Poster Presentation for the
Sciences
by Christopher Teh Boon Sung, Ph.D.
Fac. of Agriculture, UPM
christopherteh.com
christeh@yahoo.com
Tel: 03-89474858
You can download these slides from:
www.christopherteh.com/poster-presentation.ppt
What is a scientific poster?
Highlights key results and findings at a scientific
conference or seminar
concise and direct presentation of information
Not a reproduction of your research paper or thesis!
Should be understandable just by reading your
poster and without needing you or anyone else to
explain
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/ap/nru/AndyPoster.JPG
http://www.utar.edu.my/images/H&A/BestPost.jpg
http://www.utar.edu.my/images/CorporateNews/NPFASS02_640X480.jpg
http://www.manipal.edu/institutions/medicine/mmmcmanipal/publishingimages/gallery/09oct2012gal13.jpg
Benefits of poster presentation:
allow one-to-one interaction with people regarding
your work
people can have more time to go through your
work than during an oral presentation
http://research.utar.edu.my/CBR/activities/A12.JPG
https://fbcdn-photos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.00/q71/c0.79.960.562/s480x480/1932229_599526896789896_1749304186_n.jpg
Who are your audience?
Conference venue usually crowded and noisy
People can be distracted
many other posters there too
http://www.ithaca.edu/depts/g/NCUR_Poster_Presentations/38801_full.jpg
Your poster should immediately attract your audience
to approach closer and read about your work
You have 30 seconds to attract readers!
Strategies:
Use a statement, photograph, or diagram as a
focal point
Provide a clear flow of information from
introduction to conclusion
Focus on key/selected major findings not
everything you did during your research!
Text should be concise that can be completely
read within 10 minutes
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/322/1/1/scientific_poster_by_nabuy-d333ria.jpg
http://www.pices.int/meetings/annual/Pices13/BestPresent_2004/ppt_best_2004/KS_PICES2004.png
Organize your information
Title of poster
Author(s) and affiliations
especially the contact/corresponding person
email, telephone number
Introduction
Research problem
Justification of work
Research questions
Objectives
Hypothesis (expected results)
Materials and methods
brief description of procedures and analyses
experimental design / field layout
sampling location and frequency
sample size
what was collected/measured/observed
Results and discussion
Analysis
Findings
Explain the results (i.e., give reasons for observed
results)
Conclusion
not a summary of work
answering your objectives
References
Acknowledgements
research grant
individuals who helped you
Preparing your poster
Determine the maximum poster size
The conference organizers will inform you and
provide basic guidelines for poster presentation
Unfortunately, in conferences/seminars, posters can
only be pinned on the board if the posters are in
portrait mode
sometimes this information is not told to
presenters
http://www.csbio.org/Poster_Photo_2012.jpg
http://vertpaleo.org/PDFS/62/6293ff4b-5671-4993-a5b4-1ec0227d714c.jpg
Preparing your poster
Use software applications like PowerPoint to prepare
poster
Change the page size to the desired size
Use Zoom feature to work on your poster
Where are you going to print the poster?
Find out what is the maximum size the printer can
handle
http://octet1.csr.oberlin.edu/wp/OCTET/files/2012/07/win_pagesetup.png
Check if the printer in your department can print the desired poster size
http://www.nursing.vcu.edu/education/technology/images/posterPrinterPic.jpg
Title
Pick a good title
concise and accurate title
Most prominent feature
titles will often make people decide if to read the
poster
Avoid use of ALL CAPS in titles
Layout
Landscape
Divide into 2 or more columns (not necessary to
have equal widths)
Portrait
May also be divided into 2 or more columns
Have clear discernable sections or blocks of text
Easy, clear, and smooth flow or orientation of text
Easy to read
Use blank spaces for clear demarcations
Do not crowd/cram the text and pictures
http://huttenhower.sph.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/csb_poster_06-14-05.png
https://instaar.colorado.edu/uploads/people/471/cole_and_all_hmgwp_2013.jpg
http://www.larch.umd.edu/news/Images/Bioscience_SF_2003_poster.gif
http://www.reiher.ethz.ch/talks_posters/posters/modetrack.jpg
http://www.materials.ox.ac.uk/uploads/images/news/SETposter2.jpg
http://carlsbad.health.unm.edu/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/GZK_SmartGraph_poster_SRD_CUP_portrait_Small.png
http://www.evidencelive.org/sites/default/files/posters/images/2013-poster-charalampopoulos-d.png
http://www.marthabianco.com/Courses/Cities/Present/Preparing%20the%20Presentation.htm
https://research.utep.edu/Portals/592/images/posters.jpg
Colour
Choose colour combinations that make reading and
understanding your work easy
Avoid giddy colours or combination of colours that
make text disappear in the background colour
http://www.ga.lsu.edu/Effective%20Poster%20Design%20for%20Academic%20Conferences.pdf
http://www.makesigns.com/images/MakeSigns/SciPosters/tutorials/highcontrast-bad.jpg
Background
Use cool, muted colours as background
Avoid bright and warm colours
Colours can be
solid
shaded/gradient
You can have pictures as the background
But can be risky as they tend to obscure text
What do you think of this
poster?
http://www.andrewknight.info/publications/anim_expts_overall/sys_
reviews/AK%20Sys%20rev%20ATLA%202007%2035(6)%20641659%20poster%20A0.jpg
http://d32ogoqmya1dw8.cloudfront.net/images/NAGTWorkshops/assess/wagner_poster.jpg
http://wipophealthfellows.blogspot.com
http://staff.washington.edu/klaidre/docs/KL_mms99poster.jpg
Figures, diagrams, and photos
All figures must have captions
Figures, in particular photographs, must be 300 DPI
(dots-per-inch)
For charts, use Excel and a free add-in called XL
toolbox to export hi-res charts
http://xltoolbox.sourceforge.net/
Scale photos to at least 300 DPI
XL Toolbox to create publication-ready charts
Figures, diagrams, and photos
Resize pictures using correct proportions (i.e.,
maintain same aspect ratio)
Lost weight or
grown taller ?
Lettering
Title - >72 pt, BOLD
Section headings - >48 pt, BOLD
Body text at least 24 pt
NO CAPS! ARE YOU ANGRY WITH YOUR RESEARCH?
Use conservative fonts
not exotic or cursive fonts which can make reading
hard
Looks nice, but no!
http://lincnic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/fonts.jpg
Use bulleted lists where possible instead of
paragraphs
Use italics instead of underlining
Use dark or black coloured lettering on light
background is easier to read when printed than light
or white lettering on dark background
http://uxmovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/reflectedlightontext.png
Finishing touches
Proofread
check for mistakes in speling, gram;marand
ForMatting
Glossy or matte paper?
Glossy
Photos appear clearer
Colours more vibrant
More durable
Expensive, glaring
Matte
No glare, less expensive
Colours less vibrant (more flat)
Good sources of information
Effective poster design for academic conferences by
Mary Lee Eggart
www.ga.lsu.edu/Effective%20Poster%20Design
%20for%20Academic%20Conferences.pdf
Tips
on poster presentations at professional
conference by Scott W. Plunkett
www.csun.edu/plunk/documents/poster_presentati
on.pdf
Ten simple rules for a good poster presentation by
Thomas C Erren and Philip E Bourne
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1876493/
THANK YOU
