Academic Media Studio
Checklist for Effective
Poster Design
Is it a good Poster?
Title — Does it quickly orient the viewer? Can it be read from 5 feet away?
Introductory Summary or Abstract—Does it define the issue or problem?
Organization —Are key sections easy to locate? Is the arrangement logical? (e.g. Should
sections be numbered or arranged in columns?)
Content—Can it be read and understood in 3-5 minutes? Is anything repeated unnecessarily?
Integrity—Does the poster make sense by itself? Can it stand alone without the author there to explain things?
Readability— Is it clear? Is it crowded?
Visibility— Can it be read easily from 3 feet away?
Typeface
• Easy to read?
• Well sized?
• Good Color? Good Contrast between type and background?
• Adds to Coherence --contributes to unity (e.g. doesn’t use too many typefaces)
Background — Does it compliment or distract from content?
Examples — Do (images, charts, graphs, and details support main point?
Images— Is there good resolution, no pixilation? Does the visual content add to your understanding of
the subject matter? Is there a good balance of text and images?
Technical details
• Spelling errors?
• Grammar errors?
• Is the poster clean and undamaged?
• Are the lines, columns and margins straight?
Attribution— Can you tell who the poster’s author is? Are images, quotations, etc. properly cited?
Conclusion — Is there one? Does it flow naturally from the evidence presented?