Preparing An Effective Research Poster

1. Preparing An Effective Research Poster April 9, 2010 Dr. Philip Farabaugh, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences

2. Why give poster presentations? • To communicate with other researchers and the public • to convey findings • to share ideas with colleagues • To learn how to organize and effectively present research data

3. Effective posters are: • Viewer-friendly • Large typeface • Informative subheadings • Written in short segments, not long paragraphs • Logical and orderly presentation of information • Easily understood -- no jargon or undefined acronyms

4. What?? • jar gon - “The specialized language of a trade, profession, or similar group2”… <computer jargon>2 • ac ronym - “A word formed from the initial letters of a name3”… <WAC for Women’s Army Corps>3 2 Webster’s II New College Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin Company. (1999) pg.592.3 Ibid, p. 11

5. Tips for Effective Posters • Make the poster presentation understandable to educated laypeople

6. Tips for Effective Posters Define/explain all technical terms

7. Tips for Effective Posters Use a minimum font size of 28pt or LARGER

8. Tips for Effective Posters Identify a “take home” message for the poster—the one thing you would like a visitor to remember

9. Tips for Effective Posters Avoid long blocks of text Use small chunks of information (Hint: Edit, Edit, Edit to get to the core messages of the poster.)

10. STEP 1 - Create the Elements of Your Poster The Title of a Poster is the First Thing a Visitor SeesIt should be professional and attract visitors to your poster. • Check: Can you read the title from 15-20 feet away? • Under the title, list the author(s), their department(s) and affiliation (UMBC) • Discuss author order with your collaborators

11. Poster Elements • Abstract • Overview/background • Statement of purpose/hypotheses • Definitions of terms • Methodology/Materials • Findings/Data/Results • Graphs & Figures • Interpretation and discussion of findings • Conclusions/Summary of major findings • Future Directions

12. Examples of Posters

13. Abstract Abstracts should contain 300 words or less! Content: • Background • Research question • Brief description of design/methods • Most important finding • Conclusion

14. Tips for Effective Posters • Use bullets and/or boldface to emphasize important information

15. Tips for Effective Posters • Minimize Text • Maximize Illustrations and graphics (Hint: A poster is not a research paper. You do not have to present everything you did.)

16. Remember to… • Acknowledge individuals (other than authors) who helped with or supported the project • Acknowledge organizations and agencies that supported the project financially or in other ways

17. Typical Funder Lines “ This work was funded through an Undergraduate Research Award from the UMBC Office of Undergraduate Education” OR “This investigation was supported, in part, by UMBC and the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites Program Award DBI-0139619.” OR

18. Typical Funder Lines “This investigation was supported, in part, by UMBC and the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health), Award 1R25DK067016-01.” OR “This investigation was supported, in part, by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Research Service (NRSA) Award GM 08663 to the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (U*STAR) Program at UMBC.”

19. Tips for Effective Posters • Reed over for errrors nd ommisssions • Use the cheek sppellling feetures on youre komputer

20. Finally • Search the web for a treasure trove of information about creating effective posters in your discipline • Ask your research mentor and other researchers in your department • Ask co-workers to review the poster - your poster reflects their work too.

21. STEP 2 - Plan the Poster Layout • URCAD size: • 3 feet 6 inches high by 3 feet 10 inches wide • Plan the layout of the elements • Leave white • It is not necessary to fill the entire space

22. One Poster Layout Horizontal - sequential information in rows Not Recommended

23. Preferred Poster Layouts Vertical- sequential elements in columns Easier for viewers

24. For Visual Impact Place the most important poster elements at eye level for the average viewer

26. Poster Layouts • Print out a draft of the poster to see if it will fit in the allotted space • Adjust accordingly

27. Poster Layouts Mount each element on a piece of colored cardboard (Hint: Some presenters number the backs of the mounted elements in sequential order)

28. Presenting the Poster Consider a one-page handout that summarizes the study and gives your contact information. Keep a notepad to record addresses of visitors who request more information.

29. Presenting the Poster • Dress in business attire (no jeans) • Remove chewing gum! • Be aware of all visitors, don’t just talk to your friends • Relax and enjoy the opportunity to share your research project

30. Presenting the Poster • Prepare a 10 to 30 second introduction to your research • Include a “hook” to engage visitors • Explain why this research matters • Give a one-to-two minute “tour” • Point to relevant poster elements as you speak • Emphasize your “take-home” message

31. Stand besideyour poster during your entire scheduled session - don’t block the view of your work

33. Important Notes Undergraduate Research & Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) Wednesday, April 28, 2010 University Center Ballroom

34. Important Notes • Set up your poster between 12 and 2 p.m. on April 27 in the University Center Ballroom. You will be notified of your poster number by e-mail. • Remove your poster between 3:15 and 4:00 p.m on Wednesday, April 28. • Pushpins will be provided, as will a nametag (please wear it!). • Stand at your poster during your designated time; a schedule indicating presentation times is posted on the web.

35. Special thanks to Zoe Warwick, Ph.D., Kathy Lee Sutphin, Steven Miller, Shawn Bediako, Janet McGlynn, Laura Gardiner, and Katie Magee for contributions to previous versions of this presentation.