is visually emphasized, viewers will get your message at a glance

Vital Information=Big Type Put the take home messages in BIG HEADINGS Use headings to identify results, explicitly State message instead of saying “Results” Viewers can get message from a distance

Use Readable Text Think of text as just another visual aid Keep text brief, compact and single spaced Titles: Read for 6 ft The Rest: 3 ft Avoid using all caps

Organize Visually Maximize order and emphasis with color: Keep panels in similar shape, conformation and orientation Group elements to form conceptual units Use color for emphasis and use consistently If the evidence is organized and emphasized, your message will be obvious

Do NOT Overstimulate the viewer (What to avoid)

Make Graphics Dominant Emphasize material visually: Use graphics, figures and cartoons, avoid boring tables Use color to emphasize and link words/graphs Don’t use keys, write explanations on figures Be careful with the color, don’t get too colorful

Make Conclusions go beyond merely stating results specify the major points summarize data Do not ONLY conclude that your topic needs further research. Analyze the results you did get, otherwise viewers assume your research was pointless. go beyond merely stating results Differentiate among data, summaries and conclusions State interpretations and conclusions Make the strongest statement you can have a “take home message” Your poster has a purpose. What is the message that you are trying to communicate. Even if it only is there needs to be more study, there should be a “This needs more study because”.

Be concise . . . Discard Details Otherwise you make your presentation unbearable for viewers to read Edit ruthlessly Omit all you can, simplify verbiage If you MUST have details, talk about them/use a handout Simple messages are most memorable If viewers are undistracted by detail they can focus on message

Presentation Skills: When presenting, focus on the graphics Start with the context Don’t read poster, use the figures as visual aids Try have a 5 and 2 minute version If you focus on what is important, viewers can understand why it’s important