The Poster Presentation

Often at conferences or scientific conventions, speakers will put together a poster presentation to highlight key aspects of their talk. Audience members can browse through the various posters and decide what presentations they want to attend. Alternatively, posters are sometimes required as part of a contest or competition for funding.

Usually, poster designers use a commercial storyboard or three sided poster available at any office supply store (like Staples.) These stand up easily and give you a predetermined space in which to work. Do not feel limited by what you see in the store. You can create your own poster, as long as it fits easily on a table or easel.

Use the sections in your texts and the following Web sites for advice on how to design your poster:

Poster Presentations: http://www.biology.eku.edu/RITCHISO/posterpres.html

U.S. Dept. of Energy Tips for Poster Presentations: http://www.osti.gov/em52/workshop/tips-exhibits.html

Poster Basics: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/grp/techpubs/help/posters/basics.html

The main things to avoid are

• crowding
• too much text
• too many diagrams
• too little font
• mind-bending, eye-hurting colors