On Friday, April 19, 2024, the Wittenberg community will come together for the Connections Symposium to recognize the academic accomplishments of Wittenberg students and highlight experiential learning opportunities. Student presentations will include panel discussions, oral presentations, artistic performances, and poster presentations by individual students or groups.
Poster presentations are an opportunity for students to present research or other content in a visually appealing and engaging way while interacting directly with the audience. Posters can be up to 48” wide and 36” tall (4’ x 3’). A tri-fold poster board will be provided to attach your poster to during your 50-minute poster session.
- All students presenting a poster at the Connections Symposium can have their poster printed at no cost by submitting a .PDF of their finalized poster through this form no later than 5:00pm on Friday, April 12, 2024.
How do I design my poster?
Designing an academic poster can be an intimidating task, especially if you have never created one before. You can find many helpful guides for creating an academic poster online (1, 2), but also have some general recommendations on how to design an effective poster presentation:
- Start with a clear outline: Before designing your poster, it is helpful to create an outline that includes the main sections and information that will be included. This will help ensure that your poster is organized and easy to follow.
- Use a simple and easy-to-read format: Avoid cluttering your poster with too much text or visuals that could be overwhelming. Use a clear and legible font, with a size that is easy to read from a distance – bigger is better!
- Use visual aids: Graphs, charts, images, and other illustrations are a great way to communicate complex ideas and data. Ensure that they are appropriately labeled and easy to understand.
- Focus on the key message: Avoid going into too much detail or including unnecessary information throughout your poster. The title should be clear and concise, conveying the main idea or finding.
- Practice the presentation: Practicing your presentation beforehand can help ensure that the information is communicated effectively and confidently. Consider preparing both a short (30 seconds) and long (1-2 minute) version of your “elevator speech” or synopsis of your poster.
In recent years, traditional academic poster designs have been criticized for using too much text and presenters are increasingly encouraged to create more visually engaging and appealing posters. Some designers even recommend that an effective research poster should have fewer than 250 words in total! Your poster should ideally be a visual summary of your message that is attention grabbing and easy for the audience to understand.
What software can I use to create my poster?
Microsoft PowerPoint is commonly used to create academic posters. As a Wittenberg student, you have access to both the online and downloadable versions of PowerPoint through Office 365. You can find PowerPoint templates for traditional posters and alternative designs online, or you can design your poster from scratch. Make sure your slide size is set to 48 inches wide by 36 inches tall so your poster will print correctly. You can save your poster created in PowerPoint as a .PDF by using the export menu.
Canva is an online graphic design tool that you can also use to create your poster. If you search for “research poster” on Canva, you can find a variety of different templates that can be customized for your poster. If you use Canva, you should use the resize option to set the dimensions of your poster to 48 inches wide by 36 inches tall. You can use the share menu to export your poster as a .PDF.