Developing a Poster
Developing a Poster
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Start early
Plan every detail
Always do a “mock up poster”
Keep it simple
The Ideal Poster is Designed to…
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Provide a brief overview of your work
Initiate discussion
Attract attention
Give you something useful to point to as you
discuss your work
Stand alone when you’re not there to provide an
explanation
Let people know of your particular expertise
Appeal to auditory and visual learners
Provide a place to set your handouts
Key Steps in Creating a Poster
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Read over the guidelines for the sponsoring group
Determine and gather content
Decide on format (section headings)
Design a visually appealing display
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Make a mock up
Layout
Font type & size
Color
Graphics
Edit ruthlessly
Do the real thing
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Computer software
Art tools
Graphic Artist
Read Over the Guidelines for
the Sponsoring Group
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Each sponsoring institution will provide you
with a list of guidelines for posters. This will
include the acceptable overall size of the
poster for their venues as well as type of
supporting structure (table top, push pin
board) They will also provide you with any
other additional information essential for time
and location of your presentation once you
have been notified that your poster has been
accepted.
Determine & Gather Content
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This is the “meat and potatoes” of your
poster; the information you want to share with
colleagues. The essential elements of your
project or research are defined, explained
and clarified for the audience.
Decide on Format
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This will help you structure your poster.
Several combinations are available (see
Poster Headings Combination sheet). Most
commonly used combination for education
poster is: Title, goal, objectives, curriculum,
methods, results, discussion and conclusion.
Several other combinations are available and
are perfectly acceptable if they meet your
needs.
Design a Visually Appealing Display
&
Make a Mock Up
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You have 3 seconds to stimulate interest in your poster. Your
audience will not approach your poster if it is not clear to them
what your topic or theme is from a “safe distance” of 10 feet.
Emphasize the visual, it helps to facilitate the process of
communication. Identity a focus item that will be an “attention
grabber.” A diagram, chart, graph, lead-in statement or
something visually exciting will entice the audience to learn more
about your work.
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Pare down the detail to emphasize the essential information
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Leave substantial white space. A well designed poster might
have up to 50% white space
Layout
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Develop a mock up of your poster, true to size or scaled down
proportionally. Place pieces of paper in appropriate sizes to
imitate graphics or text in sections already determined in a
previous step. This can be done with paper or on the computer.
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Think about the way we assimilate information. Information
should flow from left to right and top to bottom.
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Long visual lines help organize groups of information. Think
about hanging pieces of information from an imaginary
clothesline. The tops will all be at the same level.
Font Type & Size
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Big is better! It must be easily read from 6 feet away. Don’t use
anything smaller than 24 point.
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Use one text style consistently throughout
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A Word with the first letter capitalized and the remaining letters in
lower cause is easier to read that a WORD in all capital letters.
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Avoid ORNATE & Italic styles. Artsy typefaces can be hard to read.
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Bold face can be used for titles, heading or for emphasis
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Font type is an individual choice, however, basic fonts whose
“e’s” and “o’s” stay open at all sizes seem to work best.
Examples are: Helvetica, Geneva, Bookman, Arial.
Color
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Black text is clean & easy to read; color text is more difficult to
read
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Background color should be subtle, neutral shades work best
(grey, beige, light brown, light green, cream). Distinct or vibrant
colors as accents can excited a poster if used judiciously.
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Color photos will look more vibrant on a neutral background.
Dark photos will look darker on a light background.
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Color can be used to highlight, separate, define and associate
information
Graphics
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Visuals for instruction should be attractive, clear and
specific. Crop & enlarge photographs to focus
attention on the significant details.
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When possible, use a graph or table instead of text
(Never use both a graph and text on a poster to
discuss the same information)
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The eye looks for edges. Align X or Y axes in
groups of graphs
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Contrasting colors or shading should be used
Edit Ruthlessly
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The poster must be error free. Read each
line backwards to make sure you are truly
reading each word. Have at least 2 other
people read it for readability and errors.
Eliminate all but the vital elements. Reduce
information to brief, concise, legible
statements. Whenever possible use graphics
or illustrations instead of text. Bullet points
are easier to read than sentences.
Produce the Real Thing
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Computer Software (PowerPoint for example)
Art Tools (poster board, paper, tape, limited
only by your imagination & budget)
Graphic Artist (an artist with expertise in
poster deign or development)
Planning Ahead
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Begin planning your poster as early as you can. If you have been
accepted to present a poster, you should begin laying it out as
soon as possible. It takes a long time to simplify or distill the
research project, plus it takes time to create the poster just
exactly the way you want it to look. Allow yourself this time, it
helps build confidence in your work because your poster looks
planned rather than thrown together.
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Determine how much space you will be given at the presentation
site. Usually the acceptance letter gives you specific instructions
as to how much space you can use or it is spelled out in the
guidelines. If you are presenting at a national conference, your
poster will be assigned a number. This will help you locate your
assigned presentation location. Standard poster sizes are 4’X6’
or 3’X5” or 3’8’X7’6”. If you use PowerPoint to create your poster
to a certain size and you find out at the meeting that the space
given to you have been reduced, there's nothing you can do
except curse under your breath.
Before you Begin: Storyboards
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Storyboards are a rough sketch of your
poster on paper. You could think of this as a
rough draft or a mock up. The next section
lists a number of possible poster sections for
use as organizing formats for your poster. A
set of definitions for each heading is provided
as well.
Poster Sections
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Posters can be created with as many or as
few descriptive sections as you wish.
Generally speaking, fewer is better. Keep the
number of sections to the minimum. Several
possible combinations of poster section
headings are outlined and explained below.
Select the combination that best fits your
research/data/project/case report, etc.
Information Dissemination
Strategies
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Comparison of 3 forms; Journal Article, Oral
Presentation & Poster
Disseminating information in the scientific and
education communities can be handled in many
ways. The three most widely used formats are:
journal articles, oral presentations and poster
presentations. A comparison of these strategies is
provided in the table on the next slide
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Important: In presenting a poster, the success of
your first 3 seconds will determine whether or not
your audience will stay longer to explore the content
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Information Dissemination
Strategies (cont….)
Journal Article
Oral Presentation
Time
Audience controlled infinite
10-50 minutes
Place
Controlled by the audience
In front of a captive
audience
Mode of
Communication
Visual
-reading
-print
Auditory/Visual
-pacing
-body language
-responsive to audience
reaction
-visual aids
Poster Presentation
- 3 seconds to stimulate
interest
-30 seconds to convey
overall concept
- 2-5 minutes to provide
enough information for
further exploration
-in a room or hall with
many other posters
-audience on the move
Visual and auditory if
you are in attendance
Tips to Making Posters
Accessible
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The poster size should meet conference guidelines for size and content
The title of a poster should state the conclusion of the investigation rather than the process
of what was done
The heading should include the authors’ names and affiliations
Lettering for titles should be readable from at least 6 feet away
Words should be spelled out, avoiding mysterious abbreviations to decode
Words should run from left to right
The text, tables and graphics should look integrated. The same typeface should be used
for all and ruled lines separating different types of information should be avoided.
Type should be in upper and lower case in a sans serif face (e.g. Arial) that is clear and
precise
Lines of text should contain about 10 to 12 words
Lettering for text in the body of the poster should be readable from at least 4 feet away- use
no less than ½ inch high type
Color should be used sparingly and not with great contrast
Tables are preferable to graphics for small data sets
Tables also work well when data presentation requires many localized comparisons
Explanations should be used to enhance access to the richness of data and make graphics
more attractive to the viewer
Words and illustrations should go together- tables and graphics should be integrated within
the text whenever possible, avoiding clumsy diverting segregation
Lines in data graphics should be thin
Possible Combinations of Headings
Combination 1
Combination 2
Combination 3
Author/Title/Affiliation
Objectives
Data Sources/Study Setting
Study Design
Data Collection
Principal Findings
Conclusions
Funding Source
Author/Title/Affiliation
Objectives
Methods
Results
Conclusions
Funding Source
Context
Objective
Design
Settings
Participating/Subjects
Intervention
Main Outcome Measures
Results
Discussion
Conclusions
Funding Source
Combination 4
Combination 5
Combination 6
Author/Title Affiliation
Introduction
Research Question
Background
Importance
Methods
Study Sites
Study Population
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Findings
Conclusions
Implications
Funding Source
Author/Title/Affiliation
Aims
Methods
Descriptive Issues
Statistical Analysis
Conclusions
Relevance
Funding Source
Author/Title/Affiliation
Research Objectives
Background
Study Design
Results
Conclusion
Relevance
Future Research
Funding Source
Possible Combinations of Headings
(cont…)
Combination 7
Combination 8
Combination 9
Author/Title/Affiliation
Background
Methods
Results
Conclusions
Funding Source
Author/Title/Affiliation
Background Information
Research Question
Methods
Conclusions
Future Research Questions
Funding Source
Author/Title/Affiliation
Background/Introduction
Objectives
Curriculum
Methods/Strategies
Results
Discussion/Conclusion
Description of Headings
Abstract
A brief description of the study giving key point about the
research. Is somewhat redundant when the poster is about
the same topic, but people do include abstracts on their
posters. Usually 150 words if unstructured and up to 250
words if a structured abstract is used.
Aims
Another word for purpose or hypothesis
Background
Reasons why you chose to study the problem
Conclusions
After doing the research, what did you learn from the data
Context
A different word for background
Data Collection
The part of methodology concerned with the collection of
information about the study group
Data Analysis
The statistical analysis part of methodology
Descriptive Issues
Similar to methodology
Design
Similar to methodology, i.e. what design did you use?
Discussion
A discussion of the importance of the results based on their
newness. Implications of the findings.
Findings
Another word for results
Funding Source
This is also a required section usually placed at the bottom
right of the poster. Funding agencies like to see their names
mentioned. It’s good policy to add this information.
Description of Headings
(cont…)
Future Research Question
Did your study raise any questions?
Hypothesis, Purpose or Research Question
The point you were trying to figure out
Implication or importance
What is the relevance of your study to society?
Intervention
Why did you try to affect the heath status (education) of
your participants?
Measures
Part of methodology
Main Outcome
What was the result of your study?
Participants/Subjects/Learners
People who participated in the study/project
Principal Findings
What did your study/project tell you?
Relevance
Importance of our study to the organization
Results
Summary of the most Important results
Settings
The physical location where the study took place
Statistical Analysis
The analysis of your data using various statistical tools
Study Design
The organization of your study, including statistical analysis
Study Sites
Where you studied your population
Study Population
The group of people you are studying
Title/Authors/Institutional Affiliation
Identification of who gets the credit for doing the work. This
section is found at the top of the poster.
Developing a Poster on
PowerPoint
This is the Title of Your Presentation
Introduction /
Photograph
Background
or Additional
Methodology /
Strategies
Implication for
Future
Chart / Graph
Ideas for new or
additional study
Objectives
Discussion /
Conclusions
Curriculum
Applicability
elsewhere
PowerPoint Instructions for
Poster Development
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What About Proportions (for Printing?)
In order to get your poster to print out properly, figure out how big
your final poster will be and create the slide with those
proportions, but reduced. For example, if you want a poster 3 feet
X 4 feet, then your PowerPoint slide should be 18” x24.”
You might find it easier to work with the smallest size slide, but
increase the Zoom (an icon in the upper right and corner of your
toolbar) to 75 or 100 percent while you are creating the poster.
Set the size by using the FILE/PAGE SETUP commands.
This command enables you to scale your slide. You can scale up
to 200% of the original size.
It would be helpful to know the printing dimension capabilities of
the plotter you intend to use to print off your poster.
PowerPoint Instructions for Poster
Development
(cont…)
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Design and Layout
Determine what three key points you want to make . You want
your poster to cover the key points of your work – not all the
details.
Before you begin work in PowerPoint, design and lay out the
poster ahead of time. You may use one piece or several
pieces of 8.5” X 11” paper to mock up the poster. Add the
headings; roughly scratch the text layout and graphics. Tape
or pin the sheets to a wall and rearrange them until you like
the arrangement, all the while remembering to keep within
your space allocation. This will determine how your final poster
will look. The process of designing your poster by “laying it
out” is called storyboarding.
Numbered lists and lists of “bullets” are good ways to
communicate concisely
Developing Posters on
PowerPoint
Simple Instructions
1.
Open PowerPoint by double clicking on the PowerPoint icon
2.
Click on the New icon
3.
From the dialog box, select the blank slide. Then OK.
4.
Most people will find it easier to set up the poster in a smaller size slide and then enlarge the size just
before printing. In some ways its easier to lay everything out an then add information once you’ve
seen where everything is going.
5.
Be sure your ruler is available so you can see where you are adding text boxes. View-Ruler.
6.
Click on the text box. Insert the Title of your Presentation across the top of the slide. Add the authors
names and affiliations. Your title should be quiet large, not less than 12 point. You want people to be
able to see your presentation title from a distance. (Remember, everything will be blown up when you
enlarge your poster)
Simple Instructions
(cont…)
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Now add some color. Click on the Font Color icon. Select the down arrow, then More Font
Colors. Select the color you like, remembering that you want the title to be seen from a
distance. Remember that some color combinations will not work together; e.g., dark color on
dark color. Be sure there is good contrast between the background and the print font.
8.
Lay out the sections of your paper. Once you have your boxes laid out you can start adding the
real information to the text boxes. When you are done, you can delete the line around the text
boxes, add color to the headings and or/change the font size and type.
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Font sizes should be as follows:
Abstract- 5 point
Normal type- 8 point
Headings- 12 point
When blown up to the correct full size, these fonts will be quiet readable. Obviously, you will
have trouble reading a 5 point font. Please remember that you use the zoom feature to blow up
the slide to 200% of its original size to remedy this problem.
Simple Instructions
(cont…)
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To add an image, go to the Insert Menu. Insert Picture From File. Then Ok. Or you can Copy
and Paste. Select the graphic in the original document, then Edit, Copy, click on the slide then
Edit, Paste. No matter where you think the image is going to go, it will always be in the wrong
place. Click on the image, hold the left mouse button down and drag the image where you want
it to go.
Background can be inserted by using the Format, Background command. Don’t be heavy
handed in your use of dark background. They use up a lot of ink and may overwhelm the
viewer.
Lines, boxes and arrows can be inserted using the Drawing Toolbar. If you don’t see this
Toolbar, use View, Toolbars, Drawing to make it available.
11.
12.
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To insert a table or graph from Excel, create the table or graph and highlight or select it in
Excel. You can then click on Insert, Chart or Insert, Object.
To print the final version on a single piece of “11 X 8.5” paper to check it over before doing the
final large size, go to File, Print, Slides and click the check box to Scale to fit paper (only if
you’ve blown it up to its final size)
If you want to see what the poster will look like in its final format, enlarge the page size. From
the File menu, select Page Setup, then Custom from the Slides Sized for box. Select the
height as 35 inches and the Width as 48 inches. Or select the Height as 56 inches, the longest
length that you can get. Be sure the slide is oriented Landscape. Then OK.
Instructions for Using an Existing Presentation as a Template
Begin adding your information into the template as you delete the old information.
Feel free to rearrange text boxes or any graphs, lines, arrows and so on.
Having Your Masterpiece Printed
(Note: You may have to ask around for someone who has a plotter the size you need)
You can find several plotters on and off campus. Kinko charges $8.00 - $12.00 per
square foot.
Tricky Parts
If you work in tiny format, if can sometimes be a challenge changing font size below 8
point. To change a font size from 8 point to 5 point, go to Format, Font, Size, then
key in 5 manually
Importing a PowerPoint Slide from another presentation
Change the font size before you move it into the new presentation. Use this feature if
you want to make your poster up out of existing PowerPoint slides.