Tips for Creating a Successful Poster

• Think prompt, not product. Posters are summaries, meant to encourage discussion. Use handouts for large amounts of text material.
  
  
• What's the story? You know the purpose of your poster. What do you want the poster to be about? What message do you want viewers to take home?
  
  
• Make a map. Start with the topic, then sub-topics/key points, followed by supporting topics for each sub-topic. Decide which you really need in order to convey the take home message.

• Show what you did or plan to do. Use visuals whenever possible (illustrations, tables, graphs, charts, diagrams, pictures, photos, etc.) to present ideas. Text should supplement the graphic materials.

• Sketch a design. Make it simple in terms of placement and size of elements. Use diagrams, arrows, and other strategies to direct the attention of the viewer.

• Use title and visuals to hook people. They'll read the rest if interested. Make the title brief, easy to read/find. This will often be the first thing people see.

• Balance the elements. Avoid centering everything. Keep in mind the overall picture and the way you want viewers' eyes to move - the visual flow.

• Text, lettering, and graphics large enough to read. Element size (heading, graph, text) should relate to its importance. Use clean fonts readable from six feet. Sixteen point font is a minimum for good legibility.

• Capitals and lowercase lettering are most legible. Chose one font and use it throughout. Add emphasis using boldface, underlining, and color.

• Use color selectively and consistently. Let color communicate meaning (ex. green for student data, blue for faculty). No distracting backgrounds.

• Be creative. Your audience is not the same as it would be at a disciplinary conference and you don't have to use disciplinary formats.

• Use one piece of poster board. Don't overwhelm your audience with material.

• Power point belongs on a screen. Enough said.

• Proofread early and often. Never enough said.

• Think prompt, not product. In case you didn't get it the first time. Posters are summaries, meant to encourage discussion. Use handouts for large amounts of text material.