This document provides guidance on developing effective academic posters. It recommends including only the most important elements due to space constraints. Key points to focus on are the audience, structure, use of visuals like graphs and pictures, font style and size, color scheme, and references. The poster should concisely summarize the main features and achievements of the academic project in a clear, visually appealing manner for a non-expert audience. Examples are provided of effective content organization and color use to clearly communicate relationships and groups.

1. Michael Schmidt Posters for Academic Purposes Poster Series
No. 1 of 2
Centre for Academic Success
How to develop suitable content
1. Introduction 2. Background
• A poster is a static, visual medium • You do not have much space so include only the things that
are really important in your project.
used to communicate your
message/ideas • Try to think what elements of your work will be most
• Difference between Poster and Oral interesting to your audience.
presentations is that you let your poster • This will be the piece of work which will encapsulate the whole
do the ‘talking’ of your project; so present yourself and your poster in the
• Material presented should convey the best possible way.
essence of your message!
• A poster session is a common term in
conferences. It enables people to
present their academic work without
having to make a formal presentation.
3. Audience & Assessment 4. Structure
In general: prepare your poster for an audience of • The diagram to the right Title of Project
non experts: use clear language illustrates examples of headings
in an academic poster. Introduction
Assessment: some points to consider • However you can adapt the
heading as you see fit.
1. The main purpose of the assessment is not • As a rule of thumb: a poster Aims & Objectives
to judge the beauty of the posters. provides space for 6 normal A 4
2. The assessors want to see how well you are PowerPoint slides Results
able to summarise the major features and • Planning before hand speeds up
achievements of your project in a very tightly future conversion of content into
constrained way. Conclusion & Recommendation
a meaningful poster.
3. They also want to see how well you can
describe what you have done.
References
5. Planning - What’s, How’s, Why’s 6. Power of Pictures
What is the aim of my project?
Why did I follow this route?
• A picture can say more than 1000
words
What assumptions did I make
and what were my justifications?
• People remember visual stimuli
What problems did I
longer than just text.
encounter?
What results did I
obtain?
What have I
found out? Transfer facts and figures into
graphs and tables.
Transform text using SmartArt
7. Conclusion
Use suitable pictures from the
Keep the material simple Internet and reference them.
• Be concise and DO NOT WAFFLE
• Do not cram the poster full of info - messy
• A picture can say more than 1000 words
• Be selective
Give yourself enough time to be successful
(Fevre, 2012)
8. References & Bibliography Contact Details:
Further information Michael Schmidt
http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/Dept/Tips/present/posters.htm Academic Skills Development Tutor
Centre for Academic Success
http://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/coursework/presentations/posterpresentations/ Michael.Schmidt@bcu.ac.uk

2. Garry Lunn
CICT Integration & Development Posters for Academic Purposes Poster Series
No. 2 of 2
Michael Schmidt
Centre for Academic Success How to develop a poster using PowerPoint
1. Create the Poster Format
2. Font Styles
For PowerPoint 2010:
1. Click on the Layout button and • Headings:- Use BOLD AND
select a Blank layout CAPITALS or Bold And Title
2. Specify the size and orientation Do not use more Case
(portrait or landscape than 2 font styles. • Body Text:- Fonts must be at
3. The example given here is A1 in least 20pts high (better 24pts)
portrait format
4. Go to the Design menu tab. Font Styles:
5. Go to Page Setup and use • Arial – Verdana - Tahoma
recommended
Custom
• Times New Roman
• “WordArt” as some effects can
Avoid: be unreadable
• Don’t use unusual fonts, they
AI Portrait: 59.4 x 84.1cm may not print at University
AI Add emphasis to • italics or bold; save underline for
Landscape: 84.1 x 59.4 cm important points: web links.
3. Graphics and Pictures 4. Colour: General Tips
1. Diagrams and graphs showing technical
information should be large enough to read
(72dpi).
2. Balance your poster by using images of the
same size. Reference where appropriate.
3. Don’t forget to include any Titles and Legends
Analogue Colours- Complementary Colours – Split Complementary Colours –
that are needed to understand your graphs. lie on either side of any given are directly opposite from one are directly opposite from one
colour. another on the colour wheel. another on the colour wheel.
The most widely used Complementary colours are Split complementary colours give
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analogous colour scheme is - good for having a lively but your design a high degree of
red, orange and yellow. balanced design. contrast and greater harmony than
complementary.
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(£m), 2004-2008
© 1997 - 2010 Suzanne Cooper
647
1,911 848
2004
2005
2006 • Choose 2 or 3 colours that contrast or complement each other and
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1,452
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stick to them.
• Keep it simple and use outlines and drop-shadows sparingly. Use
colour to show relationships and create groups.
5. Colour: Examples 6. Print & Save
The middle colour sits between the blue and green on the colour wheel
A
Objective
BStrategies
C
Sub-Strategies
You can save your
Short First key point Sub-strategy 1
poster as a:
sentence to Description of the first key Description of the strategy and approach
describe point and how it would work
key Second key point
objective Description of the Second PowerPoint Pdf Jpeg
key point and how it would
work Sub-strategy 2 file .pptx • If you want to • if you want to
Description of the strategy and approach
• This can be email an use as an
altered original that image (e.g.
• If you use tables to display information determine the cannot be show as a
changed. picture on
most important relationships and group them
• The format Mahara)
•The Units Sold section is seen as a group because of might be
its common colour preferred in
a print room
•Use colour just in the content area, not in the titles.
Manchester Birmingham Total
Outlet 1 Outlet 1 Outlet 1
Outlet 2 Outlet 2 Outlet 2
Units Sold Outlet 3 Outlet 3 Outlet 3
Outlet 4 Outlet 4 Outlet 4
Outlet 1 Outlet 1 Outlet 1
Profit
Outlet 2
Outlet 3
Outlet 2
Outlet 3
Outlet 2
Outlet 3
How to contact us:
Outlet 4 Outlet 4 Outlet 4
Garry Lunn
Web Developer
7. References & Bibliography CICT Integration and Development
Garry.Lunn@bcu.ac.uk
Michael Schmidt
http://www.suzannecooper.com/classroom/colortheory.html
Academic Skills Development Tutor
Centre for Academic Success
http://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/coursework/presentations/posterpresentations/
Michael.Schmidt@bcu.ac.uk