A poster should be complete and self-supporting so that different viewers may read at their leisure. The author should only need to supplement or discuss particular points raised during inquiry. Remember that several people of varying degrees of interest and experience may be viewing your poster at once. Therefore, you will want to make your points as complete and brief as possible.
The standard elements are:
Introduction, Methods, Results (with supporting figures), and a Conclusion or Summary. Type should be easily seen from a short distance. Using the guidelines above, the introduction would be placed at the upper left, and the conclusion at the lower right, both in large type. It is not necessary to post a copy of the abstract.
Prepare a banner for the top of the poster indicating the abstract title, authors, and affiliations. Lettering should be about 1.25″ high for the title, 0.75″ high for the author’s names, and 0.5″ high for affiliations.
- Minimize narrative.
- Use large type in short separated paragraphs.
- Do not set entire paragraphs in boldface or capital letters.
- Numbered or bulleted lists are a concise but effective way to convey a series of points.
Figures should also be easily seen from a distance. Use clear graphics and large type to accomplish this. The main points should be straightforward without extended viewing, but details should be included for those who might wish to discuss it. Because the amount of text is restricted, the figure legend could contain some of the commentary that would usually be contained in the body of a manuscript.
The available space to present your poster on the poster board is 4 feet tall (121 centimeters tall) by 8 feet wide (242 centimeters wide). Because poster sessions can be crowded, it is best to present your material in columns (vertically), instead of rows (horizontally), so that viewers do not have to cross back and forth in front of each other to read the poster. Posters are easiest to read using high contract colors (for example, black lettering on a white background). Push pins are provided for mounting your poster to the poster board.