This document provides tips for designing effective scientific posters, including highlighting key graphics and findings, using annotations to guide viewers, and keeping text large and legible. The goal is to enable viewers to understand the main conclusions without needing an in-person explanation. Viewers should be drawn in by one or two clear graphics rather than overwhelmed by too many small or complex images.
This document provides tips for designing effective scientific posters, including highlighting key graphics and findings, using annotations to guide viewers, and keeping text large and legible. The goal is to enable viewers to understand the main conclusions without needing an in-person explanation. Viewers should be drawn in by one or two clear graphics rather than overwhelmed by too many small or complex images.
This document provides tips for designing effective scientific posters, including highlighting key graphics and findings, using annotations to guide viewers, and keeping text large and legible. The goal is to enable viewers to understand the main conclusions without needing an in-person explanation. Viewers should be drawn in by one or two clear graphics rather than overwhelmed by too many small or complex images.
Three sentences max. Highlight your LARGE photographs, charts, maps, or Three sentences max. in this central arena. Persuade reader you Persuade reader you have novel, Don’t include every graphic you’ve made that relates have novel, interesting to project. Choose one. Or two. And separate graphics interesting question(s) and with plenty of white space. question(s) and hypothesis. Resist hypothesis. Resist urge to use all the urge to use all the white space. white space. Annotate graphics with arrows and callout boxes so that viewer is visually led through how hypothesis is addressed. The goal is to enable viewers to understand the logic behind your conclusions without you needing 01 Introduction 01 Introduction to be there. Three sentences max. Three sentences max. Keep font size of all text (even graph labels) as big or Persuade reader you bigger than in rest of poster. Persuade reader you have novel, have novel, interesting interesting question(s) and question(s) and hypothesis. Resist If you have just one or two simple graphics, viewers hypothesis. Resist urge to use all the will be drawn to explore them. If you have too many or urge to use all the they are too complicated, they will be repelled. white space. white space.
Literature cited Acknowledgments Further information
Author, J. 2012. Article title. Journal of Something 1:1-2. Be brief. Please see https://colinpurrington.com/tips/poster-design for more templates and tips. I’m at colinpurrington@gmail.com if you have a question or comment. Title pitched at general audience that provides conclusionor at least hints at something interesting
Three sentences max. Highlight your LARGE photographs, charts, maps, or Three sentences max. in this central arena. Persuade reader you Persuade reader you have novel, Don’t include every graphic you’ve made that relates have novel, interesting to project. Choose one. Or two. And separate graphics interesting question(s) and with plenty of white space. question(s) and hypothesis. Resist hypothesis. Resist urge to use all the urge to use all the white space. white space. Annotate graphics with arrows and callout boxes so that viewer is visually led through how hypothesis is addressed. The goal is to enable viewers to understand the logic behind your conclusions without you needing 01 Introduction 01 Introduction to be there. Three sentences max. Three sentences max. Keep font size of all text (even graph labels) as big or Persuade reader you bigger than in rest of poster. Persuade reader you have novel, have novel, interesting interesting question(s) and question(s) and hypothesis. Resist If you have just one or two simple graphics, viewers hypothesis. Resist urge to use all the will be drawn to explore them. If you have too many or urge to use all the they are too complicated, they will be repelled. white space. white space.
Literature cited Acknowledgments Further information
Author, J. 2012. Article title. Journal of Something 1:1-2. Be brief. Please see https://colinpurrington.com/tips/poster-design for more templates and tips. I’m at colinpurrington@gmail.com if you have a question or comment. Title pitched at general audience that provides conclusionor at least hints at something interesting
Explain why outcome is Three sentences max. Highlight your LARGE photographs, charts, maps, or interesting. Don’t assume it’s in this central arena. obvious. Three sentences max. Persuade reader you have novel, Don’t include every graphic you’ve made that relates Maybe include a sentence interesting to project. Choose one. Or two. And separate graphics about what you plan to do question(s) and with plenty of white space. next. hypothesis. Resist As for Introduction, don’t urge to use all the feel like you need to fill the entire box. white space. I.e., if you retain a lot of Annotate graphics with arrows and callout boxes so white space you will attract more viewers. Seriously. that viewer is visually led through how hypothesis is addressed. The goal is to enable viewers to understand the logic behind your conclusions without you needing to be there. 04 Methods 02 Research Explain why outcome is Objectives interesting. Don’t assume it’s Keep font size of all text (even graph labels) as big or obvious. Three sentences Three sentences max. bigger than in rest of poster. max.
If viewer truly wants Maybe include a sentence
about what you plan to do to know gruesome next. details, they’ll ask or If you have just one or two simple graphics, viewers As for Introduction, don’t email you. will be drawn to explore them. If you have too many or feel like you need to fill the they are too complicated, they will be repelled. Sometimes adding a entire box. pic is good. I.e., if you retain a lot of white space you will attract more viewers. Seriously.
Literature cited Acknowledgments Further information
Author, J. 2012. Article title. Journal of Something 1:1-2. Be brief. Please see https://colinpurrington.com/tips/poster-design for more templates and tips. I’m at colinpurrington@gmail.com if you have a question or comment. Title pitched at general audience that provides conclusionor at least hints at something interesting
Explain why outcome is Three sentences max. Highlight your LARGE photographs, charts, maps, or interesting. Don’t assume it’s in this central arena. obvious. Three sentences max. Persuade reader you have novel, Don’t include every graphic you’ve made that relates Maybe include a sentence interesting to project. Choose one. Or two. And separate graphics about what you plan to do question(s) and with plenty of white space. next. hypothesis. Resist As for Introduction, don’t urge to use all the feel like you need to fill the entire box. white space. I.e., if you retain a lot of Annotate graphics with arrows and callout boxes so white space you will attract more viewers. Seriously. that viewer is visually led through how hypothesis is addressed. The goal is to enable viewers to understand the logic behind your conclusions without you needing to be there. 04 Methods 02 Research Explain why outcome is Objectives interesting. Don’t assume it’s Keep font size of all text (even graph labels) as big or obvious. Three sentences Three sentences max. bigger than in rest of poster. max.
If viewer truly wants Maybe include a sentence
about what you plan to do to know gruesome next. details, they’ll ask or If you have just one or two simple graphics, viewers As for Introduction, don’t email you. will be drawn to explore them. If you have too many or feel like you need to fill the they are too complicated, they will be repelled. Sometimes adding a entire box. pic is good. I.e., if you retain a lot of white space you will attract more viewers. Seriously.
Literature cited Acknowledgments Further information
Author, J. 2012. Article title. Journal of Something 1:1-2. Be brief. Please see https://colinpurrington.com/tips/poster-design for more templates and tips. I’m at colinpurrington@gmail.com if you have a question or comment.