Empower Your Career with Poster Panache

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Empower Your CareerwithPoster Panache

• Joan M. Lakoski, Ph.D.
• Department of Pharmacology
• Office of Academic Career Development
• University of Pittsburgh
• April 21, 2003

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The Poster Presentation

• Presenting Data at a Scientific Meeting
• Characteristics of effective presentations
• Organized
• Rehearsed
• Visual appeal
• Relevant to audience
• Demonstrates enthusiasm

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Presenting a Poster with

• Impact!
• Impact!
• Impact!

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Poster Panache

• What is a poster?
• Components of a scientific presentation
• Advantages/disadvantages
• Special characteristics of poster presentations

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Essential Elements of a Poster Presentation
Information
Audience
You
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A Poster Is.More than Presenting Data

• Enables your contribution to a meeting
• A significant part of professional education
• Provides information
• Develops your experience
• Builds networks and contacts
• Tremendous source of feedback

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Poster Panache Step One

• Prepare and submit your abstract

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Poster Panache Step TwoInform Yourself About
the Meeting

• Consult instructions
• Learn about your audience

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Poster Panache Step Three

• Develop and Construct the Poster

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Poster ComponentsThe Title

• Choose words carefully
• Impacts your CV
• Source of keywords
• Determines who will come to view your results
• Size 120 Point (2 inches height)
• Face Sans Serif

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Poster ComponentsThe Sections

• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Summary
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgements

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Poster ComponentsThe Results

• Pick importance
• Effective figures
• Simple
• Self-contained (figure legends)
• Style (color can be useful
• Sequence (number to enhance flow)

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Poster Panache Assemble IngredientsTop to
bottom and left to right
START
St
1
5
3
4
2
6
FINISH
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Poster Panache Tips for Visual Impact

• Labels and Logic
• Use of headers
• Font size and style
• 48 PT BOLD TYPE
• 30 PT Declarative statements
• 24 PT Text minimum

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Poster Panache Important Details

• Plan for the space
• Travel with your poster (carry-on only)
• Practice poster etiquette (bring your own)
• Be with your poster all of the presentation time
  (almost all)

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Poster Panache Step Four

• Enjoy Presenting Your Poster!

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Poster Presentations

• Require
• Planning
• Preparation

• Provide rewards
• Can be extremely effective
• Provides exposure for you and your data
• Brings feedback from the experts

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Remember.

• Participating with a poster in a scientific
  meeting is a good investment in your professional
  development!

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Acknowledgements

• Dr. Michael Zigmond
• Ms. Beth Fischer
• Survival Skills and Ethics Program
• University of Pittsburgh
• Dr. Robert Milner
• Penn State College of Medicine