Suggested Guidelines for Preparing Effective Posters

General Information

A poster should be self-explanatory, allowing different viewers to proceed on their own while the author is free to supplement or discuss particular points raised in inquiry. The poster session discussion can become difficult if the author is obliged to devote most of the time merely explaining the poster to a succession of viewers.

Before the meeting

* ILLUSTRATIONS: Figures should be designed to be viewed from a distance, and should use clear, visible graphics. Although each figure should illustrate no more than one or two main points, figures need not be simple. The main points should be clear without extended viewing. Each figure or table should have a message. Detailed information should be provided in a legend in smaller type below. The text of the legend should be used to describe, concisely, not only the content of the figure but also the conclusions derived there from. Details of methodology should be brief and should be placed at the end of the legend.

* TITLE: Prepare a banner for the top of the poster indicating the title, author, department, student classification, faculty mentor, and the program (if any) under which the research was sponsored.

* LAYOUT: Materials should be arranged in columns moving systematically along it rather than zigzagging back and forth in front of it. An introduction should be placed at the upper left and a conclusion at the lower right. The sequence of illustrations should be indicated with numbers or letters at least one inch high.

At the conference

The conference will last from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 23, 1999. Presenters should post their materials at least thirty minutes prior to the start of the session.