Research Poster Guidelines

General specifications

Size: An A1 sheet (equivalent to four A3 sheets).

Orientation: Portrait preferred. 

Lamination: It’s a good idea to get your poster laminated.

Font size: Large enough to be easily read from 1 to 1.5 metres away e.g., 24 point for main text.

Suggested content 

Research / Project Title: Approximately 25 mm tall (point 96). 

Additional identifying information: Approximately 19 to 25 mm (e.g., point 80). May also be on an additional label / strip above the main poster. 

- Name of Organization(s) / Programme / Affiliation 

- Researcher(s) Name 

Problem Outline & Aims: Bulleted information describing the research issues and objectives. 

Summary of Methods: Bulleted information describing how the research was conducted and any challenges encountered.

Illustrations: Photographs, graphs, graphics, or other "art" that illustrate the research project. Graphic information is easier to process quickly than text information. Look for imaginative ways to graphically explain your project and its impact. 

Results & Conclusions: Bulleted information describing your findings and discussing the conclusions of the research programme or project. 

Acknowledgements & References: At the end of the poster. 

Additional information: Any additional information that you think would enhance the presentation.

General Advice 

A research poster is very different from a paper or a talk, and to produce one requires different techniques. Simplicity is essential in a poster – it should tell a story. As in any research presentation, the outline includes a statement of the problem, a description of the method, a summary of the work, and then a presentation of results. But within that structure, there is much scope for creativity. A question-and-answer (Q&A) format, for example, may be appropriate for part of your poster. Brief conclusions should leave the reader with a clear message to take away

A typical reader may spend only 5 minutes looking at your poster, so there should be less clutter and more brief informative statements, with attractive, enlightening graphics. It should not contain a lot of details—you can always explain the fine points to interested participants. Keep in mind that your poster will be one among others in the exhibition area: it needs to capture and hold the reader’s attention. 

Further advice on designing effective posters is available in various books and website articles – for instance, Pennsylvania State University’s guide is a good place to start, and has links to other resources. 

Transporting a poster may be awkward, but rolling the paper into a cylinder is one way around this. As suggested above, you may wish to have A4 sized photocopies of the poster as a handout. Alternatively, if the work presented in the poster has been described in more detail in a paper, consider making the paper (or any associated presentation slides) available as a handout at the poster session. 

References: 

Sven Hammarling & Nicholas J. Higham (2010) ‘How to Prepare a Scientific Poster’, SIAM         guidelines for poster presentations,www.siam.org/meetings/guidelines/poster.php [accessed 6-3-2015] 

Pennsylvania State University (2005) ‘Designing Communications for a Poster Fair’, available at: www.personal.psu.edu/drs18/postershow/ [accessed 6-3-2015]