Poster Presentation
Along with written research proposals, students will prepare poster presentations of their proposals.
What is a poster presentation? How does that differ from an oral presentation?
A poster presentation is a visual way of presenting your information, one where the poster does the majority of the "talking." An oral presentation, on the other hand, requires you to do all of the talking. The trick is to make your poster visually appealing and attention-grabbing, without becoming "cutesy" or overloading the viewer with information. While less formal than a paper presentation, poster presentations allow presenters to show highlights of their work in a brief format that encourages a wider variety of topics. The success of a poster presentation relies on the quality of the research and the effectiveness of the presentation style.
NOTE: This is not the same as creating a poster of your grade school project using magic markers, stencils, and cut-outs from magazines. This is a professional poster that follows a particular format noted in the links below. (Be sure to read the article on poster presentations in BB).
Why do I need to learn how to create a poster presentation?
Professional conferences often provide opportunities for poster presentations as an alternative to conference/workshop presentations for presenting research findings. Poster presentations are less threatening for those who may be a little nervous about preparing a formal presentation. Poster presentations also allow presenters to spend time with those who are truly interested in their research as compared to those who might know very little about their research.
What are the requirements for this poster presentation?
Students need to follow the formats suggested in the links below. All poster content must be typed with a minimum font size of 18 point. Posters must be easily read from a distance of at least 6 feet away, so plan accordingly. The poster can be no larger than 3 1/2 feet high and 5 feet wide. Your poster should be self-explanatory, so that you are free to answer questions and discuss your research with classmates and with the instructor. Prepare handouts highlighting the main points in your proposal for your classmates. Poster presentations are to follow the general outline of the Individual Research Proposal. Students need to prepare for a question-and-answer session about their research although the poster needs to make sense on its own without the need for verbal explanation on your part.. Review the Assessment Rubric carefully for more specific details.
Planning is very important when developing a poster presentation, so be sure to allow at least one week to prepare your poster presentation, if not more. Before beginning your poster, take some time to review the weblinks below :
