How to Prepare and Present a Technical Poster

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How to Prepare and Present a Technical Poster

• Tracy Volz
• tmvolz_at_rice.edu
• Cain Project
• Rice University

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Posters Present a Challenge

• Posters must be lean and clean
• Posters must stand alone
• Audiences come and go

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Todays Plan

• Review and apply design principles
• Promote your News

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Whats The News?
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Whats YOUR News?

• What problem are you solving?
• What are your results/conclusions?
• What sets your work apart?
• New theoretical approach / methods /
  interpretation of data
• Why does your work matter?
• How can your work be applied?

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Connect with the Audience

• Why are they interested?
• What are their backgrounds?
• How will they benefit?
• What are their questions?

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Support for The News

• Rank info MUST / Good / nice
• Include the MUST
• Add some Good
• Save nice details for discussion

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Make The News Accessible

• Include problem stmt/obj or abstract
• Use specific headings
• Reduce jargon

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Visualize The News
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VISUALIZE The News

• Is it problem / solution?
• Is it an image?
• Is it a contrast? (old vs. new)
• Is it a demonstration?

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Relate News to Layout

• Match visualization to layout
• Left-to-right flow in vertical columns
• Left-to-right flow in horizontal rows
• Centered image with explanations
• Two fields in contrast

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L-to-R Flow in Vertical Columns
Title Authors

• Flows top to bottom, left to right

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Title Authors

• Results

Methods

• Problem

• Table 1

Fig 2
Goals
Conclusions
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L-to-R Flow in Rows
Title Authors
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
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Centered Image Explanations
Title Authors
Abstract
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Two Fields in Contrast
Title Authors
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Guide the Reader

• Scale expresses relative importance
• Indenting shows subordination
• As in this example
• White space directs gaze
• Color adds emphasis or coherence

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Font Style and Size

• Title (6 8 words)
• Sans Serif
• 90 - 120 pt
• Headings (3 words)
• Sans Serif
• 36 - 48 pt
• Text
• Sans serif
• 30 - 36 pt.

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Principles of Explanation

• Introduce figure beforehand
• Discuss figure afterward
• Tag images with explanations

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If you design a poster that looks like this . .
.
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your audience will react like this
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Fat Text - - to - - Lean Text

• The ideal anesthetic should quickly make the
  patient unconscious but allow a quick return to
  consciousness, have few side effects, and be safe
  to handle.

• Ideal anesthetics
• Quick sedation
• Quick recovery
• Few side effects
• Safe to handle

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Details Matter!

• Check for consistent formatting
• Check grammar spelling
• Use a correct bibliography
• Give credit to others
• Include contact info

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Problems Producing Visuals

• Size
• Colors
• Labels
• Units
• Chart junk
• Significant figures and error bars

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Graph -- draft
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Graph -- final
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Occupancy Rates 2003
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No Overall Change in Occupancy Rates 2003
North tower
West tower
East tower
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Present The News
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SHOW What You Know!

• Prepare 1, 2, and 5 minute talks
• Begin by summarizing News
• Reinforce key findings
• Catch up newcomers quickly
• Ask audience questions

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Communicate with Confidence

• Talk to audience
• Stand up straight
• Integrate gestures

• Use voice to convey enthusiasm
• Adjust pacing