Professional Development Lecture 5 Preparing and Presenting Posters

Feb 6, 2009 Professional Development Series 1

Professional DevelopmentLecture 5

Preparing and Presenting Posters

Philip E. [email protected]

PLoS Comp. Biol. 3(5): e102http://www.sicb.org/newsletters/fa97nl/sicb/poster.html

1Professional Development Series

mailto:[email protected]


My Bias

• Have not personally made a poster for a long time

• Encourage lab members to make posters and review their content – they need at least a poster to go to a conference

• Encourage lab members to make “postercasts”

• Post them on the walls after too


Experiences

• Given posters that have not generated a great deal of interest

• Done “Statement posters” as well as research posters

• Done “booth duty” with Sun Microsystems


Over Arching Thoughts …

• Posters are a key element of scientific communication and dissemination

• Big names can be seen giving posters• They are different than other forms of communication and

require special consideration• Snapshot of your current research• For a graduate student they are a major facet of your ability to

interact• “Postercasts” make posters persistent (not always desirable)

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Over Arching Thoughts

• Should be a standalone experience if you are not there

• If you are there engage people not intimidate them

• Life long collaborations can start in front of a poster

• Poster prizes count on your resume


Rule 1 – Define the Purpose

• Report latest unpublished work (most frequent)

• Report a summary of a body of work• Specifically find collaborators• Spend the appropriate time depending on the

longevity of the poster• Figure it being on an institutional wall after

the meeting


Rule 2 – Sell Your Work in 10 Seconds

• You will likely be one of hundreds of posters – you need to fight for attention

• Catch the attention of the person ambling by both with the written word and your elevator pitch

• Consider casting your work in the form of addressing an important question which is prominent on your poster


Rule 3 – The Title is Important

• It may be the only thing the attendee sees before visiting the poster session

• A title is your equivalent of a newspaper headline – short sharp and compelling

• Unlike a newspaper headline it should not oversell your work

• Make it understandable to a broad audience


Rule 4 – Poster Acceptance Means Nothing

• Poster acceptance usually says nothing about the scientific content – conferences need attendees – attendees can often only go if they are presenting – speaking slots are limited - enter posters

• Follow up from a poster means everything – do good science and present it well


Rule 5 – Note Similarities to Giving Good Talks and Writing Good Papers• Know your audience – provide the

appropriate scope (breadth) and depth

• Follow the proven formula for research– State the hypothesis to be tested and why– Show the major result– What does that say about your hypothesis– Conclude with what is next


Rule 6 – Note the Differences to Research Papers

• Message needs to be distilled but logical flow maintained

• Posters (at least for now) allow you to be more speculative – they are not immutable

• Use the poster as an attractant for other materials – supplementary information, reprints etc.


Rule 7 – Layout and Format are Important (more on this when we review posters)

• Remember the phrase “eye catching”• There is no need to cover every inch – guide the eye

to the most relevant points• Unlike a research article a poster is not a sequential

medium – guide the viewer through the logical sequence with numbers arrows, colored boxes etc.

• Look at other posters to get ideas not on content but layout

• Never use less than a 24-point font• Make sure the main points are at eye-level


Rule 8 – Content Must Be Concise

• Every aspect of the poster must convey the main message

• Be clear concise and brief• Use pictorials as much as possible• Highlight the main points of those pictorials –

e.g. bold emphasis, color coding in tables and figures

• The abstract should say more than a paper abstract – it may go into an abstract book


Rule 9 – Posters Should Reflect Your Personality

• Unlike a paper a poster does not have to be dry and impersonal

• Include a photo so you can be spotted even when you are not at the poster

• Have the photo of you doing a hobby etc. – it starts the conversation also collaborations start often for non-scientific reasons

• A viewer will likely remember more about you that your poster


Rule 10 – The Impact of a Poster Happens Both During and After the

Poster Session …• Work the crowd by being engaging, but not

too engaging – one engaged viewer will attract others

• Work all the audience at once – maintain eye contact with everyone

• Make it easy for attendees to contact you after

• For mature posters – have the poster on-line and accessible via a URL


Rule 10 – The Impact of a Poster Happens Both During and After the

Poster Session

• Leave the attendee space and time

• Have a sign-up sheet attached to your poster


Additional Thoughts

• What is right and wrong with the following posters?


Closing Thoughts on What NOT to Do..

• Just assume yours is the best poster• Ignore the instructions on poster size etc.• Assume content is all that is important• How you mount the poster does not matter• Do not use dark backgrounds • Do not stimulate the reader’s senses with

many random colors


Closing Thoughts on What NOT to Do

• Require the reader stand for ½ hr 1cm from your poster

• Have long titles in small font• Have the authors names and institution be the

dominant visual• Invite collaboration through physical

proximity• Require rigorous physical exercise to follow

the logic of the poster


Postercasts

Volunteers for next week?


Discussion/Questions?

Documents

Professional Development Lecture 5 Preparing and Presenting Posters