Academic conferences can be exciting yet intimidating, especially when you're presenting for the first time. Poster presentations are a staple at such events, offering a unique platform for budding researchers to share their work, engage in discussions, and network with peers and experts in similar areas. Here's your guide to making a lasting impression with your poster at the PECC conference.
Understanding the Purpose:
A poster is not just a summary of your research; it's a conversation starter and a visual story. Your goal is to package all the information of your research in ways that are accessible and intriguing to a diverse audience when they stop by to glance at the poster. Your audience should be able to look at your poster and walk away with a summary of what your research is about. Some might stay around to ask questions for the juicy details.
Get the Size Right: Academic conferences can vary in the sizes or layouts (e.g., landscape vs. portrait) of the boards that they offer; it is always good to check with the organising team. In the UK, the common layout is portrait. At PECC, we recommend that presenters go with A1 portrait size (you can scroll down the find an A1 portrait template in the link here: https://www.posterpresentations.com/free-poster-templates.html)
Clarity is Key: Use clear, legible fonts (and font sizes!) and a well-organised layout. Prioritize your content—title, abstract, introduction, methodology, results, and conclusion.
Visual Appeal: Incorporate charts, graphs, and images to break up text and illustrate your points. But beware of clutter—every element should serve a purpose.
Be Bold and Brief: Highlight your most compelling findings. Use bullet points and short sentences to keep your text concise and digestible. “Fewer words, more pictures” is a good mantra to follow; however, make sure whatever images you put in your poster are relevant to the content you are delivering.
Extra tips:
Use QR codes to share links to preprints, examples of stimuli, or supplementary information
Use a smaller font size for your reference list, but make sure they are still legible for someone who looks for that information
When you are at your presentation:
Prepare Your Pitch: Have a succinct explanation of your work ready—think of it as an "elevator pitch" for your research. Practice it!
Engage, Don't Recite: Be ready to flex your discussion based on the viewer's knowledge level. Encourage questions and be enthusiastic about your answers.
Professional Yet Approachable: Dress smartly but comfortably. We have sent out a previous blog about this. Stand to the side of your poster to invite people in, not block them out. Make eye contact, smile, and invite passersby to take a closer look.
Know Your Stuff: Be prepared to delve deeper into your methodology or discuss the implications of your findings.
Extra tips:
Have something to hand out, like a business card or contact slip, so interested individuals can contact you later.
Feel free to visit nearby posters, ask questions, and exchange ideas. Remember, networking is a two-way street.
Your first poster presentation is as much about learning as it is about showcasing your work. Enjoy the experience, take notes on what works well for others, and don't be too hard on yourself. Every researcher has a first time. Make yours count and let your passion for your research shine through at PECC!