Presenting Your Research in a Research Poster

Renee Polziehn, PhD

http://www.adoptionbirthmothers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/adoption-research-studies.jpg

PURPOSES

● Educate others

● Get feedback/critique

● Network

● Promote yourself

http://www.csun.edu/plunk/documents/poster_presentation.pdf

http://cs.ucsb.edu/~xiaohanzhao/Research%20Projects_files/Research.jpg

Posters

● SHOWS your story ● Follow the format of a paper - ditch the abstract● Better than giving a presentation

○ nerves, time, audience● Have fun with the title – make it informative● Use active voice● Simple language● Proper citations

http://www.cedarcrest.edu/ca/academics/psychology/research.jpghttp://columbiarotary.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/dictionary-day.png

http://www.grad.ucl.ac.uk/comp/2011-2012/poster/win1-097.html

https://www.york.ac.uk/hrc/research/phd-projects/

What makes an excellent poster?● Organized● Has white space● Avoids acronyms● Not too much text● Pictures● Relevant, newsworthy ● Short informative titles● Well written jargon free

http://findsandfeatures.wordpress.com/2011/12/04/how-to-write-an-abstract-for-a-conference-paper/

http://www.thehomevintner.com/images/iStock_000004701262XSmall.jpg

Getting Started● PowerPoint, Keynote = pdf● Check dimensions of poster size

(PPT: Design, Page Setup)● Check alignment at higher magnification● Check color at the printing office● SUBprint, Students Union Bldg basement or ● Technology Training Centre, basement Cameron Libr.● On-line submission or USB key, 1 business day*

http://strategicinvestmentplanning.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/step1.pnghttp://findsandfeatures.wordpress.com/2011/12/04/how-to-write-an-abstract-for-a-conference-paper/

50 magnification vs

400 magnification

http://meyersgroup.ucsd.edu/research_posters/2005/Poster%202_17.jpg

http://www.danceoftheflowermedicine.com/images/2009CU-Research%20Poster.png

Moving with the flow● Generally we do better with information in

columns/boxes than across entire poster

● 40-60 characters per column

● Read from top to bottom, left to right (Wheildon1995)○ finish poster at the right

https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/studentservices/graduateschool/documents/public/rpc/RPC2014winners/angelameadows.pdf

https://www.reading.ac.uk/graduateschool/events/gs-postercompetition.aspx

Colors● Be consistent● 2-3 colors● Color blindness for charts/graphs● Different than what you see on your screen● Avoid dark backgrounds or bright colors● Transparent backgrounds can be difficult

Examples:http://f1000.com/posters/browse/ecol?docTypeSearch=Poster

http://cdn.f1000.com/posters/docs/304699760

https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/studentservices/graduateschool/documents/public/rpc/RPC2014winners/rizwanmustafa.pdf

https://www.york.ac.uk/hrc/research/phd-projects/

Images

● Replace words, create interest, help identify topic● 2 dimensional bar graphs easier to read than 3D● 20-25% text, 40-45% graphics, 30-40% empty space● Labels right on graph ● Lots of white space ● Symmetry of white space, pictures, and text

http://www.people.eku.edu/ritchisong/posterpres.html

https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/studentservices/graduateschool/documents/public/rpc/RPC2014winners/adambibbey.pdf

https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/studentservices/graduateschool/documents/public/rpc/RPC2014winners/borutfonda.pdf

http://cdn.f1000.com/posters/docs/302942041https://community.dynamics.com/crm/f/117/t/88977http://www.homeandlearn.co.uk/powerpoint/images/charts/3Slide2.gif

Colour blindess and graphs

Fonts

● Easy to read, consistent● Read at 1.5 - 2 meters● Titles 72, headers 48, text 24, references 18● Justify to the left● No underline, use Italicize instead● Bold versus CAPITALIZATION● Large fonts - use sans serif (no curls)

- Arial vs Corsiva

Research RESEARCH

http://cdn.f1000.com/posters/docs/82638201

http://cdn.f1000.com/posters/docs/250708902

Other Tidbits● Titles should be short ● Use of semi-colon in titles

(1st part to intrigue: 2nd for relevance to research) ● Bullets are better than paragraphs● Single line spacing● Less than 600 words (have seen recommendations of

less than 300!)

“Forest productivity under climate change: projections across species and forest types in a coastal British Columbia landscape with a forest process model (PnET-II)” http://cdn.f1000.com/posters/docs/265820099

“Why watch bees? Understanding citizen scientists' motivations”http://f1000.com/posters/browse/summary/1097672

A Few More Tidbits● Put conclusions higher up! Maybe at the start● State your message in less than 25 words● Limit details of methodology● Include big picture application and next steps

http://previews.123rf.com/images/sailorr/sailorr0907/sailorr090700055/5217418-Note-white-paper-tacked-on-a-wall-Stock-Photo.jpg

“Throughout Islamic history the majority of prominent religious authorities have excluded women from the right of issuing religious verdicts (Fatwa). However some prominent theologians and Jurists like Mutahhari oppose that belief.”

https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/studentservices/graduateschool/documents/public/rpc/RPC2014winners/sarehlarijany.pdf

Acknowledgements and References

● Appear in the lower corner ● Acknowledgements

○ thank people and funding agencies○ may want to use logos○ do not use titles of people, Dr/Professor

● References ○ full citations○ use of superscripts can save space within the text○ Less than 6 - seminal in your field or research

http://www.asp.org/education/howto_onposters.html

Final Preparation

● Cards/contact info● Summary of poster, longer research paper● Print on 8 x 11 as a back-up● Have electronic copies● Use a labeled poster tube and bring on the plane● Bring pins/tape for

putting up your poster

Presentation Day

● Arrive early to see when and where you will be● Dress comfortably● Try to be rested● Accept criticism ● Stay until the end● Make eye contact and smile

* start and finish● You may feel like a recording

○ 1 sentence summary○ 1 minute summary○ 5 minute summary

http://www.asp.org/education/howto_onposters.htmlhttp://www.cedarcrest.edu/ca/academics/psychology/research.jpg

http://chatorioles.com/gallery/poster-sessions.html

Answering Questions

● Paraphrase the question and ask it back to the person.

● Ask them to lead you along on their train of thought.

● Say you just don’t know the answer.

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Winning slide

https://www.reading.ac.uk/graduateschool/events/gs-postercompetition.aspx

Resources● Figshare - An open repository

● Poster Sessions (Flickr) - images from poster sessions

● F1000 Posters - An open repository

● ePosters.net - An online journal of scientific posters

Questions?

http://www.erf.org/call-for-abstracts