This document provides guidance on designing effective poster presentations. It discusses why poster sessions are conducted, including to summarize work, gain exposure and feedback. Key aspects of poster design are covered, such as using all the available space, limiting text, and telling a clear story. Design tools like PowerPoint, InDesign and Canva are recommended. Free image and design resources are listed. Poster printing services through the Russell Library are described, including size limits and pricing. Examples of well-designed academic posters are referenced. Presentation tips are offered, such as being prepared to discuss the work and asking questions of other presenters.

1. Russell Library: Spring 2016
Workshop:
Designing Effective
Poster Presentations
ALLPPT.com _ Free PowerPoint Templates, Diagrams and Charts

2. Poster Design
Why do we do poster sessions?
• Summarize our work
• Makes us competitive
• Exposure
• Feedback
• Networking

3. Poster Design
What should you know before you start?
• Audience
• Main message
• Required dimensions
• Vulnerability
• Determine which style, programs etc. you would like to u
se to create your poster.
• Keep in mind particular requirements for your field or
conference

4. The Basics
• A poster is a visual presentation. Do NOT reproduce your written paper
• The research should speak for itself. You shouldn’t have to explain your poster
• You want to catch the audiences attention
• It should showcase your original question and your findings
• Make sure title & authors name are prominent
• Include Contact Info & References
• Tell a Story – with a clear flow of information
• Be Brief and focus on major findings
• Use images, graphs, tables etc.

5. Design Notes
• Use all the space. White space is important
• Use color sparingly
• Clear – flow of information
• Clearly label diagrams/drawings
• Font size
• Keep word count as low as possible
• When representing GC: Always use. “Georgia College &
State University”

6. Design Tools
Poster Creation
Programs:
• Adobe InDesign*
• Microsoft Publisher
• Microsoft PowerPoint*
• Adobe Illustrator*
• Prezi
• Google Slides
• Haiku Deck
• Canva
• Quark
• GIMP
From a quality standpoint, either Adobe Photoshop or Adobe InDesi
gn would be the best program to use.

7. Free Resources
Images
Google Advanced Image search. Limit “usage rights”
Flickr Creative Commons – keep in mind the various licenses
Wikimedia Commons
MorgueFile – Free Photo Archive
Creative Commons Search – search multiple sites at once.
Pixabay – Free High Quality Images
Pexels – Free stock photos
FreeImages – 387,000_ Images

8. Design
Russell Library Resources
Poster Printing
Prices:
4 cents per sq. inch for high quality paper
2 cents per sq. inch for low quality paper
How big should my poster be?
The maximum size that can be printed on the color plotters in the
Library is 36 inches by 48 inches.
NOTE: If you have the option of setting the resolution (dpi) of your
poster, it is recommended that you specify at least 150 dpi.

9. Examples
Let’s Discuss
Website: Student Login
www. Socrative.com
Room Name: A531DD59

10. References: Graphic Design-Examples of Academic Poster
1

11. References: Research Poster Samples: FANSHAWE
2

12. References: Poster Samples-The Univ. of Texas at Austin
3

13. References: Poster Samples-The Univ. of Texas at Austin
4

14. References: Research Poster Samples: FANSHAWE
5

15. References: Poster Samples-The Univ. of Texas at Austin
6

16. References: Shannonbarniskis.com
7

17. References: Poster Samples-The Univ. of Texas at Austin
8

18. References: Graphic Design-Examples of Academic Poster
9

19. Additional Resources
• Lynda Software (Designing a Poster)
• 3D Printing
• Media Equipment Checkout
Video Cameras (GoPro, H2O, Panasonic P2)
Photography Cameras (Canon Powershots, Rebel etc.)
MP3 Recorders
Laptops and Calculators
Projectors
Sound Systems
Microphones
Tripods
Cables
Other Accessories

20. The Poster Session
Tips
• Be able to briefly explain your work.
• Ask questions.
• Be open to receiving feedback.
• Dress professionally, especially if you are a student. (Bu
t wear comfortable shoes and your nametag!)
• Smile and offer to answer any questions.
• Bring business cards.
• Bring a handout (if needed).

21. References
Re-use of this page
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Unported License.
Learning Technology and Innovation: LSE
Poster Design Tips: http://lti.lse.ac.uk/poster-design/
U of T Libraries: Posters and Presentations: http://guides.library.utoronto.ca/poster
s_presentations
Eastern Michigan Libraries: https://www.emich.edu/it/academic/poster/documents
/posterdesign.pdf
The University of Texas at Austin: Poster Samples:
https://www.utexas.edu/ugs/our/poster/samples
Graphic Design: Stack Exchange – Examples of Good Academic Poster Design htt
p://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/9452/examples-of-good-academi
c-poster-design
Fanshawe: Research Poster Samples: http://devwww.fanshawec.ca/research-poster-
samples
At the Same Time: ShannonBarniskis: http://shannonbarniskis.com/research-studie
s/