Poster Preparation

Any tips on preparing the poster?

What poster dimensions are recommended?

Any tips to increase poster legibility?

What will happen during the poster presentation time?

Do you have a sample poster?

Bibliography

Oral Presentation guidelines

Audience

Structure of Presentation

Visual Aids and Technology

The Presentation

Any tips on preparing the poster?

There is no substitute for careful preparation of the poster and arduous thought about the information it will present. Poster preparation can be expensive if professional artists and graphics experts are used.

By using the bibliography on the preparation and presentation of posters and through careful and thoughtful preparation the expense should be minimal.
While we shall assist in any way we reasonably can, all parts of the poster will need to be prepared well in advance of the meeting itself. Although we shall have a small supply of push pins, marking pens, string, and tape on hand for emergency needs, authors should plan on providing their own materials if at all possible.
The use of colored poster materials on which to mount sections of text or illustrations will make your poster more attractive so long as one avoids garish (I.e. fluorescent) colors.
Experience suggests that less text is better with about 50% of the space being free of text. Graphs, tables, charts, pictures, diagrams or lists are useful to illustrate or summarize your argument. Simple fonts like Geneva, Helvetica, Times, or Helvetica are best, and should be used consistently throughout the poster.
The individual panels may be assembled or stuck in place at the meeting site, but should be arranged prior to the meeting to be certain they will fit in the space available.

What poster dimensions are recommended?

Each poster session participant will have a poster mounting space 4' wide by 3' high (120 x 90 cm). The poster number assigned each of the participants will appear in the upper left hand corner of the space. Participants are responsible for mounting their posters by 3 p.m. Sunday, the first day of the conference, and for removing the posters by noon Tuesday, the final day of the conference. Understandably, we cannot be responsible for posters left at the end of the meeting. Extra copies of the abstracts of the research featured in the poster should be on hand to pass out to interested persons.

Any tips to increase poster legibility?

Since both the poster title and headings for each section of the poster will have to be read quickly by attendees from a distance of 4 feet or more, the lettering will need to be large and bold: title at least 84 pt, name of presenter and institutional affiliation 72 pt, headings 36 pt. By the sparing use of text and the judicious use of illustrations the interest in the poster can be enhanced. The sequence that has proven best is: title + author's name and institutional affiliation, abstract, introduction including methodology, data that may include illustrations, and conclusion. Each section, or mounted sheet should be numbered, and mounted in vertical rows from left to right.

What will happen during the poster presentation time?

During the two and one half hour period set aside for the poster presentations, each presenter will want to be present at her or his poster for the entire time. Remember that the aim is conversation and exchange of information rather than the presentation of a scholarly paper in five minutes. Be prepared to offer a short summary (2-4 minutes) of your work, walking interested persons through your poster, and be open to where the conversation leads. It is also useful to have a sign up sheet for persons who wish additional information, and handouts that may be useful.

Do you have a sample poster?

Prof. Dan Hornbach and Tony Deneka, of The Department of Biology at Macalester College, prepared an electronic image of a conference poster that can be used as a general sample. Click here to view (warning: this is a 2.5Mb file).

Bibliography

• R. H. Anholt, "Poster Presentation...." in his Dazzle 'em with Style. the Art of Oral Scientific Presentation (New York: W. H. Freeman and Company, 1994), 140-149.
  
• Helen Briscoe, "Posters," in her Preparing Scientific Illustrations. A Guide to Better Posters. Presentations. and Publications (New York: Springer-Verlag, 1996), 131-149.
  
• Dma Mandoli, "How to Make a Great Poster," available at: www.aspp.orgleducation/poster.htm.
  
• A video is also available from the American Society of Plant Physiologists, 15501 Monona Drive; Rockville, Maryland 20855- 2768, attn. Ken Beam. While supplies last the video is available for $10 including postage.
  
• Doug Shaefer offers a practical step by step guide for the preparation of a great poster. Entitled "Effective Poster Design, A Step-by-Step Guide is available at: www.tss.uoguelph.ca/epd/epd.html
  
• John D. Woolsey, "Combating poster fatigue: how to use visual grammar and analysis to effect better visual communication," Trends in NeuroSciences, vol 12, no 9 (1989), 325-332.
  

Audience

Remember that participants in the CyberTherapy conference will come from many parts of the world. English will be the presentation language for the conference. English may not be your first language and English may not be the first language of many of those who attend your presentation. Where possible avoid using written or spoken statements that have meaning in ordinary local conversation but may be confusing to people from other parts of the world. Where such statements (colloquialisms) are a necessary part of your presentation, be sure to explain their meaning to your audience.

Structure of Presentation

Each session has a time limit assigned to it that includes time for introductions of presenters.

Structure your presentation so that you present the main points and allow sufficient time for audience questions and discussion. There will not be enough time to go into all the details of the material you are presenting. Summarise your material in order to communicate the most important points to the audience. Direct them to your paper or handouts that contain the details. Decide which parts of your material are the most important and limit your main points to two or three. Keep your audience in mind when prioritising the material. Ask yourself what they might be most interested in, what they might want to know, and what they might want to discuss. Ask yourself what your audience is likely to know already. Check this with them at the beginning of the session. Don't take up valuable time in telling people what they already know.
Prepare the presentation with an Introduction, Body and Conclusion. It is often better to prepare the Body of your presentation first, using the two or three main points. Then prepare an Introduction that will gain the attention of your audience and inform them of the goals for your presentation. Your Conclusion should summarise the main points and present insights and interpretations that have emerged during the session.
Do not present data or research findings without adding your insights and interpretation. You might consider providing the detailed data as a handout and then speak to the main findings and interpretations.

Visual Aids and Technology

Support your presentation with appropriate visual material (e.g. overhead projector transparencies and/or handouts) to reinforce and clarify your verbal presentation. It is likely to help your audience if they can hear and see your presentation.
Consider these suggestions when preparing overhead transparencies.

• Use a high quality print and at least 16-point font.
• Limit the number of points or lines of text on each transparency to no more than five or six.
• Use a diagram or a picture to illustrate your material. Avoiding lots of detail.
• Don't copy text directly from a book or your paper onto a transparency.
• Limit the number of transparencies. Constantly changing transparencies is likely to distract your audience.
  

The Presentation

Some suggestions for an effective presentation:

• Before the session, check the location of your room and that it is suitable for your presentation.
• Before the session, check that your visual material (e.g. overhead projector transparencies) will be legible to your audience, follows a logical sequence, and that you do not have too much.
  
• Remember that you have limited time for your session. Don't go over time.
  
• Speak slowly and clearly.
  
• Allow time for questions.
  
• Check with your audience that they are able to understand what you are saying.
  
• Recognise that presentation style and the expectations of audiences from different countries may not be the same.
  
• Use some visual presentation (e.g. an overhead projector transparency) to give an outline of your session.
  
• Explain to your audience how you would like them to be involved and be sure to invite their participation.
  
• Attempt to identify the diversity in your audience (e.g. diversity of gender and nationality) and try to be inclusive of all people attending your session.
  
• Practice your presentation to judge whether all of the activities are possible in the time.
  
• Engage your audience by speaking to them, and with them, rather than just reading from your prepared text.
  
• Enjoy your session as much as you can. If you enjoy it, your audience is likely to enjoy it too.