Poster Boards

Volume 2, Issue 1

Fall, 2004

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Poster Boards and Poster Board Sessions
By Joel A. Trainor

Sigmoidal Veins

Introduction
As a student of geology, I will be required to give a presentation using a poster board for many of my upper level classes. Even though I have worked in the private sector for the last twenty-nine years, and have successfully given many presentations to a wide variety of audiences, my stomach still gets tied up in knots when I think about speaking in public. However, I have learned through the years that with proper preparation and careful attention to the design of your poster board you can significantly reduce your fear of public speaking. Creating a well designed poster board can be a significant aid to you during your presentation. Whether it is a presentation for Mineralogy, Petrology, or your future workplace, knowing how to give proper poster board presentations is important.

Situation
Just like many seniors, you are probably feeling really good now that you have completed your thesis and field work. You have spent countless hours cutting and polishing thin sections and you're probably glad you will not have to spend any more of your weekends looking through the optics of a polarized microscope. You have spent many exhausting nights compiling and sifting through reams of data looking for the golden data nugget that would be the foundation of your hypothesis. Now, all you have to do is to stand up before an auditorium full of professors who are eager to scrutinize your every word, and present the evidence supporting your hypothesis. No pressure, right? Maybe collecting sediment samples in a mosquito-infested swamp was not so bad after all! Probably just thinking about giving your presentation has already raised your blood pressure. Relax, you have made it this far; all you need is a little guidance on how to create a poster board and some tips on presenting your material to your audience.

Why Poster Boards?
I am sure most of you have heard the old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words," or the old Chinese Proverb , "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." Using graphic material helps your audience understand and remember what it is you are trying to convey during your presentation. A properly designed poster board can keep the audience's attention during the presentation and help keep you on track with your presentation. Just follow the simple steps outlined below and you will be able to design a poster board that will stand out from all the rest and capture the attention of your audience.

Step # 1 Choosing Images that Speaks Volumes

Like any important project, you should begin by identifying what it is that you want to communicate to your audience. Ask yourself, what is the main point of your research? At first glance picking images and graphs for your poster board may seem like a simple task. However, with the limited space available to you on your poster board, every inch counts. At this point it is best not to think about design. Just assemble the images, graphs, and tables from your work and lay them all out on a flat surface (DHS 1986). Using a critical eye, look carefully at each piece and assign it a priority. Now is the time to be critical and ask questions, such as, is this image or graph the centerpiece of my report? Can it stand on its own? Once you have found your main image, post it up on a wall or the refrigerator for a couple of days. This allows you a chance to think about your decision. Look carefully at the image. Can the image be improved by adding more graphics and less text? Lets take a look at a very creative and effective image designed by Dr Trupe a Geology Professor at Georgia Southern University.

As you can see, Dr. Trupe has created an image that provided his audience with a significant amount of information with very little text. What would have taken Dr. Trupe pages of text to explain, he was able to compress into one image. This is a good time to remind you of the importance of knowing your audience. To a lay person this image is a little bit overwhelming. However, to a geologist this is one very informative image that tells a complete story. Taking the time at this juncture to correlate and integrate images will greatly enhance your presentation and your professional image. Permission for use, obtained from Dr. Trupe and the Geological Society of America.

It is important to note that the use of a centerpiece is just one option. You can use the standard linear progression, starting with the first main image in the upper left hand corner of the poster board, and continue to the right as you would read a book (DHS 1986). Either method of design you choose, it is important to remember, that the poster board is not only a tool for gaining the attention of your audience, but it will also be a valuable aid for you during your presentation. It is also important to ensure that the images and associated text can be easily read from at least three feet away (ACE 1990). Furthermore, keep an eye on the scale of your image. You want enough image resolution to keep the image in the correct perspective. If you blow the image out of proportion the image will look grainy.

Now that you are sure that you have found the centerpiece or the starting point of your poster board, it is now time to select its supporting characters. These will be images that provides supporting evidence of your thesis and enhances your centerpiece or main image. Again, take your time and select items that will also aid you in your presentation. Once you have selected your centerpiece and supporting items, place them together on a flat surface. Leave them out on the flat surface for a few days. This will give you time to review your selections and placement at full scale. Trying to visualize what your poster board will look like on a computer is difficult. You should keep working on a flat surface to keep a proper perspective. So far so good. You are well on your way to create a great poster board. Now let's move on the step #2, Layout.

Step # 2 The Layout

Now, this is where your artistic talents come in, the layout. There really is nothing mysterious to laying out your information on a poster board. All you have to do is to just get it right! Ok, so it is not as easy as it sounds. However with a little basic graphics design knowledge you can do a great job.

First set your centerpiece in the center of your flat surface. Do not use any tape or adhesive at this point. There is a good chance that we will be moving things around on the board. Begin by placing the supporting images around your centerpiece. It is usually a good idea to start at the top and to the right of the centerpiece. It is important to note that no two poster board designs are alike and that there are really no hard and fast rules for the layout of a poster board. Your creativity is important in producing an original and unique poster board. However, with that said, you should try to make your layout follow your presentation in a logical manner (DHS 1986). When using your poster board, you will want to move around the board in one general direction and not in a crisscrossing fashion. This will help you and your audience during your presentation (Hodnett 1967).

Using your presentation as a guide continue laying out your images. It is important to keep your poster panels limited to around eight. Anymore than eight and your audiences will find it difficult to navigate your poster board. In some cases it might be helpful to use arrows between panels. This will provide direction to you audience. Remember that if your presentation does not lend itself to use a centerpiece, you can use the progression method starting with the first panel in the upper left moving to the right, just as you would read a book. Also you should keep the number of your graphs down to three panels (Robbins 1997). At this point review your panels for consistent fonts, text size and border thickness. Try to use a more horizontal format or landscape view for each panel. This is more pleasing to the eye. Check each panel to ensure that there are no unnecessary text. A good rule of thumb is to have no more that six words per line and no more than six lines per panel(DHS 1986). Also try to incorporate only one basic concept per panel. Lastly, make sure that the poster board is easy to scan and meets the objective of your presentation. If you have the time, leave the images on the flat surface for a few days and review as time permits.

Step # 3 Nailing it Down

Once you feel confident that you have optimized your layout you can begin to design your poster board on the computer using the Microsoft Power Point program. Begin by establishing your background color of the poster board. Try to use colors that complement your images and not clash with them. If possible use a neutral color such as white or beige. At the top of the poster board create an area for the title of your presentation and your name, school name and your email address. When creating the text try to fight the urge to use all uppercase letters. Using only uppercase letters will only make it more difficult to read, and experience has shown that audiences are able to read the text more quickly when both uppercase and lowercase are used. Also do not overuse italics; they make the text difficult to read at any distance greater that three feet. When possible, use a simple to read font, such as Times Roman with a minimum size of 26 - 32 point. Also, leave approximately 20 percent white space around each panel to ensure that the image stands out from the background (DHS 1986).

Now that you have designed your poster board on the computer, print it out in draft form first. This will allow you to see your poster board in full size and color while saving expensive ink for your final copy. Pin the draft copy up on the wall and study its form and flow. Does the poster board look like what you had envisioned? If not, use a red Sharpie® and mark up the poster. Imagine yourself running through the presentation using your poster board. Does if flow in a logical manner? Leave the poster up and seek opinions from your professors and peers. A fresh set of eyes can easily point out glitches with your images or text. Remember, now is the time to justify the existence of each image and word. Do they effectively support your presentation. Now is the time to be brutally honest. You may love that great looking whiz bang image, but does it really support your hypothesis in the best manner? Once you have reached consensus, printout a final copy of your poster board.

Now the easy part is done. You have a poster, but can you deliver the presentation? You are about the enter the scariest, most gut wrenching phase of your project, the delivery. However, with a little practice you can control your fear of public speaking.

Step # 4 Practice Makes Perfect

Your hands begin to sweat, your heart is racing out of control, beads of sweat trickle down your forehead as you stare out into the audience of geologist. How do you fight the flight response? With a lot of practice, that's how! There are very few natural born public speakers. So the first thing you should remember is that you are not alone. Many of the seasoned geologist who will be sitting in your audience has experienced those same feelings. So just relax, and follow these 5 easy steps:

Know your presentation inside out (Mambert 1976). Nothing gives you more confidence than knowing your material backwards and forwards. This is especially important during your presentation when you are under a lot of stress. It is easy to get rattled and lose your train of thought.

It is important to create and use an outline during your presentation (Mambert 1976). The outline can keep you on track by providing prompts at certain points during your presentation . However, it is important that the outline be abbreviated so that you will not become totally dependent on your written outline. Your outline should not contain any handout material or information that is read to the audience.

Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse. This is a must if you want to give a competent presentation. A rehearsal is not just a process of rope memorization, it is more a process of thinking through your presentation one step at a time. This process of thinking through your presentation allows you to develop support and proof for your hypothesis.

Use an auditor to review your rehearsal (Mambert 1976). This step is critical in critiquing your voice, movement and timing. You should use an auditor that has the necessary technical expertise and the objectivity to evaluate your rehearsal. Video recording your rehearsal is another tool that you can use to polish your delivery.

Harness Stage Fright. It is important for you to understand what causes these emotions and convert this energy to work for you (Wilder 1990). This again, takes practice, practice, and more practice. You can turn this excessive energy into enthusiasm, intensity, or positive energy by focusing on your message.

* These steps are crucial to the execution of a great poster board presentation. With practice you will be able to refine your message and delivery techniques. and control the natural emotion of stage fright.

Step # 5 D-Day

"According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy." Anonymous Quote

The day has arrived for you to give your presentation. It all comes down to how well you are prepared. Relax, and remember to concentrate on your message and and not the fact that you are speaking in front of an audience. Arrive at the site of your lecture early. Today is not the day to be late! As your audience arrives introduce yourself and engage in conversation. It is much easier to speak to an audience that you know and have spoken with before the presentation. Still feeling nervous? Put that nervous energy to work by being enthusiastic and energetic. When you are ready, put all that practice to use and deliver a professional presentation that will engage your audience. Below I have included some helpful web sites and references that you may want to consult .

Helpful Links

References

Effective Presentations, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Publication Number EP 25-1-91, August 1990
Guidelines for Poster Presentations, United States Department of Health and Services, Publication Number 1986-631-008124511
Effective Presentations, How to Present Facts, Figures, and Ideas Successfully, Edward Hodnett, Parker Publishing Company, Inc. , West Nyack, New York, 1967
High Impact Presentations, A Multimedia Approach, Jo Robbins, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. New York, New York, 1997
Effective Presentations, A Short Course for Professionals, W. A. Mambert, Wiley Professional Development Programs, John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, New York, 1976
The Presentations Kit, 10 Steps for Selling Your Ideas, Claudyne Wilder, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY, 1990

*The End*