Posters are an excellent opportunity to showcase your work, stimulate feedback and build your research network. But most contain too much text and don't communicate their message clearly. In our recent Insider's Insight we provide some instructions how to produce great posters [1]. In brief:
Creating an effective poster for a scientific conference requires a balance between content clarity, visual appeal, and engagement with your audience. Here are the top 10 tips to help you create an impactful scientific poster:
Keep it simple and focused: Choose a clear and concise title that communicates the essence of your research. Your poster should focus on one key message or central finding, avoiding excessive information. Attendees will only spend a few minutes looking at your poster, so the message must be immediately clear.
Use a logical structure: Organise your poster like a scientific paper, with sections for Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Make sure the flow is intuitive so viewers can easily follow your narrative. Use headers and sub-headers to guide the reader through your work.
Limit text, maximise graphics: Avoid overwhelming the viewer with too much text. Limit paragraphs to a few sentences, and aim for 20-30% of your poster to be text. Instead, emphasize data visualization. Use graphs, charts, and images to present complex information quickly and clearly.
Prioritise readability: Use large fonts (at least 24-32 pt for body text and larger for titles) so your poster is readable from a distance. Stick to clean, sans-serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica, which are easier to read than decorative fonts. Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colours.
Optimise colour usage: Use colours strategically to highlight key sections or data points but avoid using too many colours that could distract from the content. Stick to a simple color palette with 2-3 primary colors. Ensure colourblind-friendly options are considered, using contrast instead of colour alone to differentiate data.
Include high-quality visuals: Ensure all images, graphs, and charts are high-resolution so they don’t appear pixelated when printed. Graphics should be self-explanatory, with clear labels and legends. Use infographics where appropriate to simplify complex ideas.
Align elements and use white space: Create a visually pleasing and organized layout by aligning text boxes, images, and graphs consistently. Use white space effectively to separate sections and avoid clutter, making the poster easier to navigate. A clean design helps guide the viewer’s eye and prevents overcrowding.
Engage with a strong introduction and conclusion: Start with a brief introduction that explains why your research is important and what gap it fills. End with a clear conclusion or key takeaways that leave the viewer with a lasting impression. Avoid vague statements and be explicit about the implications of your work.
Prepare for interaction: Include your contact information or a QR code linking to further resources or your research paper. This allows interested attendees to follow up after the conference. Additionally, have a short pitch prepared for when people approach you at the poster session to explain your work succinctly.
Proofread and test: Double-check for grammar, spelling, and consistency errors before printing. Ensure all figures, legends, and labels are accurate and make sense. Once your poster is designed, print a smaller version and test it by viewing it from a few feet away to ensure that all elements are readable.
Anyone can read the many guidelines on what makes a great poster, but can they produce something that looks professional and clearly communicates your message? To engage your audience be bold and explicit, making the strongest statements your data will support. Make it easy for conference attendees to contact you after the meeting. Have your contact details clearly displayed on your poster and handouts - and don't forget the obvious - stand by your poster and encourage visitors to talk with you about your research.
By following these tips, you can create a compelling, visually appealing scientific poster that effectively communicates your research to a conference audience. Our guide also points you to useful online and our free poster templates (portrait and landscape) as well as our poster design selector.
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