Making Posters for Technical Conferences Originally by Chris Price Revised by Edel Sherratt

Scenario You submit a paper for a conference in your field You submit a paper for a conference in your field The reviewers recognise that you are working in the field on interesting stuff, … The reviewers recognise that you are working in the field on interesting stuff, … but do not judge your work ready for presentation as a full paper but do not judge your work ready for presentation as a full paper So they invite you to present a poster So they invite you to present a poster

Alternatively You respond to a call for posters You respond to a call for posters posters posters posters posters

Before the conference You are told that the poster needs to fit a certain size, say A0 (equivalent to 16 sheets of A4 in a 4 by 4 grid) You are told that the poster needs to fit a certain size, say A0 (equivalent to 16 sheets of A4 in a 4 by 4 grid) You produce a poster that size and take it with you to the conference You produce a poster that size and take it with you to the conference

At the conference Perhaps 10 to 20 posters are being shown in a poster session. You may get to give a 2 minute advert talk for your poster Perhaps 10 to 20 posters are being shown in a poster session. You may get to give a 2 minute advert talk for your poster Or the poster session may be huge Or the poster session may be huge People (including experts that can give you tips on your work) will have seconds to decide whether to talk to you or someone else People (including experts that can give you tips on your work) will have seconds to decide whether to talk to you or someone else

At the Conference demic/posterdesign demic/posterdesign demic/posterdesign demic/posterdesign =Jm1qTR22XPo&feature=related =Jm1qTR22XPo&feature=related =Jm1qTR22XPo&feature=related =Jm1qTR22XPo&feature=related

What that means for you Sell your work Sell your work Summarize what you are doing in one or two sentences Summarize what you are doing in one or two sentences Make your poster visually appealing Make your poster visually appealing Structure your poster to make it easy to follow Structure your poster to make it easy to follow Provide sources of further info Provide sources of further info

Temptations to avoid You wrote a six page paper in 10 point You wrote a six page paper in 10 point You can blow it up to 24 point and still get it all on 16 sheets... You can blow it up to 24 point and still get it all on 16 sheets... Doesn’t need everything - you are there to “defend” your poster Doesn’t need everything - you are there to “defend” your poster

How not to do it books/english-communication- for-scientists /interacting-during- conferences-sessions books/english-communication- for-scientists /interacting-during- conferences-sessions books/english-communication- for-scientists /interacting-during- conferences-sessions books/english-communication- for-scientists /interacting-during- conferences-sessions

A poster is not a paper Much better analogy is with slides - structure the material and bullet the main points Like slides, you should avoid long sentences and small print (probably not smaller than 24pt on A0)

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) 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) 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 your poster Look at task you are set Look at task you are set Decide right areas for your poster to cover Decide right areas for your poster to cover Put major points Put major points Set out logically Set out logically Think HARD for useful pictures / diagrams Think HARD for useful pictures / diagrams

Examples Posters produced by Aberystwyth students Posters produced by Aberystwyth students

Questions / comments? … And thanks for participating And thanks for participating