Tips and Techniques for Creating Effective Posters in PowerPoint

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1 Tips and Techniques for Creating Effective Posters in PowerPoint -Message -Planning -Layout -Content -Color and Style -Peer Editing -Resources Mary C. Simmons, MAT BioMedical Communications Design Services and Digital Imaging Wayne State University School of Medicine DESIGN SERVICES & DIGITAL IMAGING 1367 Scott Hall

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3 Mary C. Simmons Manager Design Services & Digital Imaging BioMedical Communications School of Medicine Making Successful Scientific Posters KISS Keep It Simple Stupid An Effective poster is.. Focused on a SINGLE message Lets graphics and images tell the story Has a well-ordered sequence Define that message Know your audience Providing an Abstract Know the message Your field/closely related NOT ON THE POSTER/separate Be bold and explicit Make strong statements Provide context Use plain language Avoid jargon Description of work Describes the objective Briefly explain methods State your interpretations Interpret your findings State results, conclusions and recommendations MESSAGE DESIGN Requires planning, Art, Science, and attention to detail Planning Before starting work on your poster, consider message, space, budget, format (single sheet or multi-panel), and deadlines. Suggested schedule 0 Present poster -1 week Final print -1 week Make changes suggested by peers -1 week Distribute draft for peer review (round 2) -2 weeks Make changes suggested by peers -2 weeks Distribute draft for peer review (round 1) -3 weeks -3 weeks -4 weeks -4 weeks Edit your draft ruthlessly Create first draft of poster Plan out poster on scratch paper Define message and write an abstract (if you haven't already done so) 1

4 Focus Layout Content Stay focused on your message and keep it simple. Create a mock-up and dispense with unneeded details. Use a clearly defined visual grammar to move readers through your poster. Title, Authors, Affiliations Introduction (outline it) Methods Results (graphs, tables) Conclusion (discussion) quite boring but understandable Headings Graphics Use headings to orient readers and convey major points. Simple and appropriate graphics should dominate your poster. Minimal content yet effective Headings Video on YouTube Readability Text Text Minimize text use images and graphs instead. Keep text elements to 50 words or fewer. Use phrases rather than full sentences. Use an active voice. Avoid jargon (depends on audience) Text - Don t use ALL CAPs At least 24pt Viewable from 4ft Left-justify, avoid centering Use a Serif font for main body text Use a San-Serif font for main body Serif (e.g. Times) The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. San-Serif (e.g. Helvetica or Ariel) The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 2

5 Style Colors Editing Alignment Columns Colors can make a poster attractive and improve readability, but be cautious. Avoid dark backgrounds tiring to eyes Edit ruthlessly to reduce the amount of text and focus on a results-oriented message. Have peers review to help you. Stick to a theme of 2-3 colors What about those Images Demonstration Demonstration Don t use WEB graphics (poor resolution) JPEGs or TIFFs? Insert > Picture > From File Demonstration Templates, Logos, How-to Guides Resource: Creating Effective Poster Presentations Under Templates and FAQs section 3

6 I am never afraid of what I know. Anna Sewell ( ) was an English novelist, best known as the author of the classic novel Black Beauty BioMedical Communications 1367 Scott Hall 540 E. Canfield questions: medcom@med.wayne.edu Submit order: 4