how to create an academic poster

How to create an academic poster

What is an academic poster?

• Introduction to you and your research

• Presentation of what you’ve found out

• To promote discussion

Using PowerPoint

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqgjgwIXadA

Plan your content

• Purpose?• Audience?• Detailed information/brief summary?• Displayed where?• Any set guidelines?

Include…

• Title, author(s) and contact details• Introduction• Methods• Results• Conclusions• Literature cited• Acknowledgments• Further information

Layout

Text Formatting

• Headings and sub-headings

• Font – serif/ sans-serif?

• No more than two fonts

Font size

Title = 80 pt.Sub-headings = 50 – 60 pt.

Normal (body) text = 24 pt.

Line spacing

Blocks of text in a small font can be made easier to read by increasing the line spacing. It is recommended to use line

spacing = 1.0 as illustrated here with 24 pt. font

 Title text needs decreased line-spacing, such as 0.9, otherwise it looks a bit weird!

Text alignment

Left, right, centre or justified?

Left aligned text is easiest to read.

Avoid using justified – although it looks neater it creates strange gaps in the text making it difficult to read.

Case

• UPPER CASE CAN BE DIFFICULT TO READ AND IS ALSO PERCEIVED TO BE SHOUTING!!!

• Underlined text can also be difficult to read. Online it usually indicates a link

• Use italics instead, but sparingly

• Bold is good if you want to draw attention to something in the main text

PicturesScreen resolution = 72 pixels/dots per inch (dpi)

Print resolution = 150 – 300 dpi

Charts and tables

• Keep simple• Enlarge text• Thicken lines• Avoid 3D

Copyright

• Use own or those you have permission to use• Creative commons• pexels.com or pixabay.com• See FoBIT site

search.creativecommons.org

University logo

The University Logo can be downloaded from https://staff.plymouth.ac.uk/dpc/intranet.htm (log-in required)

DO NOT ALTER IT!

Colour scheme• 2 or 3 colours plus black, which is always best

for the smallest text.• Choosing colours from charts and images in

your poster will give a smart, uniform feel.• Good combinations:-

Proof-read and print

Check your poster thorughly for speling mitakes and grammaticl errors before you send it to

prnt.

NB – to print, save your poster as a PDF (Print)

Present

• Explain your poster and answer questions• Print A4 versions?• Allow people to photograph?• Take business cards

Further help & support

• See our Moodle site!

• Visit us in CKY 020

• Email flea.palmer@plymouth.ac.uk