This presentation highlights the main points that need to be considered while making a good scientific poster. Useful tips are given about the content and the formatting of the poster.

1. How To:
Effective Scientific Poster
Huda Nazeer, Yajeshwar Seetul

2. Introduction
A: ……
B: ……
Objectives
A: ……
B: ……
Method
A: ……
B: ……
C: ……
(Pictures)
Results
Figures
Graphs
Tables
Comment on
results
A: ……
Discussion
A: ……
B: ……
Conclusion
A: ……
Title / Name / Programme of Study (year)
References / Acknowledgements

3. Points to Remember:
1. Right content
2. Good formatting

4. Content
Introduction:
● Arouse interest in the topic with minimal background
information and definitions.
● Forget about the details. Include only what is
important!
Objectives:
● State clearly what you tried to do and the expected
results.

5. Content
Methodology:
● Briefly describe procedures + State the statistical
analysis.
● Flowcharts and photographs are better at explaining.
Results:
● Data which is specifically related to your hypothesis is
included in tables, charts and figures (not all data).
● Briefly comment results (qualitative / descriptive).

6. Content
Discussion:
● Show how all the experimentations you did is
connected to your hypothesis.
● Discuss everything that relates your data to your
hypothesis in short sentences.
Conclusion:
● Remind the viewer of the major results and if it
supported your hypothesis or not. Also mention
relevance to other findings.

7. Formatting
1. Planning
2. Color and font
3. Title and headings
4. Layout

8. Formatting
1. Planning: (“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!”)
● How do you want your poster to be?
● What do you want to eliminate from all the
information you have?
● Distribution of blocks of texts, figures and tables?
● Landscape or portrait?
● Deadline?!

9. Formatting
2. Color and Font:
● Pale background (white preferably) with dark
colored text.
● Do not use pictures as background.
● Keep text sizes uniform and consistent with
clearly visible fonts (24 normal typeface).

10. Formatting
3. Title and headings:
● Brief (<25 words) and self-explanatory.
● Title: 54 - 72 bold typeface.
● Subtitle: 32 bold typeface.

11. Formatting
4. Layout: (Poster should be visually appealing and
harmonious.)
● Format it in a logical, columnar and linear fashion.
● Give only relevant details with minimal use of text,
keep it concise.
● Do not spread pictures, tables and graphs all over the
poster.
● Tables and figures simple and properly labelled (18
normal typeface).
○ Tables: Labelling above
○ Figures and pictures: Labelling below
● Graphs (no 3D) and bullets simple.

12. Formatting
Other important points:
● Be mindful of spelling mistakes.
● Build a good flow of information.
○ From top to bottom and left to right (“reader’s
gravity”)
● The reader should only spend 3 - 5 minutes on the
poster.
● Use short phrases - no full sentences.
● Do not include overly bright colors.
● Consider using appropriate softwares to ease your
work (Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Photoshop, Pixlr
Express).

13. Example of a Bad Poster

14. Conclusion
● In the end, a poster is just another means to convey a
particular information, which is composed of a short
title, an introduction to your burning question, an
overview of your novel approach, your results, some
insightful discussion of your result and some brief
acknowledgement and references.
● What makes it a good one is how you manage to capture
your audience’s attention through a well-designed and
captivating (without being too overwhelming) poster
that contains just the right amount of information.

15. Thank You For
Your Attention!