Research posters are a common way of presenting your findings and engaging with your peers at academic conferences. But how do you design an effective poster that attracts attention, communicates clearly, and showcases your contribution? Here are some tips to help you create a poster that stands out and sparks interest.
Before you start designing your poster, you need to consider who will be viewing it and what they expect to learn from it. Think about the level of expertise, the background knowledge, and the main interests of your potential viewers. This will help you tailor your content, language, and tone to suit your audience. For example, if your poster is aimed at a general audience, you might want to avoid jargon and technical details, and focus on the broader implications and relevance of your research.
- Keep it to the basics, even if you think that your audiance are professional. - Use simple language and less jargon words.
The layout of your poster should be organized, logical, and easy to follow. A common way to structure your poster is to use the IMRAD format: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. This format helps you provide the essential information about your research question, approach, findings, and implications. However, you can also adapt the format to suit your specific needs and goals. For example, you might want to add a background, a literature review, or a conclusion section. You can also use headings, subheadings, and numbering to guide your viewers through your poster.
Visual elements are crucial for making your poster attractive and engaging. You can use images, graphs, charts, tables, diagrams, or icons to illustrate your points, highlight your data, and support your arguments. Visual elements can also help you save space and avoid text overload. However, you should also make sure that your visual elements are clear, relevant, and consistent. For example, you should use high-quality images, label your axes and legends, and use the same color scheme and font throughout your poster.
Clearly indicate and highlight the info you are trying to communicate with your audience, few want to try and interpret your data, make your visual get to the point!
The text of your poster should be concise and clear. You should avoid long paragraphs and sentences, and use bullet points, keywords, and phrases instead. You should also use active voice, simple words, and transitions to convey your message effectively. Moreover, you should proofread and edit your text for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. You should also check that your text is readable and visible from a distance. For example, you should use a large font size, a contrasting color, and a suitable alignment for your text.
One of the purposes of your poster is to network and connect with other researchers who are interested in your topic. Therefore, you should include your contact details on your poster, such as your name, affiliation, email address, and social media handles. You can also add a QR code or a link to your online portfolio, website, or publication. This way, you can invite your viewers to contact you for further discussion, collaboration, or feedback.
Finally, you should prepare a short and catchy pitch to introduce your poster and entice your viewers to learn more. Your pitch should summarize the main points of your poster, such as your research question, methods, results, and implications. You should also highlight what makes your research unique, novel, or important. Your pitch should be about one or two minutes long, and you should practice it before the conference. You should also be ready to answer questions and engage in conversation with your viewers.
There are a number of public speaking apps available that will transcribe and even analyze your speech! Download one and give your 2-3 minute talk while driving, preparing dinner or folding laundry. Go back through the transcript and edit for clarity and brevity then practice! This will help you come across as approachable and conversational rather than cold and monotonous.