Poster Experience
What comes to mind when you think of…
The BEST posters you’ve seen or made?
The WORST posters you’ve seen or made?
Posters
Captain Marvel,
Jabba the Hutt,
…and Raphael
Aaron Saguil, MD, MPH
Department of Family Medicine
Key Points
Effective posters
 …are
visually appealing and succinct
 …grab and keep the audience’s attention
 …communicate information in a digestible
manner
Poster Purposes
 Provide
format for competition
 Present original research findings
 Summarize scholarly experiences
 Spark further discussion and networking
General Guidelines
The “Six Deadly Sins”
 Pointless
 Repellant
 Boring
 Verbose
 Abandoned
 Incomplete
POINTLESS
Substance
Give
your audience “meat”
Declare your hypothesis
Make your findings clear
REPELLANT
Showpersonship
Showcase
your topic
Use the title to grab your audience
Be visual
BORING
Stimulate
Generate
discussion
Provoke debate
Promote collaboration, networking
Encourage new projects, alliances
VERBOSE
Succinct
Straight
to the point
Give a gestalt
Keep phrases crisp
Use lists and bullets
ABANDONED
Supported
Be
present at designated times
Supply handouts, business cards
Provide sign-up sheet
Consider a “draw”
INCOMPLETE
Summary
Answer
your research question
Emphasize topic’s importance
Lead viewer to conclusion
No new information
The “Six Keys for Success”
 Substance
 Showpersonship
 Stimulate
 Succinct
 Supported
 Summary
Practical Pointers
Content
 Tailor
poster to situation
 Know specific requirements
Text
 Use
phrases/lists
 No more than 25 lines
 Three columns
 Squeeze white space
to outside
 Spell check
Body
 Read
from 6 feet
 Highlight key points
 Avoid too much detail
 Be creative
 Balance text and graphics
Graphs and Charts
Use of Graphics
Illustrate Data
Label Clearly
Choose format
that fits data
Composition
 Aid
comprehension
 Visually pleasing
 Pictures and text as visual unit
Practical Exercise
Presenting Posters
Before the Show
 Recheck
spelling
 Consider transport in design
 Be prepared for emergencies
 Trial with colleagues
 Conform to conference specifications
Presentation Day Tips
 Arrive
early
 Stay for all discussion times
 Be courteous to all interested viewers
 Have business cards available
 Provide further information (handouts)
 Bring plenty of hanging materials
 HAVE FUN!
Key Points
Effective posters
 …are
visually appealing and succinct
 …grab and keep the audience’s attention
 …communicate information in a digestible
manner