Design Process

This section provides tips on planning and executing an effective poster.

Preparation | Create Your Poster | Print Your Poster

Preparation

Decide to do a poster

A poster can be an effective means of presentation at meetings, conferences or in a classroom setting.  By creating a poster you can communicate your main points in a succinct and visual manner, allowing you to clearly present your research to others and engage your peers in conversation.

Find out the requirements

Different types of poster projects may have different requirements.  For instance, if you are preparing a poster for a conference, research the poster submission guidelines.  Is there a deadline for submitting your abstract? Do the guidelines include specific requirements for layout or content?

If you are preparing your poster for a class project, read the requirements on your syllabus well before your completed poster project is due.  

Choose a Topic

Choose a topic that is not only interesting, but one that you feel can be communicated well in a poster.  When choosing a topic for your poster, remember that you will not be able to fit all of your research on the poster and you should therefore choose a topic that allows you to present each of your points clearly and succinctly.

Write an Abstract

If you are preparing your poster for a conference you may be required to present an abstract in which you briefly present your concept in paragraph form.  If you are preparing your poster for a conference, check to see if you should follow a specific structure or template.