Undergraduate Symposium Poster and
Presentation Tips
Do:
• Use a shortened version of your abstract that still provides an overview of your work but
minimizes text.
• Use pictures to convey your results.
• Acknowledge any limitations of the research.
• Put your research in context.
• Include the date and location of your research.
• Use a text size that can be read on a poster and from a distance
• Ensure the fonts and spacing are used consistently throughout.
• Avoid jargon and spell out acronyms.
• Include accurate references and acknowledgements.
• Perform a spell check.
• Label your charts, graphs, and tables.
• Avoid dark backgrounds.
Don’t:
• Cram in too much information.
• Design your poster without checking the dimensions.
• Use low-resolution images.
Heading examples for research based posters
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Methods
• Analysis
• Objective
• Results
• Discussion
Heading examples for scholarly based posters
• Introduction
• Objective
• Theoretical Background and Hypothesis
• Methods and Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
PowerPoint Set-up
• If NAU is printing your poster, we require the use of PowerPoint. This allows the printer
operator to easily make any minor edits to improve the print quality.
• Page Size: 34 x 44 inches.
o Before you start to create your poster, please be sure to check that the page size
is set to 34 x 44 inches. To adjust the page size, go to “Design” and “Page
Setup” in PowerPoint to verify the correct page size.
• Remember, these layouts are only example templates. Other than the page size,
template elements are not fixed and you can manipulate them as needed. It is only
limited by your creativity!
• Your poster is a summary of your work. You don’t need to include every little detail.
Logos
• Large format NAU and college logos may be found at:
o https://nau.edu/marketing/discover-the-new-logo/
o http://www.physics.nau.edu/PosterLogos/
Fonts
• Stick with traditional fonts (Arial, Times New Roman, Garamond).
• Use italics or bold for emphasis, not for all of your text.
• Avoid ALL CAPS.
• Don’t use more than two fonts on your poster.
• Bulleted lists help draw attention to important points.
Charts and Graphs
• Create charts, graphs, and tables at a size equal to or slightly greater than the size they
need to be in the poster. Having to enlarge anything results in pixelation.
• Build tables in PowerPoint or import them from Word or Excel using the copy and paste
function.
Images
• Resize your images to the desired size before inserting them into the PowerPoint file
(this will save the printer hours of time).
• We recommend saving images in a .png format rather than .jpg or other formats.
Images in a .png format can be resized in PowerPoint without adverse effects on the file
size or the printer efficiency. To keep photos proportionate, hold the shift key down
while resizing the image.
Hints
• Use the grid lines to help keep your objects lined up.
• If you are going to use a background color or image, make sure to keep it light so that
the text is legible and to save printer ink. Posters with backgrounds cost an extra $10.
• Always be sure to examine the final poster at 100% zoom. Anything lower than 100%
zoom will not accurately show the text, objects, etc. in their true places.
How to Cite References
• Use a smaller font size for the references.
• For the proper way to cite references, go to:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/02/
Acknowledgements
• Remember to acknowledge any grants, internships, etc. that have helped to support
your research.
Printing
• Printing details: https://nau.edu/Provost/VPAA/Undergraduate-
Research/Undergraduate-Symposium-Poster-Preparation/
• Give yourself a deadline of at least one week prior to the event to get your poster
printed.
Presenting a Research Poster
You’ve been working hard on your research, collecting, sorting, and analyzing the data. So
what do you do with the findings? Maybe you’ll write an article down the road or present your
findings at a disciplinary conference.
By practicing how to speak about your research at the university level, you’ll be ready to speak
with others about your research at conferences, when you interview at other universities, or
when you interview for a job. Below are some helpful tips to help prepare you to talk to others
about your research.
Preparing
• Dress professionally. For the Undergraduate Symposium, business casual (nice slacks
or a skirt, a button-down shirt or blouse) will help you look and feel professional. Wear
comfortable shoes; you’ll be standing for quite some time.
• Practice beforehand. Become comfortable with your topic and have short answers
prepared that enable you to have a conversation with attendees who stop to learn more
about your work.
Welcoming Attendees
• Stay close to your poster, just off to the side. This gives passers-by the chance to step
in and look at an interesting graph.
• Smile and greet everyone who walks by. Look them in the eyes and ask if you can
share more about your research.
• “Prepare a brief oral synopsis of the purpose, findings, and implications of your work to
say to interested parties as they pause to read your poster,” writes Jane E. Miller in
Preparing and Presenting Effective Research Posters. Your synopsis (keep it to three
sentences!) briefly covers three topics: What you’re researching, your findings, and their
significance. You’re simply giving your audience a taste of your research—piquing their
interest so they’ll want to hear more!
Talking More about Your Research
• Keep the big picture in mind. When you’re working in the lab or reading in the archives,
you’re focused on the small (and exciting!) parts of your research that will help you
develop your conclusion based on your results. You may have just left the bench or
your desk to come present your poster, so your mind may be focused on the details.
Remember that your audience doesn’t have the background to be excited about the
details yet! Focus on the big picture so your audience can understand the significance
of your research first.
• Remember that attendees are not all experts in your field. How might you speak with a
professor or colleague from another department?
• Welcome others who step up to read your poster. When possible, position your body and
make eye contact with a newcomer so that he or she feels like part of the conversation.
Remember that you’re the link between your poster and the person who’s interested in
your story.
Interacting with Visitors
• Welcome feedback from attendees. If they ask a question that’s tangential to your
research, be open and friendly. Chances are good that the question is an attempt to
relate to your research.
• Scott W. Plunkett, professor of psychology at California State University, Northridge,
cautions presenters to stay clear of statements like, “My research isn’t about that.”
Instead, say “Hmm… interesting. Could you tell me more about why you think this?” Or
say, “That is interesting. I hadn’t thought of that. I will definitely consider that.”
Source:
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Office of Graduate Studies. Retrieved from
https://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/current/news/presenting-research-poster
