Translating Complex Ideas into Effective Research Posters

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DU WRITING PROGRAM 2016BRAD BENZ ⃝ SARAH HART MICKE ⃝ HEATHER MARTIN

AGENDA:

What is a research poster?

Posters across disciplines

Assembling your poster

Presenting your poster

Basic software advice

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WHAT A RESEARCH POSTER IS NOT…

• A research paper• A comprehensive version of your work• A purely textual presentation

• A very limited version of your research• A visual presentation • An invitation for people to ask you questions

WHAT A RESEARCH POSTER IS…

Posters can include standard sections. But not always…❑ Introduction❑ Methods❑ Results

❑ Discussion❑ Acknowledgments

• 30 seconds• 2 minutes• 5 minutes• Longer…

PRESENTING YOUR POSTER:THE “ELEVATOR PITCH”

THINKING IN TERMS OF DISCIPLINE

Let your poster represent your discipline’s values and methodologies. Or not…

Write in one sentence what you want to communicate to your audience.

Your central research idea should be reflected in the content of your text and images.

Map out a logical sequence. Determine headings.

DISTILLING COMPLEX FINDINGS

Assembling Your Poster

SIZE• Standard size for a poster is 36 height x 42 width.

• Font for your title should be bold and large so that it’s easy to read from far away: use 36-48 point font.

• The font for your content should also be large and easy to read from a closer distance: 18-28 point font.

Assembling Your Poster

COLOR

• Keep the background light with darker text. • Dark backgrounds with light text are tiring to read.

• Be careful of using too many colors … pick a theme of 2 or 3 colors to unify the poster.

Assembling Your PosterREADABILITY

Organize your information to follow how your audience naturally reads: left to right and top to bottom.

Format the text and images into easy-to-read columns that stand out in a crowd.

Use headings to direct readers to key sections.

Balance alphabetic text with white space.

Poster Evaluation• How effective is the overall appearance of the poster (use of text, images, and

color)?

• Are text and images balanced, with more images than text but with enough text to understand the significance of the images?

• Is the text easy to read from a distance of 3-4 feet?

• Is it easy to follow the organization and flow of the poster?

• Are the main research findings explicitly highlighted?

• Is there enough information to contact you, the author?

• Did you include an “Acknowledgements” section?

• Can you explain your work, in brief, to a scholar who is not in your field?

BASIC SOFTWARE ADVICE

Use Powerpoint

Create one slide (your poster)

Save as .jpg

Set size as 30 by 40 inches

See your email for a link with precise directions

Complete the form and email your slide to the Writing Program (writing@du.edu) by 4 PM on Weds April 29 if you want the Writing Program to print it.

Locate your own poster backing (cardboard, etc.)

Don’t let this be you…