Size : A1/A0

Orientation: Portrait is recommended although you are free to choose Landscape if you prefer

Font Size

• Title: Ideal is 158-point font (1.5 inches). Use at least 72 point font or larger for poster titles (The title should be viewable from 10 to 15 feet away to catch the attention of the reader (Conner, ND)).
• Section Title: Ideal is 56-point font (.54 inches). Use at least 46 to 56- point font for section titles (Texas Tech University, 2007).
• Block Text/Body: Ideal is 36-point font (.34 inches). At least 24-36 point font for body text.

Font style and spacing

Use non-serif (sans serif) fonts (University of Edinburgh, 2005). Serif means a small decorative line added as embellishment to the basic form or main strokes of an alphabetical letter and can be more difficult to read.

Common sans serif fonts (Shaw, May, 2007) include Helvetica / Veranda / Microsoft sans serif

Using between 1.2 and 2.0 line-spacing allows the reader greater ease in moving from line to line (Wikipedia, 2007).

Colour

We recommend you keep the background white or some other light colour, with a subtle gradient as an option. You should avoid busy patterns or distracting colours, as it will take away from your content.

Images and charts

• Are image/graphic titles appropriately referred to in the text (ASP, 2002)?
• Are the uses of any charts (pie, line, scatter, histograms, etc.) used appropriately and with clear textual explanations of the data?
• Is the resolution of the images correct for large printing? Using .gif, .jpeg, .bmp, .eps, .png, etc. files that are not rendered at a sufficient resolution will cause them to blur and be of poor visual quality in your printed poster. As a general rule, use a minimum 300 dots per inch (dpi) when saving images created in programs such as Adobe™ Illustrator™, InDesign™, or Photoshop™. Avoid copying and pasting images from the web that are below 250kb for best results (TTU, 2007).

1. What is the most important/interesting/astounding finding from my research project?
2. How can I visually share my research with conference attendees? Should I use charts, graphs, photos, images?
3. What kind of information can I convey during my talk that will complement my poster? How much is too much? You don’t want to overwhelm your viewer

Here are some useful tips from Scientifica :

Be Inviting

Over the duration of the conference poster session, try your best to remain by your display. If you must leave your poster for any reason, make sure to include your email address so that conference participants who might view it while you are away can get in touch with you. Go here for more advice on how to make your poster stand out.

Stand to the side of your poster and welcome everyone. This will make it simple for potential viewers to get closer and take it all in.

Consider using your poster to spark a discussion. To everyone who passes by and glances at you or your poster, smile and say hello. Encourage them to read on. Ask them if they would want you to walk them through it or if they have any questions after inviting them to read more if they appear interested.

Draw in your audience

Keep your enthusiasm high—your research is fascinating! It is crucial to maintain enthusiasm, even towards the end of the poster session when your energy levels may be lower. Your audience is more likely to find your work engaging if it is obvious that you find it intriguing.

Point to pertinent areas of your poster as you present it so that others can follow you as you go through it. Avoid putting your hands behind your back or in your pockets.

Do not forget to maintain eye contact with the audience to maintain their interest. To keep people interested and feeling participated in the presentation, keep gazing back at the audience.

When someone approaches when you are already presenting your findings to an individual or small group, make eye contact with them and smile. After your first group of guests has left, ask the newcomer if there is anything they missed that needs further explanation or if they have any other questions.

Making the most of the opportunity you have to exhibit a poster at a conference is the most crucial part. Who knows how a conversation you conduct in front of that notice board will turn out?

The Elevator Pitch

In poster presentations, first impressions are extremely important. A very brief description of your research, no longer than two minutes and no more than three sentences, should be written to spark the interest of your intended audience. Your synopsis should include the following three crucial pieces of information:

• What is the subject of your study?
  • What background knowledge is required by the audience regarding your research topic?
• What did you discover?
  • What was your research question, what were you trying to learn, and why? How did this lead you to it?
• Why is that crucial?
  • What are the long-term effects of your journey? What does this signify for the characters in your story?

The idea is to intrigue and pique interest in your audience. Keep the big picture in mind since the audience requires background information before they can become engaged with the specifics of your research. Make sure your pitch is succinct, captivating, and timely.

Check your audience's understanding

Ask your audience if they would like anything in your explanation to be expanded upon.

Instead of asking, "Do you understand how this works?" say, "Have I been clear enough" or "Should I go into more detail about......?"

Prior to the poster session beginning, make sure you:

• Are able to properly explain and comprehend the significance of each and every one of the figures on the poster.
• Know how to handle challenging questions that you might not be able to fully answer and be prepared to confidently respond to questions that are likely to be asked.

Dress for the occasion

At most conferences, wearing a complete suit may be too formal for the poster session, but it is still a good idea to dress smartly and professionally, as it demonstrates that you have carefully considered how to portray yourself to make the most of the opportunity that has been presented.

Networking

A fantastic method to broaden your network and locate potential future colleagues is to exchange contact information and hold further conversations.

Dealing with Feedback

It's critical to be open to criticism, ready for conversation, and careful not to get overly defensive.

Ask someone to clarify the significance of their opinion if they make a query or statement that you don't think is pertinent. Due to their novel viewpoint on the subject, they might have discovered something you hadn't considered, or they might just not comprehend your research. Also, a critical remark or inquiry may not actually be one of criticism but rather of a sincere desire to comprehend the reasoning behind what you did.

Remember to thank the audience for listening and thank them for their feedback. People who have visited your poster could potentially be employers or colleagues in the future.

The software you use is completely up to what you are most comfortable with. here's a few recommendations:

PowerPoint

A popular, easy-to-use option. It is part of Microsoft Office package (Advice for creating a poster with PowerPointLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window).

Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign

Feature-rich professional software that is good for posters including lots of high-resolution images, but they are more complex and expensive. NYU Faculty, Staff, and Students can access and download the Adobe Creative Suite.

Other recommendations include Canva and Prezi.

Your institution needs to submit a PDF of your poster by 14 February 2024 on this form. Your poster will then be printed and brought to the House of Commons. Presenters are asked to arrive at the Attlee Suite, Portcullis House between 12.30 pm - 12.45 pm to find their poster. The exhibition will start at 1 pm. There is airport style security at the entrance to Portcullis House and so please allow 30 minutes to clear this.

Posters in Parliament takes place in Attlee Suite, Portcullis House, House of Commons.

More information on creating impactful academic posters can be found here:

Poster advice slide deck (Posters in Parliament)

Presentations and posters | The University of Edinburgh