How to Create an Attractive Scientific Poster? Anas I Abutaha Materials Science and Engineering Functional Nanomaterials and Devices Group
Outline Posters vs oral presentations Tips for poster layout and format Tips for poster contents Examples of attractive posters Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Posters vs oral presentations A poster can be more efficient than giving an oral presentation: View your research work briefly Can be viewed while you are away Can be hanged in your department for years! Can reach researchers who are not in your field www.berkeley.edu Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Outline Tips for poster layout and format Posters vs oral presentations Tips for poster layout and format Tips for poster contents Examples of attractive posters Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
1- Logical order of poster layout Sketch your proposed sections on a paper Write down the key ideas in each section Select the figures/data that best convey your message (Do not put everything!) Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
2- Know your poster size accurately! Poster size is usually provided by the event organizers Use the same suggested size, otherwise your poster will look odd among others! Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
3- Pick up a software PowerPoint Adobe illustrator or InDesign Easy to use Limited flexibility Colors may be deceptive Excellent Difficult to learn Colors identical Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
4- Make separate sections Separate sections with a decent flow Use the poster size effectively Perfect × Not Good Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
5- Concise Title Keep your title short, snappy, and on target Select the words carefully The title should be readable from at least 2-3 meters Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
6- Text size and font Select a clean and visible font The body text should be readable from at least 1 meter Suggested fonts: Times New Roman, Calibri, Calibri light, Arial, Candara,… Don’t use: Bernard MT Condensed Blackadder Goudy stout Can anyone read the body text of your poster? The body text should be readable from at least 1 meter Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
7- Consistent colors Infinite number of colors Bad combination! Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
8- Contrast! × Not Good Perfect Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Outline Tips for poster contents Posters vs oral presentations Tips for poster layout and format Tips for poster contents Examples of attractive posters Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
1- Sections like a scientific article Sections with titles: Abstract Methods, Experimental,…. Results and Discussions Conclusions Future Outlooks References Acknowledgement Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
2- Heart of the matter Keep it Simple Stupid! “KISS” principle The poster should answer the following questions: What is the problem? Why should we care? What is the strategy? How did you perform it? What did you actually find? What did you conclude? Where do you go from here? Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
3- Convey the Big Picture! Remember: your poster is NOT your paper! Write plainly simply and briefly × Not Good Perfect Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Checklist before printing out Make sure that everything is aligned Revise every single word, and evaluate every single picture Get your supervisor’s opinion(s)! Get your friends’ opinions! Print a trial copy of your poster on a normal paper Make sure that you print using the right file format (PDF, PPT) Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Outline Examples of attractive posters Posters vs oral presentations Tips for poster layout and format Tips for poster content Examples of attractive posters Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Examples of attractive posters Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Examples of attractive posters Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Examples of attractive posters Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Examples of attractive posters Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Examples of attractive posters Anas I Abutaha | Spring 2015
Thank You!