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This is the Poster Guide/Template for the 15th annual Burn in and Test Strategies (BiTS) Workshop to be held March , 2014 at the Hilton Phoenix East / Mesa Hotel in Mesa, Arizona.
This guide presents, in the format of a sample file, the guidelines for you, as an author, to use when preparing your poster charts for display at BiTS. It can also serve as a template for you to edit and use as a starting point to create your poster.
Your poster will be published in the hardcopy and digital media) versions of the BiTS Proceedings. These Proceedings will be distributed at the workshop. Your poster will also be made available on the BiTS website and/or other media. All material within your poster must be nonproprietary (public domain). All posters must be original work not published or copyrighted elsewhere.
Your poster must be in English.
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, etc. about this guide please contact your Poster Session Coordinator.
Your Company Logo Goes Here
Your Title Here: BiTS Poster Presentation Guide & Template
Author Name(s) Here
Author(s) Company Name(s) Here
Using This Guide & Template
View and Print These Slides
Select “Notes Page” to print notes (in Print Dialogue Screen)
Details: Be Sure to Read the Speaker Notes
To See Speaker Notes: Click on ‘View’ then Click on ‘Notes Page’
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Viewing the slides in this guide first will give you an overview of the specific guidelines and suggestions for preparing your poster for the BiTS Workshop.
To print these slides, select “Notes Pages” in the print dialogue screen.
In the notes page associated with each slide you’ll find detailed information for each of the topics on the slides.
Agenda
Workshop Facilities for Poster Sessions
Poster Session Coordinator
Poster Guidelines & Checklist
Style Suggestions
Deadlines
We want you to feel comfortable about preparing and delivering your poster at BiTS, so we’ll cover what you can expect when you are presenting your poster at the Workshop, just a few (really!!) simple poster guidelines that we need you to follow, some suggestions for other aspects of your poster, and of course, the deadlines that we need you to meet.
In these notes pages, all guidelines will be highlighted in blue, while suggestions, other considerations, and normal text will be in black.
The workshop is being held in a large, modern conference facility. Your posters will be mounted to a large easel (like a portable blackboard) for attendees to view at any time during the day of your poster session, Only during your poster session are you expected to stand by your poster easel to discuss your work with those who stop by.
Poster sessions provide an excellent interactive means for you to share your work with ‘visitors’ in a way that suits you and your ‘visitors’, so you’ll find that questions may be asked at any time.
Since the audience at any given time is expected to be closely gathered around your poster, there is no need for microphones or a podium.
Workshop Facilities for the Poster Sessions
Poster Sessions Area/Location
Poster Easels
No Need for Microphones
and/or Podium

2. Check That Your Poster Meets the Guidelines
Every BiTS session has a Session Coordinator. This person is the BiTS Committee Member who is handling and coordinating all of the activities for your session and is a key resource for you as you prepare your paper.
Your session coordinator will introduce himself/herself to you shortly after your abstract is accepted and will provide you with his/her contact information.
He/She will assist and guide you as you prepare your paper, is available to answer any questions that you may have and will advise you when certain items (e.g. your biography) are due. He/she will also review your paper against the guidelines which you’ll find later in this document.
And of course, your session coordinator will monitor the progress of your paper’s preparation so that you can meet the due date.
There are just a few required guidelines to follow – use the checklist to keep track:
Session Coordinator
Your Main Resource for Guidance and Assistance
BiTS Committee Member
Monitors Progress
Presentation Guidelines (Required!)
Check That Your Poster Meets the Guidelines √
GUIDELINES CHECKLIST
Use Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 up to the 2016 version
PPTX file format only
Follow Filename Convention
(BiTS2018yourlastname.pptx)
Use Portrait Orientation
(Design – Slide Size – Page Setup – Landscape)
Set up for Custom Page Size
(Design – Slide Size – Page setup – Width = 8 in, Height = 12 in)
Use a Maximum of 3 Posters
Light Background; Dark Lettering
Appropriate Font Type & Size
(sans-serif font such as Arial or Helvetica; see next page for font sizes)
Prints OK in Black & White (for the Proceedings)
(to check ….View-Color/Grayscale-Grayscale…(look for missing lines, arrows, text, figures, etc)
No Animations / Slide Transitions
Affiliation, Affiliation logo and BiTS Logo on Title Slide Only
(Avoid contact information and acknowledgements/Thank You’s)
Avoid “Sales Pitch” Type Content
Photos / Graphs / Illustrations:
Assure Quality yet Minimize Filesize (compress your pictures – right click on your picture – format picture – picture tab – compress)
Non-Proprietary / No Copyright
Meet Deadlines
Submit Final Version for Review by January 12, 2018
GUIDELINES
Prepare your poster in any version of Microsoft PowerPoint from 2010 through 2013 (PPTX file required). Your poster presentation will be assembled/prepared, with all of the other poster & session presentations, for publication in the Proceedings. This is no small task, but it’s easier to deal with if all of the files use the suggested versions of Powerpoint.
2. The naming convention for all files is: BiTS2017yourlastname.ppt; where yourlastname is the last name of the presenter. e.g. : BiTS 2017Smith.ppt
3. Use Portrait Orientation.
4. Set the Page Setup for Custom. Click File, Page Setup, then (slides sized for) Custom with width = 8 inches and height = 12 inches. When printed each slide will be enlarged to a 24 inch by 36 inch sized poster.
5. Use a maximum of 3 posters (slides). There is room for ONLY 3 posters on the easel.
6. A light background with dark lettering works best for posters, but don’t hesitate to use color where appealing, appropriate and/or necessary.
7. Choose an appropriate font size for each type of text. See page 3 for suggestions and requirements.
8. Be sure that your presentation Prints OK in Black & White – at times some items in your color presentation may not print well in Black & White – selecting the proper grayscale settings can usually correct any problems.
9. Since your poster is presented as a hardcopy there is no need for Animations / Slide Transitions.
10. Indicate your Affiliation & BiTS on the Title Slide ONLY. More than that and it’s distracting to the audience. Use your affiliation’s name and/or logo to acknowledge where the work was performed; and include the BiTS name and/or logo with year on the title slide to show where and when your paper was presented.
11. Focus on the technical aspects of your poster; avoid Sales Pitch Type Content.
12. Photos / Graphs / Illustrations: Assure Quality yet Minimize Filesize. Check that the Quality of your Photos, Graphs & Illustrations makes are legible when printed. However, compress (or use a more compressed file type) the photos, graphs & illustrations before pasting into PowerPoint to assure that the filesize is minimized.
13. All material must be Non-proprietary (public domain) and Not Copyrighted. Papers previously copyrighted or with copyright restrictions cannot be accepted/presented.
14. The deadlines are covered in more detail later. The deadlines are intended to permit sufficient time for you to prepare your poster, have the Technical Program team assist you, to get the Proceedings ready for the printer, etc.
BiTS 2018
Your Poster Title Here: BiTS Poster Guide & Template1.0

3. Your Poster Title Here: BiTS Poster Guide & Template1.0
And just a few (highly encouraged) style tips:
1. A san serif font like Arial or Helvetica will lead to crisper lettering on your charts. Keep in mind that your poster will be enlarged to 24” x 36” so text will be larger than when viewed in your PowerPoint file. For the Title page, a 24 point title and 20 point sub-title and author name will make your introductory page stand out. On your following pages a page title at 18 point and page bullet/text at 16 point with a minimum of 14 point for sub-bullets will be emphatic.
2. Your talk is highlighted by simple phrases in your presentation. Avoid lengthy wording. You want the audience to listen to you and make notes from what they hear and learn.
3. Avoid large borders - they take up valuable space on each page of your poster presentation.
4. Charts, graphs, Illustrations, pictures, etc. enhance a poster presentation by summarizing complex points. Avoid Tables - they often require too much reading to understand and draw relationships.
Some (Highly Encouraged) Style Tips
Font & Sizes
Arial or Helvetica
Title: 24 Point
Sub-title: 20 Point
Page Title: 18 Point
Page Bullet/Text: 16 Point; Minimum of 14 Point
Highlight Phrases
Avoid large Borders
Simple Charts, Diagrams, Illustrations, etc.
Avoid Tables
The deadline will ensure that all of us are ready to roll by the time the workshop begins. For you that means creating, editing, completing and rehearsing your final poster presentation. For the BiTS Committee it means having the complete technical program in place and getting the Proceedings ready.
January 13, You’ll be given instructions at a later date so that you can electronically submit your proposed final poster presentation to your Session Coordinator in PowerPoint format. It will be reviewed by your Session Coordinator for any suggested changes, updates, etc. Once the review/update cycle is completed to produce your final “Conference Ready” version - that version is the one that will appear in the Proceedings and the one that will be printed for your poster(s) at BiTS. No changes are permitted once your poster is “Conference Ready” unless approved by the BiTS Workshop’s General Chair. If changes are approved they must be done using the “Conference Ready” version.
That’s it. Be sure you use the simple checklist of guidelines to assist you in preparing your poster presentation.
You have an important and interesting topic to share and hopefully these guidelines will assist you in preparing your poster presentation and in discussing it with those who come to your poster to learn about your work.
Be sure that you allow sufficient time to prepare your poster presentation so that you’ll meet the important submission deadline of January 23, 2015.
Contact your Poster Session Coordinator or the General Chair if you have any questions, comments and/or suggestions.
January 12
Deadline
January 12, 2018
Final Version for Review
Submit electronically to Your
Session Coordinator
Once “Conference Ready”, approval required for further changes
Conclusion
Become Familiar with the Workshop Facilities for Poster Sessions
Adhere to Poster Guidelines
Encouraged to Follow Style Suggestions
Meet the Deadlines
BiTS 2018
Your Poster Title Here: BiTS Poster Guide & Template1.0