From Student to New Professional: How to Survive the Conference Presentation Process

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From Student to New Professional How to Survive
the Conference Presentation Process

• The Poster Session
• Heather J. Moulton, MS, MPH, OTR/L
• Mailman School of Public Health
• Columbia University

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Purposes of a Poster

• Informal dialogue and discussion
• Combines text and graphics
• One-on-one conversation with the presenter

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Poster versus Oral Presentation
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Guidelines for Preparing a Poster

• Information in poster should stand alone
• Information should not overwhelm the viewer
• Build presentation around one or two key points
• Select two or three key points within each
  section that relates to overall points
• Supplement with a handout

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Clarity

• Communicate main points quickly and clearly
• Use jargon only if your audience will understand
  it
• Use short sentences/phrases unless long sentence
  is useful

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Text

• Visual information is easier and faster to
  comprehend than text
• Use text to convey key points
• Use graphics for supplemental information that
  will enhance key points
• Tables can communicate a great deal of
  information in a small amount of space

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Table 1. Canadian and United States Sample
Demographics (N 355)
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Text, contd

• List information
• use bullets
• avoid using full sentences
• be concise by using phrases
• Group information

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Design

• You must attract viewers
• large headings
• graphics and text
• color and white space balance to reduce clutter
• Fonts
• text must be readable from a distance 36 pt for
  text 48 pt for titles
• avoid italic or fancy script and using all
  capitals
• use one font style
• highlight with color, bold or underline

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Design, contd

• Use headings/subheadings to label information
• Double space text
• Keep margins uniform on both graphics and text
• Use a laser printer for a dark, sharp image
• Glossy paper causes glare

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Color

• Mount text on a colored background
• Many use a complimentary color to set apart each
  section
• Colors should not clash
• Darker colors draw attention
• Warmer colors are more inviting but are trickier
  to use

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Color, contd

• Mount light items on darker colors and darker
  items on light color
• Neon is an absolute NO

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Layout

• Provide a title and your name in larger text and
  in prominent view
• Banner across top
• Top center above poster
• Center of poster
• Left to right is a safe layout
• Use columns to move reader along
• Dont put key information at very bottom where a
  viewer might have to squat

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Layout, contd

• Define sections clearly
• Abstract
• Background/Demographics
• Methodology
• Results
• Conclusion
• Use arrows to direct viewers for difficult layouts

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Assembly

• Create a layout map
• Mount poster before you travel
• Use good quality bond so glue does not ripple or
  ruin paper
• Transport in pieces or in tube and carry it with
  you
• Bring push pins and glue stick