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Poster Poster Presentations: Presentations:
What, Why, Where, What, Why, Where, When and HowWhen and How
Poster Poster Presentations: Presentations:
What, Why, Where, What, Why, Where, When and HowWhen and How
Jeanne Le Ber, Education Services801-585-6744 or [email protected]
Sally Patrick, Director, Utahealthnet801-581-6979 or [email protected]
Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library
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Session Goals• What is a poster presentation?• Why do a poster?• Where do you do a poster?• When do you do a poster?• How do you create and present
a poster?– Content and design principles
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What is a poster?• A visual presentation of a topic that
creates an opportunity for conversation• Done on a large piece of paper or board
or in an electronic format• Display options• Portability• Size considerations
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Why do a poster?• Communicate with colleagues in a
relaxed setting• Report on projects• Share research results and ideas• Educate and inform peers• Review history• Tell a story• It’s fun!
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Where do you do a poster?
• At professional meetings• In a designated place• In exhibit hall• Other conference space
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When do you do a poster?
• Generally at an annual meeting• Call for posters advertised by
conference planners ahead of time• Submit abstract • Abstract accepted• Or by invitation
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How do you do a poster?
• Select meaningful topic; gather content• Organize information• Distill your message• Determine size • Use computer software
– PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop or QuarkXPress
• Create a design layout
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How does an ideal poster session work?
• Poster is displayed for a designated and limited time
• Presenter stands near the poster to answer any questions about content
• Lots of other posters • No conflict time• Handouts are optional
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How does a poster session work?
• Attendees wander through the poster aisles
• They have limited time• They pick and choose• Will they stop at your poster?
– 3 seconds– 30 seconds– 3 minutes
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Will they stop?• Factors that help determine if
attendees will stop, look and talk – Presenter’s enthusiasm– Content– Design
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Content • Most important aspect• This is the story you want to tell• Content without good design may
dissuade people from exploring further
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Content • Distill the essential message• Present the data• Can a picture tell the story• Use table and charts• Less is more – edit ruthlessly
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Design Layout• Text• Design principles• Design elements• Color
• Rule: 20% (text) 40% (graphics) 40% (white space)
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Text• Text flows left to right• Font size readable from a distance
– Title > 80 pts– Subtitles > 72 pts– Subheadings > 48 pts– Body > 24 pts
• Avoid all CAPS• Avoid excessive use of font styles &
colors
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DesignPrinciples
• Repetition• Emphasis• Balance• Consistency
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Design Elements
• Line• Shape and form• Texture• Space• Size and scale• Value
Use line to
separate or organize
SPACEUse space to add emphasis, to separate
TEXTURE
use SCALE to add emphasis
use value to visually separate
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Color is used to• Highlight• Attract• Tell the viewer where to look first• Create a mood• Group elements
use color to highlight
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Color can be
• Complimentary• Analogous • Warm• Cool
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DemonstrationDemonstration• Use PowerPoint features to
– establish poster size– place text boxes– effect font style and size– insert images– use draw tools– create tables and charts
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Based on an article by: Jeanne Le Ber and Susan RobertsCreating Powerful Poster Presentations Journal of Hospital Librarianship v. 6(3) 2006
(accepted for publication)