# Welcome to SMIRK Unit
9 - Posters

- General points
- Layout
- Titles
- Text
- Illustrations
- Back to main index

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SMIRK - Posters by Imperial College, Loughborough University, University of Worcester and EBE Learning Development Centre modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

# Posters

Don't think that a poster presentation is the easy option! There are many things to consider, not just the content; but the layout and design of the poster itself. Before you start, read this article by Dr Andy Kerr called Presenting your work at conferences in our online journal, Care. The guidance below is general, so you should also check your module handbook. If you need more help, then contact the Learning Development Centre within your school.

Layout
Remember that a poster is a visual presentation on your work, so as well as using text, you should include relevant graphs, charts, tables and images. You should select these carefully. The poster should not just be an enlarged copy of an abstract of your work, the viewer should be able to understnd it without any extra explanation.

- Use colours to attract attention (within reason!).
- Use graphs or tables to give information.
- Use pictures where suitable (remember to search for copyright cleared images available under creative commons license - the rules of plagiarism and copyright apply to images too!).
- Focus on major findings.
- Summarise implications and conclusions briefly, and in plain language.
- For dissertations include major sections: abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion.
- Sections should be labelled in a clear order.

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SMIRK - Posters by Imperial College, Loughborough University, University of Worcester and EBE Learning Development Centre modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

# Layout

#### General format

- Decide on the main message you want to give your audience.
- If the poster is about your project, check through your abstract once again - is it still accurate?
- Decide on the size of the poster (check the instructions in your module handbook).
- Check if you have everything you need for the poster. Do you have the data? How much time will you need to prepare it (tables, photographs, and so on)?

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SMIRK - Posters by Imperial College, Loughborough University, University of Worcester and EBE Learning Development Centre modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

# Titles

#### Title

Check your module guidelines but you will probably need to include: the title of the project, name(s), degree title, year of study and calendar year.

- The title should be readable from 5-6 metres away.
- Use abbreviations if appropriate and clear.
- There are no rules about positioning of the title. Decide if you will justify the text of the title to the left or in the centre. (Research has shown that the viewer's eyes tend to keep left when reading or viewing a page)

#### Title fonts

- Use a simple, easy to read font. A sans serif style, such as Verdana, Helvetica or Arial is ideal.
- Use boldface and CAPITALS for the title itself. Capital letters should be about 15mm tall.
- Use bold and mixed upper and lower case for the authors’ names.
- Use plain text (no bold) for main text
- Captions on figures and drawings should be 4 or 5 mm tall.

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SMIRK - Posters by Imperial College, Loughborough University, University of Worcester and EBE Learning Development Centre modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

# Text

Double-space all text, using left-justification; jagged right sides are easiest to read. The text should be large enough to be read easily from at least 2 metres away.

- Section headings (Introduction, Methods, and so on): use bold, 36 point.
- Supporting text (Introductory text, figure captions, and so on): use 24 point (bold, if appropriate).
- If you must include narrative details, keep them brief. They should be no smaller than 18 point in size, and printed in plain text. You might consider using a larger size (36 pt) for the Conclusion text, and a smaller size (18 pt) for Methods text. Try to fit blocks of text onto a single page: This simplifies cutting and pasting when you assemble the poster.
- For the same reason, consider using 11 x 14 inch paper in landscape mode when printing text blocks on laser printers.

Be consistent. Choose one font and use it throughout the poster. Add emphasis by using bold, underlining, or colour; italics are difficult to read.

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SMIRK - Posters by Imperial College, Loughborough University, University of Worcester and EBE Learning Development Centre modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

# Illustrations

Since a poster is a visual presentation its success depends on how clear the illustrations and tables are.

- Use diagrams, flow charts, arrows, and other strategies to direct the viewer. Do not just use text.
- The graphics should be self-explanatory and make up most of the project.
- Text materials should add to the graphic materials.
- Use empty space between text to separate and stress your ideas.
- Graphic materials should be seen easily from a distance of 1.5 metres.
- Use two or three colours.

Still confused? Visit your Learning Development Centre to discuss your ideas.

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SMIRK - Posters by Imperial College, Loughborough University, University of Worcester and EBE Learning Development Centre modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License