Suggested Presentation Guidelines

The Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence is a poster- or display-based forum. Each project will be provided 4x2 feet of table space. In addition to poster presentations, past Showcase presentations have included streaming videos on laptop computers, an aquarium, and a driving simulator.

The following guidelines are not rules for presentation at the Showcase; rather, they are meant as suggestions for preparing a poster presentation. Bear in mind that four feet of table space is provided for presenters. If your project presentation has special space or equipment requirements (e.g., electrical outlets), you must justify those on the Showcase application. The amount of assistance the Office of Undergraduate Research can offer in terms of space and equipment is extremely limited.

GENERAL AIM AND FORMAT

• Use the poster as a means for generating active discussion of your research. A poster is a graphically-based approach to presenting research.
• Limit the text to about one-fourth of the poster space, and use visuals (graphs, photographs, schematics, maps, etc.) to tell your story.

DESIGN AND LAYOUT SPECIFICATIONS

Mount the entire poster presentation on a foam-core board. The suggested dimensions of the board are no smaller than 3x4 feet and no larger than 4x5 feet. The poster does not necessarily have to fill the entire working area. Presenters are responsible for providing easels or other means of support for the poster. It is recommended that presenters use a tri-fold board.

• Orient the poster presentation in a landscape position (long dimension is horizontal).
• Position at top-center of the board a banner displaying your research title, name, and department (or class, if appropriate) (see Figure 1).
• Make it obvious to the viewer how to progressively view the poster. The poster generally should read from left to right, and top to bottom. Numbering the individual panels or connecting them with arrows are standard "guidance systems" (see Figure 1).
• Leave some open space in the design. An open layout is less tiring to the eye and mind.
  
  
  Figure 1: Conventional layouts for a poster. Long panel at top-center is title/author banner. Numbers and arrows can connect individual panels. Also, note the use of space between panels to achieve visual appeal. From: Carol Waite Connor, The Poster Session: A Guide for Preparation, U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 88-667 (Denver, Colo.: Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, 1988).

LETTERING

• Word-process all text (including captions). Print on plain white paper with a laser printer or inkjet printer.
• Use a minimum font size of 18 points so that the text can be read from three to five feet away.
• Use all capital letters for the title, if possible. A 70-point font size is recommended.

VISUALS

• Present numerical data in the form of graphs rather than tables (graphs make trends in the data much more evident). If data must be presented in tables, KEEP IT SIMPLE.
• Leave out or remove any unnecessary details. Visuals should be simple and bold.
• Make sure that any visual can stand alone (i.e. graph axes are properly labeled, maps have north arrows and distance scales, symbols are explained, etc.).
• Use color to enhance comprehension. Neatly coloring black-line illustrations with color pencils is entirely acceptable.
• Integrate the text and the visuals. Figures should be numbered consecutively according to the order in which they are first mentioned in the text.
• Consider briefly titling each visual (for example: Figure 1- Location of Study Area).

TEXT

• Keep the text brief. Blocks of text usually should not exceed three paragraphs (viewers won't bother to read more than that). Use text to: (a) introduce the project (What was tested, investigated, or created? Why was the project worth doing?); (b) explain visuals and direct viewers’ attention to significant trends or relationships portrayed in the visuals; and (c) state and explain the interpretations that follow from the project. In many cases, conclusions can be summarized in a bullet-point list.
• Consider including sections on future research plans or questions for discussion with the audience, depending upon the stage or nature of your project.
• Cite and reference any sources of information other than your own, just as you would do with a research paper. Ask your faculty mentor about the particular citation system that you should use (every discipline uses slightly different styles). Often a "References Cited" is placed at the end of the poster.

MISCELLANEOUS SUGGESTIONS

• Keep to the point, and don't try to cover too many details. Present only enough data to support your conclusions. On the other hand, make sure that you present sufficient data to support your conclusions. Simplicity is the key.
• Create a list of the visuals that you would use if you were describing your project with only the visuals. Write the text after you have created the list of visuals.
• Mat the components of the poster on separate pieces of colored poster board. This sets off the text and illustrations from the mounting board. Also, you can easily attach each component to the mounting board with pushpins or thumbtacks.
• Rehearse a brief summary of your project. Many viewers will be in a hurry and will want a quick "guided tour" of your poster. Don't be afraid to point out uncertainties in your work; this is where you may get useful suggestions.