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Deborah Faupel, Grants Center 5/8/12 Slide 2 A visual tool for communicating your work A well-executed poster will: Draw visitors towards you and your poster Engage visitors in conversation Clearly communicate your main points to your audience, both in your field and not in your field of research Slide 3 Source of information Conversation starter Summary of your work Advertisement of your work Slide 4 The goal of a research poster is to present an organized visual display of your research project and findings Slide 5 Self-explanatory Organized Concise Avoid long paragraphs Use bullets whenever possible Slide 6 Physical appearance and organization Research content Overall effectiveness Speaking ability of presenter(s) Ability of presenter(s) to explain and answer questions Slide 7 Why does your research matter? Is your information clearly organized? Is the overall appearance visually appealing? Colors, text, graphics Did you minimize the amount of text? Did you use appropriate graphics? Did you sketch your poster layout on paper first? Slide 8 Prepare a 2-3 minute verbal explanation that highlights the significance of your research Prepare a summary handout which is a miniature version of your poster, and include contact information Slide 9 Text size should be readable from 4-6 feet. Dont overdo your use of color. Stick with 2-3 colors. Avoid very bright neon colors. Dark letters on light background are easiest to read. Use bolding so text is easier to see. Dont make it difficult for your readers to find your sections people read from top to bottom, left to right. Slide 10 Choose a sans-serif font like Helvetica or Verdana, not a serif font, like Times New Roman. Do not use a monospace font like Courier, where every letter has the same width. Once you have chosen a font, keep it consistent. AVOID USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. IT CAN BE HARD TO READ. Slide 11 Use 1.5- or double-spacing to make the text easier to read. For main points: Use bold, italicized, or colored fonts, or enclose text in boxes. Make your main points easy to find by setting them off with bullets. Slide 12 Title Author(s) and Institution(s) Introduction Hypothesis or Approach Methods Results Graphics (figures, photos, graphs, tables) Discussion and Conclusions Summary Future Directions Acknowledgements Slide 13 Optional elements Abstract References Ask your mentor about his/her preferences Ask to see examples from your group Slide 14 Brief and descriptive Identical to abstract title Readable from a 20-foot distance Use a sans-serif font - Do not use a serif font Use a 72 point font or larger This is a 72 point font. Slide 15 First name should be the presenter Additional authors should be listed in order of their contribution Last name should be the faculty mentor Include department(s) and institution(s) below the authors names Slide 16 If included, abstract should be identical to the one submitted for the conference Slide 17 Only present what is needed for the reader to understand the poster Begin with a general introduction to the field Be brief, but do not omit important points Use 20 point font or larger This is a 20 point font. Slide 18 State hypothesis/problem based on the background Include a diagram or model to help explain Briefly state approach to solving the problem Do not provide details about methods Slide 19 Briefly describe data gathering process Include key details Describe any internally developed procedures Slide 20 Briefly describe any analysis Include the most important results to date Present data in graphical form when possible or use bullets Slide 21 Present data to support or deny your hypothesis Number your figures with a font larger than 20 point Figures include graphs, photos, illustrations, or diagrams Figures need a title and a legend Figures need to be of high quality/high resolution Slide 22 Use graphics that enhance/complement your work Use only high quality Use photos from public domain or acknowledge your source Do not use low resolution pictures or too-cute clipart Do not use background graphics that compete with your text Slide 23 Use bullets Be concise Present any alternate explanations for your data or unexpected results Slide 24 What do you plan on doing next? Do you plan on using new methods? Do you still have unanswered questions? Slide 25 If used, cite all references in the poster text. Use a reference style from a major journal in your discipline. Slide 26 If used, acknowledge those who assisted or contributed to your research. Include sources that funded your research project. This work is funded by NSF Grant #PHY- 0757999. Use the ERAU logo & logos for funding sources if applicable. Slide 27 Prepare text for each section Select graphics Sketch layout on paper 3 or 4 panel design is typical Slide 28 Start with a template or create from scratch. Set slide to specified size (30 x 40). Design Page Setup Use landscape orientation. Zoom in/out to lay out poster. Use text boxes for titles and text. Insert figures and graphics. Create tables directly in PPT or import file. Slide 29 Check for grammatical, spelling or layout errors. Check numbering of all figures. Justify text - Align text to both left and right margins for a clean look on both margins. Ask someone else to proofread it. Review with your mentor BEFORE printing. Send to all your co-authors BEFORE printing. Slide 30 Dress professionally. Make eye contact and smile. Greet visitors and give them time to review your poster BEFORE you start talking. Be prepared to tell them about your research. Present a 2-3 minute overview. Slide 31 AFTER giving your visitor 1-2 minutes to look over your poster, ask them: Would you like me to walk you through the poster briefly? This is more effective than asking them if they have any questions. Slide 32 Be positive, charming and professional. Dont spend too much time with one person. If you dont know an answer, dont make it up. Distribute your handout covering key points with your contact information. Slide 33 Contact the Copy Center (Ext. 6690). Posters can be laminated or non-laminated. Pricing is the same for 2-color or more, but try to stick with no more than 3 colors. Slide 34 Laminate your poster or buy a poster tube for storage. Roll it up carefully and secure with a rubber band. Handle with care. Store in a safe place.