How to make a poster

How to make a poster Hugh Possingham and Emily Nicholson The Ecology Centre www.uq.edu.au/spatialecology

Overview • We are all equally insignificant • You are only as clever as you appear • The three levels of communication • Three ways to describe a model • Use simple plain English, no jargon, no acronyms, minimise symbols • Don’t clutter • Have a happy smiley face

We are all equally insignificant • What do you remember from your last conference? What ideas? What person? Anything at all? • Conferences are the academic equivalent of the Regatta on Saturday night – an intellectual meat market. • What is a poster session all about?

You are only as clever as you appear • If a mathematician solves a problem in the forest, and nobody is there to see the problem solved, was it really solved? • All jobs involve doing something THEN TELLING SOMEONE WHAT YOU DID! • “In my thesis I discovered … “ – for taxi driver, vice-chancellor, big wig with salary for a post-doc

The three levels of communication • Attract the punters with something big and bold, sexy and simple (title, picture) • A quick scan – 40 seconds should reveal the main one or two points. This main point could be separated off (like and abstract) or it could come from reading the paragraph headings. • The three people in the planet that are interested need the detail – and how to contact you (use cards, handout).

Three ways to describe a model • Words • Pictures • Equations Different people respond to different kinds of communication – preferably use all three (don’t expect people to remember symbols)

Plain English • If someone does not understand one sentence or one acronym or one word, they will probably change channel • Don’t include endless equations no-one will read • You are presenting a summary: if they want more detail, they will ask • If you cant say something simply – maybe you don’t understand it yourself?

Don’t clutter • Overall the poster needs to be visually attractive • Balance text with other forms of communication • Ensure the easiest path for the eye follows the flow of the concepts. • Less text is better, space is good • Use colour sparingly for effect • Idiot-grams are good • Dot points are good • Use large text (28+ point) to read at 1m distance

Use idiot-grams

Little touches • Your photograph • Your card • A one-page A4 print-off of the poster to take away • Happy smiley face – like attracts like • Name, address, affiliations • Use consistent fonts (sans serif, e.g. arial, century gothic)

I would have made this bigger and bold Idiot-grams

How to make a poster