Poster Preparation Guidelines

Poster size and format

  • Poster boards are 4 ft × 3 ft (48 width × 36 height inches).
  • Posters should be prepared in landscape orientation and should not exceed 48 × 36 inches.
  • We recommend printing the poster as one single sheet.
  • Leave a small margin around the edges for mounting.
  • Mounting materials will be provided at the conference.
  • You must print and bring your poster with you.

Required poster content

Each poster should include, as appropriate:

  1. Short, informative title
  2. Student’s name
  3. Collaborator(s) and adviser(s) names
  4. Department(s) and institutional affiliation(s)
  5. Funding sources/acknowledgments
  6. Research objectives or research question
  7. Scientific background and significance
    • What research project did you perform?
    • Why is the project important?
    • What background information is needed to understand the research?
  8. Methods/Research Tasks
    • How was the research conducted?
    • What steps were taken to address the research question?
    • What methods, software, or analytical approaches were used?
  9. Results/Findings
    • Clearly labeled graphs, tables, images, or other relevant data are encouraged.
    • Include brief explanations to help the reader understand the findings.
  10. Interpretation of Results
    • What do the findings mean?
    • How do they relate to the original research question or objectives?
  11. Conclusions and Future Research
    • What are the major conclusions?
    • What is the broader significance of the research?
    • What are the next steps or directions for future research?
  12. References

Poster design and readability

  • Use clear, concise language and avoid unnecessary jargon. Do not assume that all readers have the same scientific background.
  • Limit the amount of text. Well-designed figures, graphs, diagrams, photographs, and other visuals can often communicate information more effectively than large blocks of text.
  • Organize the poster so that the information is easy to follow from beginning to end.
  • The poster should be understandable even when the presenter is not standing beside it.
  • Use sufficiently large fonts and clear labels so that the poster can be read comfortably from several feet away.
  • Make sure graphs, tables, figures, and images have clear titles, labels, legends, and explanations.

Preparing to present

  • If you have never prepared a research poster, review examples from your department or reputable online sources.
  • Practice explaining your poster to friends, classmates, labmates, or others who are not familiar with your research.
  • Be prepared to explain the research question, significance, methods, key findings, conclusions, and future directions clearly and concisely.