Characteristics of a Great Poster

Adapted from the University of Toronto

An academic poster is a carefully planned overview of your research summarizing what you did, how you did it, and what you learned. 

• Title length is concise, catchy, and uses language that your target audience can understand.
• Text is 'to the point' (recommended word count of about 1,000 words).
• Tell a story. 
• Headings should be readable from 4-5 feet away.
• Width of text boxes should be about 40 characters (11 words per line).
• Use of bullets and numbering lists makes the content easier to read.
• Effective use of graphics, color, and fonts.
• Consistent and clean layout.
• List of references; all images and figures must include citations and copyright notices.
• Include any acknowledgments, your name, and institutional affiliation.

Before and After: Consistent and Clean Layout

Source: The University of Texas at Austin

Online Resources for Planning Posters

This is a short list of websites about planning and designing academic posters; Google for more!

• Research Posters and Presentations,Tufts University
• Designing Conference Posters, Colin Purrington 
• Present Your Poster, North Carolina State University
• Guide to Creating Research Posters, the University of Texas at Austin
• Guidelines for Creating Accessible Printed Posters, the Association of University Centres on Disabilities