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POSTER PRESENTATION TIPS Posters should stimulate discussion, not give a long, detailed presentation. They are not meant to be a scientific paper. Don't include every last detail on your poster. Arrange your information in an interesting, easy-to-read, eye-catching fashion., Keep text to a minimum, emphasize graphics, and make sure every item in your poster is necessary. Text Minimize text. Use phrases instead of long sentences- bullets are helpful. Don't use the passive voice, use the active voice. “We know little..." instead of “Little is known..."; “I found..." instead of “It was found..."; Materials must be easily read at a distance of 1.5 m. Ordinary type or carelessly prepared handwritten copy is unacceptable. Use no more than a maximum of 3 font sizes on your poster The title should be especially easy to read. Letters should be about 4 cm high and readable from 5m away. It helps if the title is interesting, and intriguing. It can summarize the main point of your research. Subheading fonts should be approximately 2 cm high Text fonts should be at least 14 pt- about 1 cm high. Text should be double- spaced Author information and literature cited may use smaller fonts Avoid using artsy fonts (Apple Chancery, Braqgadocio, Impact etc.). Serif fonts (Times, Palatino, etc.) are generally easier to read than sans-serif fonts (Geneva, Helvetica, etc.) Placement The abstract title, author names, and the institution where the work was completed, in large letters centered at the top of the poster. Remember, it should be able to be read from 5 m away. Place your address, phone and fax numbers in the upper right-hand corner. Draw a rough sketch of your poster first. Place related materials (e.g. photo with accompanying text) close together, then highlight it by framing with blank space. Place the Abstract in the upper left side of poster Space your information proportionally: divide your poster either horizontally or vertically into three or four sections, and place your materials within those spaces. Sections should include Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Literature cited Be sure to clearly present your research objective, question, hypothesis Graphics Make them simple and attractive Each graphic should illustrate some aspect of your text- don't include gratuitous illustrations Each should stand on their own. Each graphic should have a title that clearly explains what the graphic is about. Avoid abbreviations and cryptic symbols Aesthetics The poster should be eye-catching. Some bright colors, good images, varying box sizes all help. The poster should not be crammed with information nor should it have large empty spaces. The poster should look professional. Neatness counts. Be sure all edges are straight and square. Staples or tape should not be visible. When choosing a background, remember that neutral or gray colors will be easier on the eyes than a bright color. In addition, color photos look best when mounted on gray Other helpful hints Minimize text. Use bullets instead of long sentences. Have someone who doesn't know anything about your project look over a draft of your poster Utilize handouts to supplement your poster. You can make a miniature version of your poster to hand to people A helpful website http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters/examples Also consult 'A Short Guide to Writing About Biology’ by Jan Pechenik