ECAG Poster Tips

Tips for an Effective Poster Presentation

Title & Header:
Title should be short and compelling, less than 2 lines, boldface type, and Not ALL CAPS. Author’s names should be grouped with affiliations included below the title. Make the font large enough so the audience knows who you are!

Layout:
Format poster so that it flows in a logical way (top to bottom, left to right), number sections so audience can see where to start/end. Do not overloaded with text. Less is more! Content of poster should be short and concise. Poster should generally be 20% text, 40% figures/images, and 40% space. Use bullet points instead of full sentences. Create columns and section headings such as Introduction, Purpose, Methods, Results, Conclusions, and Acknowledgements. An abstract is unnecessary since the content of the poster presents similar material. Include your contact information Don’t forget funding sources!

Layout:

Format poster so that it flows in a logical way (top to bottom, left to right), number sections so audience can see where to start/end.
Do not overloaded with text. Less is more!
Content of poster should be short and concise. Poster should generally be 20% text, 40% figures/images, and 40% space.
Use bullet points instead of full sentences.
Create columns and section headings such as Introduction, Purpose, Methods, Results, Conclusions, and Acknowledgements.
An abstract is unnecessary since the content of the poster presents similar material.
Include your contact information
Don’t forget funding sources!

Font:
Use non-serif font (e.g. Helvetica, Verdana, Arial) for title and headings and serif font (e.g. Times Roman, Courier, and Palatino) for main text of poster. Font size should be large enough so it can be read from 6 feet away. Title should be ≥ 72 pt., headings 30-60 pt., and main text 18-24 pt. Align font to the left, centered and justified blocks of font can be difficult to read.

Color:
Have 3 or less colors for poster design and ensure the background and text have high contrast. Dark type on light color backgrounds work best. Avoid busy backgrounds for the poster. Blue on Red or Red on Blue appears blurry, while Yellow is hard to read

Content, Figures, and Images:
All figures should have clear, bold titles and labels for each axis. Images should be in high resolution (at least 300 ppi) and easy to read. Images and Graphs say more than words Leave “breathing space” between your text/figures Proofread your poster for typographical and grammatical errors.

Well Designed Posters

Poorly Designed Poster

Presenting Your Poster:
Prepare to provide a synopsis of your poster in 3-5 minutes. This brief presentation should logically lead the reader through each section, highlighting the main points, of the poster. Be open to answer questions.