Suggestions for Preparing Effective Posters

For Participants in the Poster Sessions at the 2007 Meeting of the Psychonomic Society,
Long Beach, California, November 15–18, 2007

General Information

A poster presentation should be self-explanatory, allowing different viewers to proceed on their own while the author is free to supplement and discuss particular points raised in inquiry. The poster session offers a more intimate forum for information exchange than does the traditional spoken presentation, but discussion becomes difficult if the author is obliged to spend most of the time merely explaining the poster to a succession of visitors.

Poster Dimensions

The area available for each poster presentation is 8 ft wide x 4 ft high (2.44 x 1.22 m).

Abstract Numbering

You will note that the abstract number assigned to your poster is a 4-digit number. The first digit codes which session you were assigned to (1–5). The last 3 digits range between 001 and 120. These digits code your poster location (i.e., 001 is poster #1 within the session; 002 is poster #2, etc.). The boards will be grouped serially in the room to help participants locate specific presentations.

Before The Meeting

Title
Prepare a banner for the top of your poster indicating the title, authors, and affiliations. Lettering in the label should be at least 1 in. (2.54 cm) high.

Illustrations
Figures should be designed to be viewed from a distance, and should use clear, visible graphics. Although each figure should illustrate no more than one or two major points, figures need not be simple. The main points should be clear without extended viewing, but detail can be included for the knowledgeable viewer. Remember that the time spent at each poster figure is determined by the viewer, not by the presenter, as in the case of a slide presentation in a spoken session.

Each figure or table should have a heading of one or two lines in large type stating the “take-home” message. Detailed information should be provided in a legend below in smaller type. Because there is no text accompanying a poster, the figure legend should contain commentary that would normally appear in the body (Results and Discussion) of a manuscript. It should describe concisely not only the content of the figure but also the conclusions derived from it. Details of methodology should be kept brief and should be placed at the end of the legend.

Layout
Materials should be mounted on colored poster paper or board. It is helpful to group logically consistent sections of the presentation on the same background color. Muted colors provide an effective background. Use thin mounting board. Heavy board is difficult to keep positioned properly.

Arrange materials in columns rather than in rows. It is easier for viewers to scan a poster by moving systematically along it rather than by zigzagging back and forth in front of it. An introduction should be placed at the upper left and a conclusion at the lower right, both in large type. The sequence of illustrations should be indicated with numbers or letters at least 1 in. high, preferably in bold print. (Omit “Fig” or “Figure”; it is unnecessary and occupies too much space.)

You may find it convenient to have a separate section describing methods, but it is quite effective to include this information as part of the data presentation, as described above. Carefully chosen photographs of apparatus, or schematic diagrams of procedures, can convey a great deal of information about methods without much text. Most viewers will tend to skim or ignore long textual passages.

At The Meeting

General
The formal poster sessions will last for 1.5 hours. Poster Session I will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Poster Session II at noon on Friday, Poster Session III at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Poster Session IV at noon on Saturday, and Poster Session V at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. All poster sessions will be held in the Ballroom of the Americas, and will be in conjunction with a cash bar/reception for the evening sessions. The presenting author should be at the board during the formal session.

It is suggested, but not required, that the presenting author bring a one-page handout conveying the essence of the poster and a means for interested parties to contact the presenter outside the confines of the meeting. It is often difficult to visit every poster of interest, and providing a handout of the sort described is one way of maximizing the audience for the poster, and facilitating information exchange about it.

Mounting the Poster
Due to the tight scheduling of poster sessions again this year, it is imperative that each presenter observe the following schedule for mounting and removal of poster materials. No exceptions to the times given can be made.

Thursday evening session: Posters should be mounted by 4:00 p.m. and should be removed at the conclusion of the session the same evening.

Friday noon session: Posters must be mounted on Friday morning by 9:00 a.m. and should be removed at the conclusion of the session at 1:30 p.m.

Friday evening session: Posters must be mounted between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon. Posters should be removed at the conclusion of the session at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday noon session: Posters must be mounted on Saturday morning by 9:00 a.m. and should be removed at the conclusion of the session at 1:30 p.m.

Saturday evening session: Posters must be mounted between 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. All posters must be removed as soon as the poster session is concluded at 7:30 p.m. because SJDM will be placing their posters on the same boards shortly after our poster session is concluded.

Materials are fixed to the tack board by pushpins. Plan to bring sufficient pushpins for your presentation. Please do not write or paint on the tack boards. You may find it useful to have on hand a tablet of sketch paper and suitable drawing materials. Note that projection equipment and electrical outlets are not available in the poster session area.

Let me know if you have any questions about the arrangements for the poster sessions. I am looking forward to seeing you in Long Beach.

Robert Lorch, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer
Dept. of Psychology
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0044
(859) 257-6826
rlorch@uky.edu

Acknowledgment: These suggestions for preparing an effective poster, including the suggested poster layout, are adapted with permission from materials circulated by the Society for Neuroscience.