Creating Effective Poster Presentations Using PowerPoint

1
Creating Effective Poster Presentations Using
PowerPoint

• Helene Hoffman, PhD
• Assistant Dean for Educational Computing
• Adjunct Professor of Medicine
• UCSD School of Medicine

2
Goals of An Effective Poster

• Communicates visually
• Serves as an illustrated abstract
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Attracts holds attention
• Makes it easy for readers
• Initiates discussion
• Is concise organized
• Focuses on a single clear message
• Successfully presents scientific / technical
  information
• Is not a journal article
• Stands alone if /when youre not there

3
Know Poster Session Rules

• Size of poster 3 x 5 (light weight paper, no
  mounting)
• Display environment Assigned board tape poster
  onto boards
• Length of poster session 2 hours (6-8 PM on
  November 15)
• When is set-up time? 330- 545 PM (Buffet opens
  515 PM)
• Need for author to stay with poster YES
• Other AV materials or computer allowed YES

4
Old Fashioned Approach Multiple Pages Mounted
on Single Poster Board
Pages mounted on poster board
Page matted with contrasting color, then mounted
on poster board
5
Modern Approach Single Panel in PowerPoint
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Construction

• Plan
• Page Set-Up
• Title, Author Institutional Affiliation
• Body Text Graphic Elements
• Rough Layout
• Refinement
• Color Scheme

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Plan Before you Begin

• Draft /edit text portions in word processing
  program
• Use plain language
• Pare down blocks of text ? 10 sentences
• Create subheadings
• Use phrases bulleted lists
• Save text font for poster (e.g., Arial 14)
• Collect images, graphs, etc.
• Create a storyboard
• Think in terms of columns
• Organize elements
• top ? bottom
• left ? right

3 x 5
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Set-Up Single PPT Slide

• PowerPoint limitations
• Custom page sizes up to 56 x 56
• Posters gt 56 x 56 must be constructed at 50 of
  final size
• To create a poster 5 x 3 (60 x 36)
• Open File gt New Presentation
• Open File gt Page Set Up
• Slide Sized for Custom
• Width 30 and Height 18
• Orientation (Slide) Landscape
• Click OK
• Format gt Slide Layout gt Title only
• Note You may get message current page exceeds
  printable area of paper in printer. Say OK
  ignore warning. You will not be printing full
  size on your desktop printer

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Title, Author Affiliation

• Title
• Click in Title Placeholder type (or cut /
  paste) Title
• Title font size 40-50 pts (80-100 _at_ full scale)
• Practice Poster Title Arial Black size 46
• Author / Affiliation
• Click in Title Placeholder
• Type (or cut paste) authors / institutional
  affiliation
• Select text change font smaller than Title
• Practice Poster Authors Arial size 28 bold
• Practice Poster Institution Arial size 21 bold
• Note You can usually expand the width of the
  Title text box if you are not going to add a logo.

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Insert gt Text Boxes

• Create text box
• Insert menu -gt select text box
• Use text box icon (I-bar)
• Add text
• Either cut/paste text from document
• Or type text directly into Text Box
• Position edit text
• View one text box only
• Use ?100 magnification in the Zoom Tool
• View entire poster
• Use the fit option in the Zoom Tool
• Select text change font
• Practice Poster text Arial size 14

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Ensure Text is Readable

• Try a typeface family
• e.g., Arial Black, Arial, Arial Narrow
• For emphasis
• Use bold, italics, or color
• Take care with underline, it now denotes a link
• Avoid script fonts ALL CAPS

Suggestions Title Authors Institution Text Body
Finished height 1.5 - 2 1 - 1.5 .5 - .75 .2 -.3
Readable from 25 15 10 4 - 8
Font size (_at_100) 80 - 100 pt. 70 - 84 pt. 36 - 48 pt. 20 - 30 pt.
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Insert gt Images

• Add picture
• Insert menu -gt select picture -gt select from
  file
• Browse to find picture and click insert
• Use PowerPoint image manipulation tools
• Reposition
• Resize
• Rotate
• Crop
• Use images ? 300 dpi
• Be careful with images from internet or captured
  from screen
• If needed, add a grey or black border (matting)

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Be Visual Maintain Balance

• Keep text neat uncluttered
• Limit text to 1000 words text boxes 11-15
  words wide
• Left justify to make it easier to read
• Use line spacing paragraph spacing to balance
  text
• Consider proportions
• 40 - 50 text
• ? 30 - 40 graphics
• ? 20 white space
• Balance margins white space
• Sides top margins 1.5 - 2
• Bottom margin slightly bigger gt good visual base
• Avoid crowding content

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Refine Text Layout

• Edit text pare down large text blocks
• Justify text
• Standardize column width
• Create section headers ( subheaders)
• Align borders of the elements in one column
• Group column elements
• Distribute columns across page
• Add logo footer (if necessary)
• If it doesnt help tell the story, dont use it!

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Add Color

• Format gt Slide Background
• Select color
• Keep contrast high between text background
• Complement poster content images
• Light backgrounds work well with dark photos
  graphic
• Dark backgrounds for light photos graphics
• Create section headers
• Insert gt Text Box
• Format AutoShape gt Colors Lines
• Try a semi-transparent layer under text
• Add AutoShape change color /transparency using
  Format AutoShape
• Move shape behind Text using Draw gt Order gt Send
  to Back

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Color Scheme

• Stick to a theme of 2-3 colors, no more
• Avoid stark white background
• Intense colors are only good as borders or
  emphasis
• Fluorescent lighting may intensify / alter bright
  colors
• If you select an image as background
• Use subtle image or text wont be readable
• Add semi-transparent layer between image text
• See method on previous slide

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Wrap Up

• Quality control
• Printing

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Ensure Quality Control

• Print a small version for feedback
• Use the Scale to Fit option in your printing
  dialog box
• If you cant read on 8.5 x 11 page, the text is
  probably too small
• Have a colleague proof all aspects of poster
• Make corrections or additions
• Redo areas that are unclear
• Edit ruthlessly
• Typically too much text on posters
• Sentences gt phrases or lists
• If it is not relevant to your message, remove it!
• Save back-up your work

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Printing

• Use professional large format printing service
• UCSD IMPRINTS (x 4-3020) or KINKOS (858-459-
  3043)
• Expect 48 hr turnaround
• Ask if print proof is possible
• Specify final dimensions of poster
• For example, size 60 x 36
• If working 1/2 scale, reiterate the poster to be
  printed at 2x the page size
• Price depends on options
• Paper stock
• Size
• Lamination
• Mounting
• Note A Color print (not laminated) 5.75 - 9.75
  / ft2

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Questions

• Helene Hoffman
• Office of Educational Computing
• 265 Medical Teaching Facility
• 858.534.5506
• hhoffman_at_ucsd.edu