1. Educational posters are used in academia to promote and explain research findings to introduce new research. 2. When creating a poster, it is important to identify the main take-home message or conclusion, edit content ruthlessly, and have others review it. Visual elements like graphs and charts should comprise 40-45% of the poster, with text blocks being 1-2 paragraphs. 3. An effective poster layout arranges content in columns that are read from left to right and top to bottom, without needing connecting arrows or numbers. Large visuals and font sizes ensure content is legible from a distance.

1. Academic Poster
Building
UROP Event Planning Team
(808) 956-7492 urop@hawaii.edu
http://manoa.hawaii.edu/urop

2. Do’s, Don’ts, and Whys
Used with the permission of:
Dr. Norine W. Yeung
and Dr. Kenneth A. Hayes

3. Educational Posters
• Used in academia to
promote and explain
research
• Used to introduce a new
piece of research
• Remember the intent of the
project/symposium

4. Honors Symposium

5. • Identify and provide a take-
home message or conclusion
- Don’t rely on what you
don’t provide
• Edit ruthlessly
- Find a friend, hit them
- Then have them look
Retention: Two Tips

6. 1. Clarity
Too detailed?
2. Visual Interest
Too plain?
3. Accessibility
Too technical?
Design: Three Goals

7. 1. Who
2. What
3. How
4. Why
Content: Four Questions?

8. • Use graphs and charts
rather than tables
• General layout
⁻ 20-25% text
⁻ 40-45% graphics
⁻ 30-40% empty space
• Blocks of text should be
1-2 paragraphs
Visual Presentations

9. Wording in a paper:
This project sought to establish the ideal specifications for
clinically useful wheelchair pressure mapping systems,
and to use these specifications to influence the design of
an innovative wheelchair pressure mapping system.
Wording on a poster:
Aims of study:
• Define the ideal wheelchair pressure mapping system
• Design a new system to meet these specifications
Paper vs. Poster

10. 1. Most posters are read left-
right and top-bottom
2. Arrange presentation in
columns
3. Unnecessary to link
sections with arrows or
numbers
Poster Layout
• Most posters are read left-
right and top-bottom
• Arrange presentation in
columns
• Unnecessary to link
sections with arrows or
numbers

11. Poster
Layout
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/presentations_poster.html

12. Poster Layout

13. Poster
Layout

14. Title legible from 15-20
feet away (60+ pts)
Primary text legible from 6 ft away (24+ pts)
Secondary text (18+ pts)
Text at a Distance

15. • Pictures, graphs, tables, and
illustrations:
– Use large file sizes
– Small pictures will pixilate
when blown up
• Use Insert menu instead of cut and
paste
• View at 100% to see final results
Inserting Visuals

16. • Problem statement
and research
question(s)
• Context (Literature
Review)
• Significance, scope
and limits
Introduction

17. • Required!
• Sequence of steps
– Bulleted or numbered list
– Flow diagram
Methods

18. • Summarize data and analysis
• Use graphs and charts
• Provide captions and titles
– Figure 1: Breakdown of
respondents by ethnic group
(%)
• Directly label graphics rather
than use legends
Results

19. • Discuss the significance of these results:
– Is more work necessary?
– Will your initial data lead to
promising or revolutionary results?
– Should your approach be revised?
Preliminary Results

20. • Implications of research
• Point out problems for
feedback
Discussion/Conclusions

21. • The fewer the better
• Provide a shortened format
– Hayes (2008) Journal of Cryptogastronomy
• Secondary text (20 pts font)
Citations

22. • Pay your dues
• Secondary Text (20 pts)
Acknowledgments

23. Questions?Thank You!