Creating a Poster Presentation Visually Presenting Research and Findings

The purpose of this workshop is to: Introduce you to the purpose of creating a poster presentation. Provide you with recommendations for creating your poster presentation. Allow you to begin planning and drafting your poster presentation.

Why a poster presentation? Purpose: to present original research findings visually Small amounts of text, mixed with tables, graphs, and/or images You (the researcher) will stand by your poster during an assigned time, and attendees/visitors (audience) come to view the poster and talk with the researcher. An effective poster will help you: Engage your audience in conversation about your research topic Deliver your main point(s) to your audience.

How are posters different than papers? Posters rely more on visuals than text to present information. Extensive supporting details are not necessary for a poster because the presenter will discuss these details.

An effective poster is: Focused –focused on a single message Graphic – lets graphs/images deliver the message, using text sparingly Ordered – keeps sequence of poster well-ordered and clear to your audience.

Planning and Drafting What’s my message? How much room do I have? What can I fit? What will I have to leave out? Do not simply insert your paper into your poster – posters are meant to be visual. Consider what is absolutely necessary to convey your message. Supporting details can be discussed by the presenter. How will I organize this information? Create a draft of your poster to plan the organization/layout of your poster before you begin pasting things onto your poster.

Elements of a Poster Presentation Information should be divided into chunks or blocks that support the central message of your research. Poster title: short, descriptive, and specific Name(s) Introduction/Objective: provides relevant background information and context of your research; explains significance and purpose of your research Methods: description or statement of methods used to complete this research project Results: summarize the results, outcomes, or findings; should relate back to your message Conclusion/Discussion: interpret the meaning of your results; discuss what this means, what you’ve learned, how this research is significant References: cite ALL sources (print and visual) used in your poster.

Suggestions for Layout Use section headings to help audience identify the most important parts of your poster. Organize your poster in column format. Consider “reader gravity” – in English, readers read top- to-bottom and left-to-right (Wheildon, 1995). Your audience will look for these organizational cues to read your poster. Create a balance between elements and use white space.

Poster Presentation Template Retrieved from

Create Balance and Use White Space Your poster should have a balance of figures and text separated by white space.

Headings should: Summarize – use headings to summarize major points for your audience Organize – headings should guide audience through your poster Be hierarchical – the more important the information, the larger the font size

Readability The title of your poster should be visible from feet away, and the text of your poster should be visible from 3-6 feet. Title: point Author(s): 56 point Section headings: 36 point Body text: 24 point Captions or descriptions: 18 point Use a basic font style. Be consistent with your font style and size.

Using Text – Less is Best Minimize text – use images and graphs when possible Consider using bullet points. Use serif font for most text – easier to read. Times New Roman Cambria Can use sans-serif for titles and headings. Arial Calibri Use active voice (instead of passive voice). Emphasize the subject in the sentence. Passive: The football stadium was destroyed by the tornado. Active: The tornado destroyed the football stadium.

Using Color Use color to attract attention, organize, and emphasize. Use a light color background with darker text. Body text is usually black. Stick to a theme of 2-3 colors – more will overload your audience. Consider individuals who have difficulty differentiating colors – one of the most common is the inability to differentiate red from green.

Using Visual Elements Create graphs and/or tables to display your research findings. Word > Insert > Chart Use published graphs and/or tables from your research. Cite all borrowed material. Carefully select visual elements – repetitive or irrelevant elements will overwhelm and confuse your audience.

Using Images Have a reason for using every image. Download images (rather than C+P) to retain image quality. Use tools to improve and crop an image. Caption each image. Cite each image. Individuals engaging in a writing consultation through discussion and collaboration – two goals of the CASA Writing Center. Image retrieved from

Citing an Image Found Online This citation will be included on your References or Works Cited page. MLA Creator Last Name, First. “Title of Work.” Name of Site. Publisher or Sponsor of Site, date of creation. Medium. Date of Access. *If creator name is not available, cite by the title of the work. “Portrait from Down Beat Magazine.” Wikipedia.org. Wikimedia Foundation, Feb Web. 6 Nov APA Creator Last Name, First. (copyright year). Title of work. [Medium: Painting, drawing, photograph, etc.]. Retrieved from *If creator name is not available, cite by the title of the work. Portrait from Down Beat magazine. (1947). [Photograph]. Retrieved from

Tri-Fold Poster Presentation Example What is working well in this poster? What could be improved? Retrieved from

Presenting Your Poster Prepare speaking points for your presentation – think of this as a “tour” of your poster for audience members. Practice, practice, practice! Dress in business attire – look professional. Arrive early for your assigned presentation time. Use your poster as a visual aid – do not read from it.

Recommendations Revise and edit elements on your poster. Seek feedback from others. Edit all text to simplify, to reduce sentence complexity, and to delete unnecessary details. If material is not directly relevant to your message, delete it.

References Knisley, V. E. (2006). Writing papers in the biological sciences. (4 th ed.). Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates. North Carolina State University. (2013). Creating effective poster presentations. Retrieved from Online Writing Lab Purdue University. (2013). Introduction to color theory. Retrieved from Purrington, C. (2013). Designing conference posters. Retrieved from Robinson, N. (2010). Using color to evoke reactions and emotions. Retrieved from

Poster Activity Using the paper provided, create a plan for your poster presentation. Consider the following: Where you will place text and images? How will a viewer read your poster? How will your poster flow from one section to the next?