Presenting in the Sciences : A Guide

Your poster is similar to the Abstract section of a research paper. It is a short story providing enough information so that viewers will understand the purpose, methods, results and overall conclusions of your research. 

Some Tips on Designing a Scholarly Poster

• Have an eye catching title - Use a title that is clear, intriguing and short enough to capture their attention
• Use figures or tables responsibly - Use tables or figures if they concisely and clearly summarize your work. 
• Use text sparingly - Avoid cluttered text in a small or hard to read font. Every word counts. 
• Keep it visual - Use high resolution images and figures. Use a scale bar to show size if necessary
• Use colors but sparingly - Do not go overboard with colors (also costly). Ensure your color choices are easy to read.
• Use clear headings - Label your introduction, results, methods, conclusion so it will be clear to readers.
• Organize sections logically - Organize the sections in a logical, easy to navigate manner. 
• Don't clutter the poster - White space and breathing space between sections are your friends.
• Don't forget your acknowledgments section - acknowledge any funding agencies and collaborators 
• References are important - The reference list for your poster will probably be short, so don't leave it out!
• Contact information - The abstract is just a sample of your work. Make sure your contact information is prominent so others can contact you in the future.

Inspired by: Cornell Center for Materials Research (n.d.). Scientific poster design : How to keep your poster from resembling an "abstract painting". Retrieved September 15 2014 from http://www.cns.cornell.edu/