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Guidelines for Poster Presentations

Guidelines for Poster Presentations

Poster Size:

All poster presentations must be 3x4 feet (36x48 inches) and displayed in landscape format.

Required Elements for a Poster Presentation:

  1. Heading/Title- (Recommend 36-42 point font)
  2. Identification- (Recommend 28-32 point font)
    1. Names of students and Mentors
    2. Department name
    3. McNeese State University, Lake Charles, Louisiana
  3. Section Headings- (Recommend 24 point font)
  4. Abstract
  5. Body- (Recommend 18-20 point font); some presentations may include introduction, background, history, materials and methods, graphs, tables, creative designs, pictures, photographs, images, results and discussions, conclusions/implications, future directions and acknowledgements, etc…
  6. Works cited/references- (Recommend 14-20 point font)

Legibility & Visual Impact:

Viewers usually stand 3-6 feet from a display. Thus, text and captions should be at least 18 point font and may be any style (italic font should be used judiciously).

Notes:

  • Posters should be readable- Posters should not be too complex or difficult to follow. Avoid complex graphs and tables with excessive numbers. An effective poster is a series of brief statements and supporting illustrations that tell a story. The "flow" of the story should be clearly indicated.
  • Posters are not manuscripts- Every poster needs supporting text, but this should be limited to essentials. An effective poster presentation does not mimic a manuscript- LIMIT THE PROSE.
  • Posters are not oral presentations- A poster should be self-explanatory. Viewers should be able to follow and understand the presentation when the author is not present.