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Creating an Academic Poster

This guide provides the essential steps to create an impactful academic poster.

Creating an effective academic poster involves carefully considering several key elements to ensure clear and engaging communication. We focus on these five elements because they are the most significant and easiest to apply when designing an academic poster.  

Clear Layout and Organization 

How can you arrange your content to ensure the information flows logically and is easy to follow? 

  • Organize your content in a clear, logical order.  

  • Group related information together. 

  • Use clear and distinct headings to separate different sections and guide the viewer through your poster. 

  • Use numbering or arrows if linked content should be read in a particular order. 

  • Utilize white space and ensure all elements are well-aligned and balanced to avoid clutter and enhance readability. 

Concise and Informative Content 

What are the most critical points of your research that must be included to convey your main message effectively? 

  • Focus on the main points of your research, ensuring the essential information is easy to find and understand. 

  • Combine text and visuals to convey your message effectively. Use bullet points or short sentences instead of long paragraphs. 

  • Strike a balance by avoiding oversimplification (too little useful information) and overcomplication (too much information). 

  • Ensure that the content is presented clearly and simply to enhance comprehension. 

Effective Use of Visuals 

How can you use diagrams, graphs, or flowcharts to simplify and visually convey complex information in your poster? 

  • Use diagrams, graphs, or flowcharts to visually explain complex information. 

  • Ensure every graphic has a clear purpose. 

  • Identify a focal point to draw viewers in, whether it's a key diagram, flowchart, or a clear main title. 

  • Ensure all images and graphics are high-resolution (at least 300 dpi) to avoid pixelation when printed.  

  • Make sure all visuals are well-labeled and include legends where necessary to facilitate easy interpretation of the data. 

Readable Typography 

How will you choose and maintain consistent, clear fonts to ensure your poster is easily readable from different distances? 

  • To ensure legibility at a distance, use around 70-100 pts for the main title, 40 pts for subheadings, and 24 pts for body text.  

  • Aim for a word count between 300 to 800 words. 300 words allows for more graphics, while 800 words results in a text-heavy poster. 

  • Keep it simple with no more than two fonts—typically one for titles and one for body text. 

  • Choose clear, legible fonts and maintain consistency throughout the poster. Sans-serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica are often preferred for readability. 

Thoughtful Use of Color 

How will you select a visually appealing and consistent color scheme to highlight important information and create visual interest? 

  • Ensure there is sufficient contrast between the background and text to enhance readability. 

  • Limit the number of different colors; a simple color palette can be very effective. 

  • Avoid unnecessary and distracting background textures or decorations. 

Examples of Posters Using the Elements of Poster Design 

Example poster

Free Editable Poster presentation Examples | EDrawMax Online. (n.d.). Edrawsoft. https://www.edrawmax.com/article/poster-presentation-examples.html

Example academic poster

Shearer, D. (2022, April 14). How to make a conference poster | Postgraduate life at Surrey. https://blogs.surrey.ac.uk/postgraduate-student-experience/2022/04/14/how-to-make-a-conference-poster/