Guide to Effective Poster Design
Why present a poster?
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To promote yourself and your research
Receiving suggestions and ideas for future directions
Hearing criticism (hopefully constructive)
Opportunities to foster collaborations
Personal interaction with those interested in your research
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Reach others not in your specific field
It should hook people in to finding out more from you directly!
You must include:
Poster content should include:
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Title
Your name and email address
Your department and supervisor
URSS logos and any partner
organisations
Posters can include:
Acknowledgments
A photo of you
Introduction
Overview of methods / approach
Results
Conclusion
But use any titles that are most
appropriate to you (e.g. Why? What,
How? What does this mean?)
Features of an effective poster design
Clear, concise and legible at a distance
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Readable in 10 minutes max (5 minutes is better!)
Accessible and easily understood by a non-specialist audience
Informative, not overwhelming
Carefully chosen priorities – foreground key points
Minimal text
Clear structure (abstract / introduction / main body / conclusion)
Clear navigation (headings / number / colour / layout)
Overall cohesion (text linked to images and carefully co-ordinated colours and fonts
Professionally produced
Pictures will draw the eye - add captions to images and be aware of any copyright issues
Consider your Audience
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Are they specialist? Within your general discipline? Or from a completely different discipline?
What language should you use: will they understand technical terms? Should you look for areas of
crossover with their discipline?
Do they have a limited time with you? Should you focus on headlines, or do you have time to go into more
depth?
Understand what they want to know: in depth knowledge of your research, or a flavour of many different
projects?
Deadline for Submission: midday Monday 12th October 2015
Design Advice
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Must be A1 portrait (H: 84.1cm x W: 59.4cm).
PowerPoint is a useful programme to use.
Always do at least one draft and print it off! If you can see it on A4 at arm’s length, it will be fine in A1 from
2m away.
If you think there may be Intellectual Property (IP) issues arising from your research, please discuss this with
your supervisor and then alert the URSS team if you are unable to alter it enough to eliminate the risk. This
may just mean that your poster is not transferred to the Library after the awards ceremony.
Don’t justify the text – it’s harder to read
Consider line spacing – white space is as effective as bold font
Use sub-headings (headings in bold)
Limit blocks of text (no more than 10 sentences)
Use only 2 fonts for your poster
Use the correct citation for your discipline
Be aware of your colour choices - colourblindness affects 8% of males. Run it through ‘Vischeck’:
http://www.vischeck.com/vischeck/vischeckImage.php (site unavailable at the time of printing – thought to
be temporary)
Font:
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Title: 60 – 72 point
Headings: make bold, 36-44 point
Body text: about 24-32 point
Avoid serif fonts (Book Antiqua, Times New Roman)
You must include the URSS Logo. The most up to date one can be found on the Poster & Abstract Requirements
page, as well as the Information page of the URSS website
New University logo: as soon as there is an appropriate logo agreed, you will be emailed.
Printing
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Must be A1 portrait (H: 84.1cm x W: 59.4cm).
Some departments (eg. Chemistry) have big printers – speak to your department to find out if you can use
them. If you do print in your department, please ensure that your poster is also trimmed to A1 size. If you
use your department’s printer, you must submit a hard copy to the Student Careers and Skills Helpdesk in
the Learning Grid (University House) and upload an electronic copy on the Profile Page of your portfolio by
the deadline.
Warwick Print give URSS students a discount (£12) so to pay, either provide the departmental cost-code or
pay the full price in cash. Special page: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/retail/warwickprint/posters.
They will send your poster through directly to the URSS team.
Ensure you have uploaded a PDF to your Research Profile by the deadline
Presenting your Poster at the URSS Research Showcase
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Handouts are allowed – bring a plastic wallet to put them and hang it by your poster
NO props unless specifically authorised – there is very little space around the posters.
Plan a brief talk, no notes!
Point out specific parts
Dress professionally and thank your viewers for their interest!