oral presentation and poster presentation in academic conferences

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Poster and oral presentations

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Poster and oral presentations are typically delivered to academic colleagues at conferences or congresses. Here are some best practices and resources to help develop the content and visuals for a high-impact poster, and plan and practice memorable oral presentations. 

The "Related Resources" on this page can be used to tap into Duke’s hub of templates, guides, and services to support researchers developing their presentations.

The Duke Medical Center Library has tips for things to keep in mind before working through the development of a poster presentation, and the Duke University Libraries' Center for Data and Visualization Sciences recorded a talk on preparing effective academic posters .

• Just like with any other publication, the specifications from the conference should be read and understood – there are often size limits or font requirements to keep in mind.
• A good title is critical for posters since presenters get just a few seconds to attract conference goers who are passing by. Make sure the title briefly and memorably portrays the most interesting or central finding of the work.
• Energy should be focused on a solid abstract, as the poster is simply a blown-up visualization of that summary.
• Less is more in poster design. Rather than shrinking fonts to fit the commentary, the commentary should be shrunk to fit the space on the poster, while retaining a readable font and plenty of white space.  

The Thompson Writing Program has great general guidance on oral presentations, summarized throughout this page. There are several training opportunities listed in this page's "Related Resources" that can help researchers at all stages to hone their presentation skills.

• Preparing for an oral presentation will take the majority of a researcher's time. The goal of the talk should be fully understood as typically no more than 3-5 key points will be covered in a presentation; the audience and the time allotted should be carefully considered.
• Consideration of “guideposts” for the audience should be given. It is especially important in oral deliveries that information is organized in to meaningful blocks for the audience. Transitions should be emphasized during the presentation.
• Rather than creating a word-for-word speech, researchers should create a plan for each section, idea or point. By reading written points, delivery can be kept fresh.
• To engage audiences, it is a good idea to make strongest points first, and in a memorable way. While background and introduction sections are common in academic presentations, they are often already known to the audience.

The Duke Medical Center Library has tutorials, best practices for general design, and strategies for a high-impact poster presentations. Bass Connections also provides guidance on poster design.

Some important things to keep in mind are:

• Keeping posters simple and focusing on two things: Strong visualizations and small blocks of supporting text. Remember the audience; they will be standing a few feet away. Make sure the content is visible from afar. 
• Follow brand guidelines from Duke or Duke School of Medicine . When representing Duke at a conference, it is best practice to align the presentation with institutional standards, including appropriate logos and color schemes.
• Avoid violating copyright protections. Include only images created specifically for this purpose, or use stock photography provided by Duke or other vendors.
• Visualizing data tells the story. The Center for Data and Visualization Sciences has workshops, consultations and other resources to ensure that graphical representations of data are effective.
• Poster presentations can be designed using a variety of software (PowerPoint, Illustrator, Keynote, Inkscape), and templates. When choosing software or templates, consideration should be given to accessibility and understanding by everyone involved in creating the presentation.   
• Contact information, citations and acknowledgements: On posters, key articles may be noted or images needing references included. For oral and poster presentations, key contributors should be recognized. Funding sources should also be mentioned on posters and in oral presentations.
• A link or QR code should be included for supplemental materials, citations, movies, etc.
• Before a poster is printed, someone with fresh eyes should review it! Reprinting posters is costly and can take time. There are many options for printing, some on paper and some on fabric, with production times varying. The Medical Center Library has some local options to suggest. 
• Practicing in a space that is similar to the actual presentation is a good idea, and doing so within the allotted time. Finishing early to allow good Q&A is also a good idea.
• Family, trusted friends, or colleagues can be great test audiences, and can provide valuable feedback.
• Preparation and practice should be started early and repeated often.
• If it is an important address, researchers may want to videotape a rehearsal run to review and improve performance.
• If a presentation is being digitized, release or permission forms may be needed. Duke has resources available via Scholarworks.
• Once a poster session or oral presentation has been completed, researchers should be sure to add it to their CV or biosketch.

Preparing oral and poster presentations for conferences

As a PhD student, attending conferences is an exciting part of academic life. Conferences are a chance to share your research findings, learn novel ideas or techniques and travel, whether that is locally, further afield or even internationally. A crucial aspect to conference attending is conveying your research to the wider scientific community, through either a poster or oral presentation.

Preparing your research to present at a conference is a balance. You need to include the same details as you would put in a paper or report, but make it concise to fit reasonably in a poster format, or within a specific talk length, such as 10 minutes. When writing a talk or poster for a specific conference, investigating the style and content of previous years abstracts may help to peg yours at a suitable level. Before you start, check the conference guidelines on oral presentation outlines, poster size, and orientation. Although most conferences allow A0 portrait posters, some are different and it’s advisable to check this before writing.

Preparing your poster

Generally, posters follow a bullet point style divided into four main sections:

• Introduction or Background
• Discussion or Conclusions.

However, there are some other areas of the poster that need attention too.

Firstly, a snappy title is a must. The title must cover the basic outline of the study, yet be intriguing, making the viewer want to read on. The title must be considered during abstract preparation, as whatever you name your abstract will be your poster title. Author names and affiliations sit below the title; the order of this can be important but must be agreed by your research group before poster publication.

The introduction covers the background details of the research involved, using current literature and references. The aims and objectives of the research must be in the introduction, and generally sits well at the end just before the method section to give a sense of flow.

Methods covers obviously what you did to achieve your results. It’s good to be aware of any ethical approval gained for the study, and noting participant numbers, genders and ages, statistical methods used and any chemical in their full unabbreviated names initially, with subsequent references to the ingredients by the standard abbreviations. If the method is tricky to explain, a diagram or photo may help to illustrate, and it is not necessary to repeat the methods in words.

The results section needs to cover all relevant findings. Tables or figures can really help show data, so be imaginative! You’ll need to include statistical p-values to show significances. Finally, the discussion or conclusion section highlights the key findings from your results in punchy language as a ‘take home message’. These need to be clear and concise, covering the exact findings and if possible the relevance of findings to the study and scientific community as a whole.

Oral presentations

For oral presentations the same headings should be followed, with clear simple slides. Keep the number of slides to a minimum to keep the length of the talk on track. A good guideline is around one slide per minute. Set the scene with a clear introduction to the work, indicating the relevance of the study to the general scientific community. Highlight the study aims and objectives, and unlike a poster, you may want to include a hypothesis for further clarity. Diagrams may also help to describe methodology, and helps to keep audience attention as they must listen to you fully to understand the technique.

Results can also be shown on graphs and figures; be careful with tables, as these can appear daunting to the viewer, unless you clearly highlight the numbers or significances of importance to your work. Throughout the results section explain what each experiment or figure means, what is the finding? This will help you lead directly into the conclusions, and you can repeat the key findings already covered in the results, and give a clear take home message to your audience.

And finally...

Whether you’re giving a poster or a talk at a conference, be confident. Who knows your work better than you? This will help you tackle any questions and comments posed, and give you a chance to meet fellow researchers and possible future collaborators. Project your voice, face your audience and above all enjoy yourself!

Dr Caroline Withers

Home Blog Design How to Design a Winning Poster Presentation: Quick Guide with Examples & Templates

How to Design a Winning Poster Presentation: Quick Guide with Examples & Templates

How are research posters like High School science fair projects? Quite similar, in fact.

Both are visual representations of a research project shared with peers, colleagues and academic faculty. But there’s a big difference: it’s all in professionalism and attention to detail. You can be sure that the students that thrived in science fairs are now creating fantastic research posters, but what is that extra element most people miss when designing a poster presentation?

This guide will teach tips and tricks for creating poster presentations for conferences, symposia, and more. Learn in-depth poster structure and design techniques to help create academic posters that have a lasting impact.

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

• What is a Research Poster?

Why are Poster Presentations important?

Overall dimensions and orientation, separation into columns and sections, scientific, academic, or something else, a handout with supplemental and contact information, cohesiveness, design and readability, storytelling.

• Font Characteristics
• Color Pairing
• Data Visualization Dimensions
• Alignment, Margins, and White Space

Scientific/Academic Conference Poster Presentation

Digital research poster presentations, slidemodel poster presentation templates, how to make a research poster presentation step-by-step, considerations for printing poster presentations, how to present a research poster presentation, final words, what is a research poster .

Research posters are visual overviews of the most relevant information extracted from a research paper or analysis.   They are essential communication formats for sharing findings with peers and interested people in the field. Research posters can also effectively present material for other areas besides the sciences and STEM—for example, business and law.

You’ll be creating research posters regularly as an academic researcher, scientist, or grad student. You’ll have to present them at numerous functions and events. For example:

• Conference presentations
• Informational events
• Community centers

The research poster presentation is a comprehensive way to share data, information, and research results. Before the pandemic, the majority of research events were in person. During lockdown and beyond, virtual conferences and summits became the norm. Many researchers now create poster presentations that work in printed and digital formats.

Let’s look at why it’s crucial to spend time creating poster presentations for your research projects, research, analysis, and study papers.

Research posters represent you and your sponsor’s research 

Research papers and accompanying poster presentations are potent tools for representation and communication in your field of study. Well-performing poster presentations help scientists, researchers, and analysts grow their careers through grants and sponsorships.

When presenting a poster presentation for a sponsored research project, you’re representing the company that sponsored you. Your professionalism, demeanor, and capacity for creating impactful poster presentations call attention to other interested sponsors, spreading your impact in the field.

Research posters demonstrate expertise and growth

Presenting research posters at conferences, summits, and graduate grading events shows your expertise and knowledge in your field of study. The way your poster presentation looks and delivers, plus your performance while presenting the work, is judged by your viewers regardless of whether it’s an officially judged panel.

Recurring visitors to research conferences and symposia will see you and your poster presentations evolve. Improve your impact by creating a great poster presentation every time by paying attention to detail in the poster design and in your oral presentation. Practice your public speaking skills alongside the design techniques for even more impact.

Poster presentations create and maintain collaborations

Every time you participate in a research poster conference, you create meaningful connections with people in your field, industry or community. Not only do research posters showcase information about current data in different areas, but they also bring people together with similar interests. Countless collaboration projects between different research teams started after discussing poster details during coffee breaks.

An effective research poster template deepens your peer’s understanding of a topic by highlighting research, data, and conclusions. This information can help other researchers and analysts with their work. As a research poster presenter, you’re given the opportunity for both teaching and learning while sharing ideas with peers and colleagues.

Anatomy of a Winning Poster Presentation

Do you want your research poster to perform well?  Following the standard layout and adding a few personal touches will help attendees know how to read your poster and get the most out of your information. 

The overall size of your research poster ultimately depends on the dimensions of the provided space at the conference or research poster gallery. The poster orientation can be horizontal or vertical, with horizontal being the most common.  In general, research posters measure 48 x 36 inches or are an A0 paper size.

A virtual poster can be the same proportions as the printed research poster, but you have more leeway regarding the dimensions. Virtual research posters should fit on a screen with no need to scroll, with 1080p resolution as a standard these days. A horizontal presentation size is ideal for that.

A research poster presentation has a standard layout of 2–5 columns with 2–3 sections each. Typical structures say to separate the content into four sections; 1. A horizontal header 2. Introduction column, 3. Research/Work/Data column, and 4. Conclusion column. Each unit includes topics that relate to your poster’s objective.  Here’s a generalized outline for a poster presentation:

• Condensed Abstract 
• Objectives/Purpose
• Methodology
• Recommendations
• Implications
• Acknowledgments
• Contact Information 

The overview content you include in the units depends on your poster presentations’ theme, topic, industry, or field of research. A scientific or academic poster will include sections like hypothesis, methodology, and materials. A marketing analysis poster will include performance metrics and competitor analysis results.

There’s no way a poster can hold all the information included in your research paper or analysis report. The poster is an overview that invites the audience to want to find out more. That’s where supplement material comes in. Create a printed PDF handout or card with a QR code (created using a QR code generator ). Send the audience to the best online location for reading or downloading the complete paper.

What Makes a Poster Presentation Good and Effective? 

For your poster presentation to be effective and well-received, it needs to cover all the bases and be inviting to find out more. Stick to the standard layout suggestions and give it a unique look and feel. We’ve put together some of the most critical research poster-creation tips in the list below. Your poster presentation will perform as long as you check all the boxes.

The information you choose to include in the sections of your poster presentation needs to be cohesive. Train your editing eye and do a few revisions before presenting. The best way to look at it is to think of The Big Picture. Don’t get stuck on the details; your attendees won’t always know the background behind your research topic or why it’s important.

Be cohesive in how you word the titles, the length of the sections, the highlighting of the most important data, and how your oral presentation complements the printed—or virtual—poster.

The most important characteristic of your poster presentation is its readability and clarity. You need a poster presentation with a balanced design that’s easy to read at a distance of 1.5 meters or 4 feet. The font size and spacing must be clear and neat. All the content must suggest a visual flow for the viewer to follow.

That said, you don’t need to be a designer to add something special to your poster presentation. Once you have the standard—and recognized—columns and sections, add your special touch. These can be anything from colorful boxes for the section titles to an interesting but subtle background, images that catch the eye, and charts that inspire a more extended look. 

Storytelling is a presenting technique involving writing techniques to make information flow. Firstly, storytelling helps give your poster presentation a great introduction and an impactful conclusion. 

Think of storytelling as the invitation to listen or read more, as the glue that connects sections, making them flow from one to another. Storytelling is using stories in the oral presentation, for example, what your lab partner said when you discovered something interesting. If it makes your audience smile and nod, you’ve hit the mark. Storytelling is like giving a research presentation a dose of your personality, and it can help turning your data into opening stories .

Design Tips For Creating an Effective Research Poster Presentation

The section above briefly mentioned how important design is to your poster presentation’s effectiveness. We’ll look deeper into what you need to know when designing a poster presentation.

1. Font Characteristics

The typeface and size you choose are of great importance. Not only does the text need to be readable from two meters away, but it also needs to look and sit well on the poster. Stay away from calligraphic script typefaces, novelty typefaces, or typefaces with uniquely shaped letters.

Stick to the classics like a sans serif Helvetica, Lato, Open Sans, or Verdana. Avoid serif typefaces as they can be difficult to read from far away. Here are some standard text sizes to have on hand.

• Title: 85 pt
• Authors: 65 pt
• Headings: 36 pt
• Body Text: 24 pt
• Captions: 18 pt

If you feel too prone to use serif typefaces, work with a font pairing tool that helps you find a suitable solution – and intend those serif fonts for heading sections only. As a rule, never use more than 3 different typefaces in your design. To make it more dynamic, you can work with the same font using light, bold, and italic weights to put emphasis on the required areas.

2. Color Pairing

Using colors in your poster presentation design is a great way to grab the viewer’s attention. A color’s purpose is to help the viewer follow the data flow in your presentation, not distract. Don’t let the color take more importance than the information on your poster.

Choose one main color for the title and headlines and a similar color for the data visualizations. If you want to use more than one color, don’t create too much contrast between them. Try different tonalities of the same color and keep things balanced visually. Your color palette should have at most one main color and two accent colors.

Black text over a white background is standard practice for printed poster presentations, but for virtual presentations, try a very light gray instead of white and a very dark gray instead of black. Additionally, use variations of light color backgrounds and dark color text. Make sure it’s easy to read from two meters away or on a screen, depending on the context. We recommend ditching full white or full black tone usage as it hurts eyesight in the long term due to its intense contrast difference with the light ambiance.

3. Data Visualization Dimensions

Just like the text, your charts, graphs, and data visualizations must be easy to read and understand. Generally, if a person is interested in your research and has already read some of the text from two meters away, they’ll come closer to look at the charts and graphs. 

Fit data visualizations inside columns or let them span over two columns. Remove any unnecessary borders, lines, or labels to make them easier to read at a glance. Use a flat design without shadows or 3D characteristics. The text in legends and captions should stay within the chart size and not overflow into the margins. Use a unified text size of 18px for all your data visualizations.

4. Alignment, Margins, and White Space

Finally, the last design tip for creating an impressive and memorable poster presentation is to be mindful of the layout’s alignment, margins, and white space. Create text boxes to help keep everything aligned. They allow you to resize, adapt, and align the content along a margin or grid.

Take advantage of the white space created by borders and margins between sections. Don’t crowd them with a busy background or unattractive color.

Calculate margins considering a print format. It is a good practice in case the poster presentation ends up becoming in physical format, as you won’t need to downscale your entire design (affecting text readability in the process) to preserve information.

There are different tools that you can use to make a poster presentation. Presenters who are familiar with Microsoft Office prefer to use PowerPoint. You can learn how to make a poster in PowerPoint here.

Poster Presentation Examples

Before you start creating a poster presentation, look at some examples of real research posters. Get inspired and get creative.

Research poster presentations printed and mounted on a board look like the one in the image below. The presenter stands to the side, ready to share the information with visitors as they walk up to the panels.

With more and more conferences staying virtual or hybrid, the digital poster presentation is here to stay. Take a look at examples from a poster session at the OHSU School of Medicine .

Use SlideModel templates to help you create a winning poster presentation with PowerPoint and Google Slides. These poster PPT templates will get you off on the right foot. Mix and match tables and data visualizations from other poster slide templates to create your ideal layout according to the standard guidelines.

If you need a quick method to create a presentation deck to talk about your research poster at conferences, check out our Slides AI presentation maker. A tool in which you add the topic, curate the outline, select a design, and let AI do the work for you.

1. One-pager Scientific Poster Template for PowerPoint

A PowerPoint template tailored to make your poster presentations an easy-to-craft process. Meet our One-Pager Scientific Poster Slide Template, entirely editable to your preferences and with ample room to accommodate graphs, data charts, and much more.

Use This Template

2. Eisenhower Matrix Slides Template for PowerPoint

An Eisenhower Matrix is a powerful tool to represent priorities, classifying work according to urgency and importance. Presenters can use this 2×2 matrix in poster presentations to expose the effort required for the research process, as it also helps to communicate strategy planning.

3. OSMG Framework PowerPoint Template

Finally, we recommend presenters check our OSMG Framework PowerPoint template, as it is an ideal tool for representing a business plan: its goals, strategies, and measures for success. Expose complex processes in a simplified manner by adding this template to your poster presentation.

Remember these three words when making your research poster presentation: develop, design, and present. These are the three main actions toward a successful poster presentation. 

The section below will take you on a step-by-step journey to create your next poster presentation.

Step 1: Define the purpose and audience of your poster presentation

Before making a poster presentation design, you’ll need to plan first. Here are some questions to answer at this point:

• Are they in your field? 
• Do they know about your research topic? 
• What can they get from your research?
• Will you print it?
• Is it for a virtual conference?

Step 2: Make an outline

With a clear purpose and strategy, it’s time to collect the most important information from your research paper, analysis, or documentation. Make a content dump and then select the most interesting information. Use the content to draft an outline.

Outlines help formulate the overall structure better than going straight into designing the poster. Mimic the standard poster structure in your outline using section headlines as separators. Go further and separate the content into the columns they’ll be placed in.

Step 3: Write the content

Write or rewrite the content for the sections in your poster presentation. Use the text in your research paper as a base, but summarize it to be more succinct in what you share. 

Don’t forget to write a catchy title that presents the problem and your findings in a clear way. Likewise, craft the headlines for the sections in a similar tone as the title, creating consistency in the message. Include subtle transitions between sections to help follow the flow of information in order.

Avoid copying/pasting entire sections of the research paper on which the poster is based. Opt for the storytelling approach, so the delivered message results are interesting for your audience. 

Step 4: Put it all together visually

This entire guide on how to design a research poster presentation is the perfect resource to help you with this step. Follow all the tips and guidelines and have an unforgettable poster presentation.

Moving on, here’s how to design a research poster presentation with PowerPoint Templates . Open a new project and size it to the standard 48 x 36 inches. Using the outline, map out the sections on the empty canvas. Add a text box for each title, headline, and body text. Piece by piece, add the content into their corresponding text box.

Transform the text information visually, make bullet points, and place the content in tables and timelines. Make your text visual to avoid chunky text blocks that no one will have time to read. Make sure all text sizes are coherent for all headings, body texts, image captions, etc. Double-check for spacing and text box formatting.

Next, add or create data visualizations, images, or diagrams. Align everything into columns and sections, making sure there’s no overflow. Add captions and legends to the visualizations, and check the color contrast with colleagues and friends. Ask for feedback and progress to the last step.

Step 5: Last touches

Time to check the final touches on your poster presentation design. Here’s a checklist to help finalize your research poster before sending it to printers or the virtual summit rep.

• Check the resolution of all visual elements in your poster design. Zoom to 100 or 200% to see if the images pixelate. Avoid this problem by using vector design elements and high-resolution images.
• Ensure that charts and graphs are easy to read and don’t look crowded.
• Analyze the visual hierarchy. Is there a visual flow through the title, introduction, data, and conclusion?
• Take a step back and check if it’s legible from a distance. Is there enough white space for the content to breathe?
• Does the design look inviting and interesting?

An often neglected topic arises when we need to print our designs for any exhibition purpose. Since A0 is a hard-to-manage format for most printers, these poster presentations result in heftier charges for the user. Instead, you can opt to work your design in two A1 sheets, which also becomes more manageable for transportation. Create seamless borders for the section on which the poster sheets should meet, or work with a white background.

Paper weight options should be over 200 gsm to avoid unwanted damage during the printing process due to heavy ink usage. If possible, laminate your print or stick it to photographic paper – this shall protect your work from spills.

Finally, always run a test print. Gray tints may not be printed as clearly as you see them on screen (this is due to the RGB to CMYK conversion process). Other differences can be appreciated when working with ink jet plotters vs. laser printers. Give yourself enough room to maneuver last-minute design changes.

Presenting a research poster is a big step in the poster presentation cycle. Your poster presentation might or might not be judged by faculty or peers. But knowing what judges look for will help you prepare for the design and oral presentation, regardless of whether you receive a grade for your work or if it’s business related. Likewise, the same principles apply when presenting at an in-person or virtual summit.

The opening statement

Part of presenting a research poster is welcoming the viewer to your small personal area in the sea of poster presentations. You’ll need an opening statement to pitch your research poster and get the viewers’ attention.

Draft a 2 to 3-sentence pitch that covers the most important points:

• What the research is
• Why was it conducted
• What the results say

From that opening statement, you’re ready to continue with the oral presentation for the benefit of your attendees.

The oral presentation

During the oral presentation, share the information on the poster while conversing with the interested public. Practice many times before the event. Structure the oral presentation as conversation points, and use the poster’s visual flow as support. Make eye contact with your audience as you speak, but don’t make them uncomfortable.

Pro Tip: In a conference or summit, if people show up to your poster area after you’ve started presenting it to another group, finish and then address the new visitors.

QA Sessions 

When you’ve finished the oral presentation, offer the audience a chance to ask questions. You can tell them before starting the presentation that you’ll be holding a QA session at the end. Doing so will prevent interruptions as you’re speaking.

If presenting to one or two people, be flexible and answer questions as you review all the sections on your poster.

Supplemental Material

If your audience is interested in learning more, you can offer another content type, further imprinting the information in their minds. Some ideas include; printed copies of your research paper, links to a website, a digital experience of your poster, a thesis PDF, or data spreadsheets.

Your audience will want to contact you for further conversations; include contact details in your supplemental material. If you don’t offer anything else, at least have business cards.

Even though conferences have changed, the research poster’s importance hasn’t diminished. Now, instead of simply creating a printed poster presentation, you can also make it for digital platforms. The final output will depend on the conference and its requirements.

This guide covered all the essential information you need to know for creating impactful poster presentations, from design, structure and layout tips to oral presentation techniques to engage your audience better . 

Before your next poster session, bookmark and review this guide to help you design a winning poster presentation every time. 

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Cochrane Training

Presenting at conferences.

Academic conferences are a useful way to present the results of a Cochrane review to people either through an oral presentation, a poster presentation, or a booth. Conferences also have the additional benefit of networking and an opportunity to promote both Cochrane and the results of your review to peers.

How to present at conferences  

Oral presentation.

Good oral presentations should be captivating, get the message across clearly, consider the language and context of the audience, and keep people engaged throughout. Not everyone can be an expert public speaker, and in many ways, it takes practice to become good at delivering engaging oral presentations. Our resources below can help.

The ‘Community Templates’ section on the brand resources page provides templates for PowerPoint presentations that can be used at conferences. There is a video on Creating a PowerPoint Presentation to explain how to use the template.

This video gives some tips for effective presentations at conferences such as:

• Choosing your content
• Using an appropriate structure
• Eliminating jargon
• Creating effective slides
• Finding your passion!

Poster presentation

Make your poster one that people want to stop and look at when you are at a conference. If you are preparing a poster presentation, these resources will help your work stand out in a sea of posters:

• The ‘Community Templates’ on the brand resources page provide pre-branded poster templates. They are very simple to use – you just need to download and add in the content.  
• Cochrane officially endorses the #betterposter design. These new templates offer posters with less text and a decluttered design with the main finding in plain English as the highlighted feature. Learn more about the design and watch a quick introduction.  
• This  information sheet contains useful questions for preparing a poster for a conference.

Conference booth

At some conferences, you may have the opportunity to showcase your work at a booth. If you have multiple dissemination products that you created, you can display them here. You might also want to bring screens or computers to make your booth more interactive. Like posters, you want to make sure your booth is one that people want to visit and interact with.

You can contact Cochrane to discuss your event , get clarification on Cochrane event policies, or help with event branding such as special banners, flyers or branded items to give away.

If you are hosting the symposium or conference, contact Cochrane to have it listed and promoted on our website.

Sharing your presentation

When you know you'll be presenting at a conference, share the details on social media. For more information on social media platforms and how to use them effectively, visit this page.   On social media, tell people where you are going, what you'll be presenting, and provide a link to sign up to attend (if possible).  

During your presentation, you might want to consider having a colleague or peer live-tweeting. This will give you content to re-tweet later, and give people in the room content to share as well. Others in the room might also be tweeting about your presentation, which you can re-tweet later. You might want to consider live streaming your presentation on YouTube, Facebook or Instagram so your followers who aren’t in attendance can watch you present in real time.  

If you don’t have your own social media accounts, we can share a picture of you at a conference on Cochrane’s social media. It is great to get a picture beside your poster, at your booth, or beside something with the conference name. If you are interested, please send the following to Muriah Umoquit at [email protected] : - Your name - Your Instagram/Twitter handle if you want it included - The related Review or Centre group - Title of your poster or presentation - Link to Cochrane Review if appropriate - Title of the conference - Official conference hashtag - A picture

After your presentation, you can distribute materials to your audience so that the information stays with them. This could be copies or recordings of the presentation, or another dissemination product related to what you presented. You can distribute in person at the conference, afterwards if you have the details of who attended your session, or through social media for anyone who may have followed you on a social media platform because of your presentation.

Evaluating the effect of your presentation

Many conferences will do their own evaluation of their conference programming, including oral presentations that were given. They may ask attendees questions about the topic that was presented, the effectiveness of the presenters, and the quality of the presentation. Ask your conference host whether they evaluate presentations. If they do, you can request feedback on your presentation that way.

You can also seek feedback on your own from your audience if you gave a presentation. You can do this through hard copy surveys at tables or chairs that you can collect, through email after your presentation, or you can do live evaluation surveys. These work by surveying people in real time through posing a question you can embed in your presentation, and have audience members provide input on their phones by visiting a link you give them. Sli.do and Menti are popular tools for this.

Examples of presenting at conferences by Cochrane groups

This is a great case study of how Cochrane UK used a booth at a conference – with great tips on what to do before, during, and after the conference.

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Academic Conference Presentations

A Step-by-Step Guide

• Mark R. Freiermuth 0

Gunma Prefectural Women’s University, Tamamura-machi, Japan

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• Takes the presenter on a journey from initial idea to conference presentation
• Addresses topics such as abstract writing, choosing a conference, posters and online versus face-to-face presentations
• Based on the author's own experiences

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Table of contents (9 chapters)

Front matter, next up on stage….

Mark R. Freiermuth

Conferences: Choose Wisely Grasshopper

Getting started: the precise abstract, after the excitement fades: preparing for the presentation, tea for two or more: the group presentation, conferences: live and in-person, ghosts in the machine: the virtual presentation, the seven deadly sins: what not to do, the top five, back matter.

This book provides a step-by-step journey to giving a successful academic conference presentation, taking readers through all of the potential steps along the way—from the initial idea and the abstract submission all the way up to the presentation itself. Drawing on the author's own experiences, the book highlights good and bad practices while explaining each introduced feature in a very accessible style. It provides tips on a wide range of issues such as writing up an abstract, choosing the right conference, negotiating group presentations, giving a poster presentation, what to include in a good presentation, conference proceedings and presenting at virtual or hybrid events. This book will be of particular interest to graduate students, early-career researchers and non-native speakers of English, as well as students and scholars who are interested in English for Academic Purposes, Applied Linguistics, Communication Studies and generally speaking, most of the Social Sciences. With that said, because of the book’s theme, many of the principles included within will appeal to broad spectrum of academic disciplines.

• English for Academic Purposes
• public speaking
• research presentation
• academic skills
• conferences
• poster presentations

-Sarah Mercer , Professor for Foreign Language Teaching and the Head of the ELT Research and Methodology Department, University of Graz, Austria

Mark R. Freiermuth  is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Gunma Prefectural Women's University, Japan. 

Book Title : Academic Conference Presentations

Book Subtitle : A Step-by-Step Guide

Authors : Mark R. Freiermuth

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21124-9

Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan Cham

eBook Packages : Social Sciences , Social Sciences (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022

Hardcover ISBN : 978-3-031-21123-2 Published: 05 January 2023

eBook ISBN : 978-3-031-21124-9 Published: 04 January 2023

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Number of Pages : VII, 159

Number of Illustrations : 45 b/w illustrations

Topics : Applied Linguistics , Research Skills , Career Skills , Sociology of Education

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The Art of Effective Poster Presentations at Conferences

Conference poster presentations are a vital platform for researchers to share their work, exchange ideas, and engage with fellow scholars. A well-executed poster can effectively communicate your research findings, captivate your audience, and spark meaningful conversations. In this article, we will delve into the art of crafting and delivering effective poster presentations at conferences, offering valuable insights and strategies to help you make the most of this opportunity.

Why Are Poster Presentations Important?

In the realm of academic conferences, where researchers from diverse fields converge to exchange knowledge and ideas, poster presentations hold a distinct and essential place. These visual displays of research findings are more than just static images on a board; they are dynamic tools for communication, engagement, and networking. Here, we explore why poster presentations are integral to the conference experience and academic discourse.

1. Accessibility and Inclusivity: One of the primary virtues of poster presentations is their accessibility. Unlike oral presentations that are limited by concurrent sessions, poster sessions typically span longer durations, ensuring that attendees have ample opportunities to engage with the content. This inclusivity allows researchers to reach a broader audience and receive feedback from peers who may not have attended their oral presentation.

2. Ideal for Complex Visual Content: Some research findings are inherently visual, relying on graphs, charts, images, and diagrams to convey complex information. Posters provide an ideal platform for presenting such content effectively. They allow for the integration of visuals that can be absorbed at a glance, enhancing the audience's understanding of intricate data.

3. Engaging Interactions: Poster sessions foster interactive and one-on-one engagements between presenters and attendees. Researchers have the chance to discuss their work, answer questions, and engage in meaningful dialogues. This direct interaction enables deeper dives into the research, encourages brainstorming, and often leads to valuable insights and collaborations.

4. Sharing Preliminary and Ongoing Work: Not all research is finalized and ready for a full oral presentation. Poster presentations offer the flexibility to share preliminary findings, ongoing projects, or research in progress. This openness allows researchers to receive early feedback, refine their methodologies, and make connections that can propel their work forward.

5. Enhancing Presentation Skills: Crafting an effective poster and presenting it succinctly enhance researchers' communication and presentation skills. They must distill their work into a visually appealing and concise format, which is a valuable skill for conveying complex ideas to a broader audience.

6. Opportunities for Early-Career Researchers: Poster sessions often provide an excellent platform for early-career researchers to gain exposure and build their professional networks. It offers a less intimidating setting for them to share their work, receive constructive feedback, and connect with experienced researchers who can offer mentorship and guidance.

7. Showcasing Multidisciplinary Research: Conferences bring together scholars from various disciplines. Posters enable researchers to showcase multidisciplinary projects that bridge the gaps between different fields. This interdisciplinary exchange can lead to innovative solutions and collaborations that transcend traditional academic boundaries.

8. A Visual Snapshot of Research: Poster presentations serve as visual snapshots of research projects. Attendees can quickly scan the content to determine if a poster aligns with their interests, making it easier to decide which presentations to explore further.

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The key elements of a successful conference poster.

Creating a successful conference poster is both an art and a science. It requires careful consideration of design, content, and presentation to effectively communicate your research findings. Here are the key elements that contribute to a successful conference poster:

1. Clear and Compelling Title: The poster's title should be concise, engaging, and instantly convey the essence of your research. A well-crafted title captures the attention of viewers and invites them to learn more. It's often the first impression your poster makes, so make it count.

2. Engaging Design: Visual appeal is crucial. Your poster should have a clean and balanced layout with a logical flow. Use fonts that are easy to read and choose colors that enhance readability. Visual elements like graphs, images, and diagrams should be integrated seamlessly into the design.

3. Structured Content: Organize your poster content in a structured manner. Include sections such as an introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusions. Use clear headings and subheadings to guide viewers through your research journey. A well-organized poster makes it easier for viewers to follow your narrative.

4. Captivating Visuals: Visuals are a powerful tool for conveying information. Use graphs, charts, images, and diagrams to illustrate key points and trends in your research. Ensure that visuals are of high quality and directly support your findings. Visuals should be easy to understand at a glance.

5. Concise Text: Keep text concise and focused. Avoid long paragraphs and excessive jargon. Use bullet points and numbered lists to break up information into digestible chunks. Your text should complement the visuals and provide context without overwhelming the viewer.

6. Clear Data Representation: If your research involves data, present it clearly and concisely. Use appropriate data visualization techniques to convey trends and results. Ensure that axes are labeled, units are specified, and data points are clearly defined. Viewers should be able to grasp your findings without confusion.

7. Effective Use of Space: Utilize the available space wisely. Avoid clutter and allow for ample white space to prevent visual overload. Space should be allocated to different sections and visuals in a balanced manner, ensuring that no aspect of your research is overshadowed.

8. Cohesive Visual Theme: Maintain a cohesive visual theme throughout your poster. Consistency in fonts, colors, and overall design enhances the professional appearance of your poster. A well-designed poster reflects positively on your research.

9. Engaging Headings and Captions: Headings and captions should be engaging and informative. Use them to highlight key findings and insights. A well-crafted heading or caption can draw viewers' attention to specific aspects of your research.

10. Contact Information and References: Include your contact information, such as an email address or QR code linked to your professional profile. Don't forget to provide references for your research sources, which adds credibility to your work.

A successful conference poster is a harmonious blend of design, content, and presentation. Clear and compelling visuals, concise text, structured content, and an engaging title are essential elements for effectively conveying your research. By carefully considering these key elements, you can create a poster that captivates your audience and leaves a lasting impression at your next conference presentation.

Preparing for Your Poster Presentation

Creating a stellar conference poster is only part of the equation for a successful presentation. Equally important is your preparation to engage with your audience effectively. Here's how to prepare for your poster presentation:

1. Practice Your Elevator Pitch: Be ready to deliver a concise summary of your research in a minute or less. This elevator pitch should capture the essence of your work and pique the interest of passersby. It serves as the initial hook to draw viewers to your poster.

2. Anticipate Questions: Think about the questions and comments you might receive during your presentation. Prepare concise and informative responses to common queries related to your research. Anticipating questions helps you stay confident and composed during interactions.

3. Rehearse Your Presentation: Practice presenting your poster to colleagues, mentors, or friends. Seek their feedback on your delivery, clarity, and overall presentation skills. Rehearsing your presentation multiple times ensures you can confidently convey your research findings.

4. Set Up Your Space: Arrive early at the conference venue to set up your poster and any supplementary materials. Ensure that your poster is properly affixed and easy to read. Check that your presentation area is well-lit and free of distractions.

5. Organize Supporting Materials: Prepare handouts, business cards, or QR codes linked to your research for interested attendees. These materials provide additional information for those who want to explore your work further. Be ready to distribute them as needed.

6. Dress Professionally: Your attire should be professional and appropriate for the conference. A polished appearance enhances your credibility and professionalism when engaging with attendees.

7. Develop a Presentation Strategy: Decide how you will approach engagement with attendees. Will you actively invite passersby to your poster? Will you use visual aids to guide your discussions? Having a strategy in mind helps you manage interactions effectively.

8. Maintain Eye Contact: When engaging with attendees, maintain eye contact and a welcoming demeanor. A friendly and approachable attitude can encourage more interactions and make attendees feel comfortable asking questions.

9. Share Your Passion: Showcase your enthusiasm for your research. Passion is infectious and can draw attendees to your poster. Explain why your work matters and how it contributes to the field.

10. Be Adaptable: Be flexible and adaptable during your presentation. Tailor your discussions to the interests and knowledge levels of your audience. Some may seek detailed technical information, while others may prefer a high-level overview.

11. Respect Time Constraints: Be mindful of the time available for each interaction. Respect attendees' schedules and avoid monopolizing their time. Concisely convey your research and offer to provide more information if requested.

12. Collect Feedback: Encourage attendees to share their feedback and insights. Constructive criticism can help you refine your research and presentation skills. Consider providing a feedback form or inviting verbal comments.

Effective preparation is the key to a successful poster presentation. Practice your elevator pitch, anticipate questions, and rehearse your presentation. Arrive early, organize supporting materials, and maintain a professional appearance. Develop a presentation strategy, engage attendees with enthusiasm, and adapt to their needs. By preparing diligently, you can confidently showcase your research and engage with your audience effectively at the conference.

Engaging With Your Audience

A conference poster presentation isn't just about displaying your research; it's an opportunity to engage with your audience, foster discussions, and share your passion for your work. Here are strategies for effectively engaging with your audience during your poster presentation:

1. Maintain Eye Contact: When attendees approach your poster, greet them with a smile and make eye contact. Establishing this personal connection creates a welcoming atmosphere and encourages interaction.

2. Use Visual Aids: Visual aids, such as a pointer or your own finger, can help direct attendees' attention to specific sections of your poster. Use them to highlight key findings or data points as you explain your research.

3. Ask Open-Ended Questions: Encourage conversations by asking open-ended questions. Instead of questions with yes-or-no answers, pose inquiries that invite attendees to share their thoughts or experiences related to your research. For example, "What are your thoughts on this approach?" or "Have you encountered similar challenges in your work?"

4. Share Anecdotes and Stories: Weave relatable anecdotes or stories into your presentation to humanize your research. Personal experiences or challenges you've encountered on your research journey can make your work more relatable and memorable.

5. Tailor Your Explanation: Adjust your explanation based on your audience's level of familiarity with your field. Some attendees may be experts, while others may have limited knowledge. Tailor your discussion to their needs, offering more in-depth explanations when necessary.

6. Use Analogies and Metaphors: Complex research concepts can be simplified with the use of analogies or metaphors. Compare your findings to everyday experiences or objects to make them more accessible and relatable.

7. Provide Real-World Relevance: Emphasize the real-world relevance of your research. Explain how your findings can address practical problems or contribute to advancements in your field. Attendees are more likely to engage when they see the practical implications.

8. Listen Actively: Engaging with your audience is a two-way interaction. Listen actively to their questions and comments. Show appreciation for their input, and ask follow-up questions to delve deeper into the discussion.

9. Offer Handouts or Additional Information: Some attendees may want to explore your research in greater detail. Offer handouts, business cards, or QR codes linked to supplementary materials, such as your full paper or additional data. This provides an avenue for further engagement.

10. Be Respectful of Time: Respect attendees' time constraints. If someone is in a hurry, provide a concise overview of your research and offer to share more information later. For those interested in a more in-depth discussion, allocate additional time.

11. Foster a Positive Environment: Create a positive and inviting environment at your poster. Be approachable, patient, and enthusiastic. Attendees are more likely to engage when they feel comfortable and welcomed.

Networking Opportunities

While your primary goal at a conference poster presentation is to showcase your research, it's also an excellent opportunity for networking. Building connections with fellow researchers, potential collaborators, and experts in your field can be as valuable as presenting your work. Here's how to make the most of networking opportunities during your poster presentation:

1. Be Approachable: Approachability is key to successful networking. Smile, make eye contact, and welcome attendees who visit your poster. A friendly and open demeanor encourages interactions.

2. Elevator Pitch: Perfect your elevator pitch—an engaging and concise summary of your research. It serves as an icebreaker and provides a starting point for conversations.

3. Exchange Contact Information: Be prepared to exchange contact information. Business cards, contact cards, or simply sharing your email address can facilitate future communication.

4. Share Your Passion: Express your enthusiasm for your research. Passion is contagious and can make you more memorable to those you meet. Explain why your work matters and how it can benefit the field.

5. Ask About Others' Work: Show genuine interest in others' research. Ask questions about their projects, findings, and interests. Active listening and curiosity can leave a positive impression.

6. Find Common Ground: Seek common ground or shared research interests. Identifying shared research areas can lay the foundation for potential collaborations or further discussions.

7. Attend Networking Events: Many conferences organize dedicated networking events or receptions. Attend these gatherings to meet a wider range of attendees, including keynote speakers and senior researchers.

8. Visit Other Posters: Don't limit your interactions to your own poster. Visit other poster presentations to learn about diverse research topics and meet fellow presenters.

9. Utilize Social Media: Follow the conference's official social media accounts and use event-specific hashtags to connect with attendees online. This can lead to post-conference networking opportunities.

10. Join Discussion Panels: If the conference includes discussion panels or forums, participate actively. Sharing your insights can help you connect with others who share your interests.

11. Attend Workshops and Symposia: Workshops and symposia are great places to meet like-minded researchers. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and explore potential collaborations.

12. Follow Up After the Conference: After the conference concludes, follow up with individuals you met. Send personalized emails expressing your interest in continuing the conversation or collaborating on research projects.

13. Use Conference Apps: Many conferences offer dedicated apps or platforms for networking. Utilize these tools to identify potential contacts, send messages, and arrange meetings.

14. Seek Mentorship: If you admire the work of senior researchers or experts in your field, don't hesitate to express your interest in their work and seek mentorship. Many established researchers are open to mentoring younger scholars.

15. Be Respectful of Time: While networking, be mindful of attendees' time constraints. Respect their schedules and offer to continue discussions at a later time if necessary.

Networking during a poster presentation extends beyond the event itself. The connections you establish can lead to collaborations, research opportunities, and professional growth. Approach networking with an open and enthusiastic attitude, and you'll discover the vast potential for building meaningful relationships within your academic and professional community.

Mastering the art of effective poster presentations at conferences is a valuable skill for any researcher. By focusing on clear design, engaging content, practiced delivery, and active engagement with your audience, you can make the most of this platform to share your research, connect with peers, and contribute to the vibrant academic community that conferences offer.

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• Published: 25 January 2021

The ABCs of academic poster presentation

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Tulsi Patel , DCT1, Royal London Hospital, Barts NHS Trust

Academic posters are an excellent way to summarise and display your work

It is important to read the conference requirements carefully before preparing your poster

Adopt a clear, concise and easy to follow design

Preparing the poster in advance, practising your presentation and formulating answers to anticipated questions is essential

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Hamilton C. At a Glance: A Stepwise Approach to Successful Poster Presentations. Chest 2008; 134 : 457-459.

Daud D. How to make a scientific poster: a guide for medical students. Available from: http://cures.cardiff.ac.uk/files/2014/10/NSAMR-Poster.pdf (Accessed October 2020).

Birmingham.ac.uk. Tips for effective poster design. 2020. Available from: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/metallurgy-materials/about/cases/tips-advice/poster.aspx (Accessed October 2020).

Sousa B, Clark A. Six Insights to Make Better Academic Conference Posters. Int J Qual Methods 2019; 18 : 160940691986237.

Rossi T. How to Design an Award-Winning Conference Poster. 2018. Available from: https://www.animateyour.science/post/how-to-design-an-award-winning-conference-poster (Accessed October 2020).

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Beamish A, Ansell J, Foster J, Foster K, Egan R. Poster Exhibitions at Conferences: Are We Doing it Properly? J Surg Educ 2015; 72 : 278-282.

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Beyond the Podium: Understanding the differences in conference and academic presentations

Conferences can be captivating as it where knowledge meets presentation skills. They serve as dynamic platforms where scholars, researchers, and professionals interact to share insights, exchange ideas, and foster collaboration. The importance of conferences lies in their ability to nurture intellectual growth, stimulate discussions, and propel academic advancements. Let’s uncover the intricacies of various conference presentations to help you shine in the academic spotlight.

The Multi-faceted Nature of Conference

Conference is a broad term that encompasses various professional/ academic events. As we delve deeper into such events, we encounter different types of conferences, each serving a specific purpose. Common types of conferences include Business Conferences, Academic Conferences, Educational Conferences, Scientific Conferences, Social/ Cultural Conferences, Peace Conferences, Trade Conferences, Press or News Conferences, and Authors’ Conferences.

In addition to the different types of conferences, there are several types of conference presentations. Understanding them is important to make the right presentation for a conference before submitting your abstract.

Types of Conference Presentations

Here are the commonly used formats for conference presentations:

1. Oral Presentation

Oral presentations are the standard form of presentation where the speaker(s) share details about their research questions , methodology , findings, applications, etc. It lasts between 15-30 minutes. Oral presentations can be further divided into four subtypes:

1.1. Student Presentation:

These presentations emphasize on students work and offer them an opportunity to share their work with the academic community.

1.2. Panel Discussion:

Panel discussions are delivered by a panel of speakers who share different aspects of the presentations. Furthermore, such events are generally more open and characterized by engaging discussions.

2. Poster Presentation

Poster presentations are less formal platforms to share your work in a visual format. Presenters summarize their work in a visually appealing poster and display them for the attendees to understand.

Both oral and poster presentations serve as integral components of conferences, catering to different learning preferences and promoting the exchange of knowledge among researchers and professionals in diverse fields.

However, based on the difference in the content, and the intended audience, conference presentations can be divided as:

1. Academic Presentations

Academic presentations at conferences are the bedrock of knowledge dissemination. They showcase research findings, theories, and contribute to the collective intellectual discourse.

• General Elements : Title and Authorship, Introduction , Objectives/  Hypothesis, Methodology, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, and Recommendations
• Who Presents: Researchers, Scholars, Academics, Graduate Students, and Professionals
• For Whom: Peers, Fellow Researchers, Scholars, Academics, Professionals, Reviewers, and Critics

2. Research Presentations

Research presentations delve into the specifics of a study, highlighting methodologies, results, and implications. Additionally, they bridge the gap between theory and practical application, offering a comprehensive view of the research process.

• General Elements: Title Slide, Introduction, Objectives/ Hypothesis , Literature Review , Research Design and Methodology, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, and Recommendations
• Who Presents: Researchers or Scholars who conducted the study, Primary Author(s), Principal Investigator, Graduate Students, and Collaborators
• For Whom: Peers and Colleagues, Academic Community, Reviewers and Assessors, Industry Professionals, Policy Makers and Practitioners, and Funding Agencies

3. Grant Proposal Presentations

These presentations aim to convince funding bodies about the significance and viability of a proposed project. However, they require a blend of persuasive communication and a clear articulation of the project’s objectives and potential impact.

• General Elements: Introduction, Background and Rationale , Objectives and Goals, Methods and Approach, Timeline, Budget, Evaluation and Metrics, Sustainability and Long-term Impact, Collaborations and Partnerships, Team Qualifications and Expertise, Plan of Action, and Challenges and Mitigation Strategies
• Who Presents: Principal Investigator, Co-Investigators or Collaborators, Project Team Members, Institutional Representatives, Community or Stakeholder Representatives, and Advisors or Mentors (for Students)
• For Whom: Granting Organization Representatives, Review Committee or Panel, Advisory Board, Potential Collaborators or Partners, Community Stakeholders, Internal Team or Collaborators, and Public or Lay Audience (Rarely)

4. Thesis Presentations

Thesis presentations mark the culmination of academic endeavors. They involve presenting the key findings and contributions of a research project undertaken for a degree, providing an opportunity for peers and experts to evaluate the work.

• General Elements: Title Slide, Author’s Name and Affiliation, Date of the Presentation, Introduction, Background and Context, Research Objectives and Hypotheses, Methodology, Results, Discussion , Contribution to the Field, Limitations, Conclusion, Recommendations for Future Research, and References
• Who Presents: Thesis Candidate (Student), Thesis Committee, and Thesis Advisor (Supervisor)
• For Whom: Instructors and Evaluators, Peers and Classmates, Academic Community, and Reviewers

Understanding different types of presentations in conferences can empower researchers to make appropriate presentations that meets the requirement of the conference. However, to make your presentations  more interactive, here is a downloadable guide with specific tips for conference presentations .

Making each presentation type distinct involves tailoring your approach based on the purpose, audience, and format of the presentation. To maximize your conference experience, consider participating in interactive sessions and networking with the other participants . Engage with your peers, ask questions, and embrace the collaborative spirit that conferences embody.

The diverse array of conference presentations creates a vibrant tapestry of knowledge sharing. Each format offers a unique avenue for researchers and professionals to showcase their work and connect with a broader audience. So, whether you find yourself behind a podium or beside a poster board, remember that the power of conferences lies in the collective exchange of ideas, where each presenter and attendee contributes to the saga of knowledge and discovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Creating a successful conference presentation involves careful planning, organization, and effective communication. Here are steps to guide you through the process: 1. Understand Your Audience 2. Define Your Objectives 3. Understand the conference type 4. Create a Clear Structure 5. Craft Engaging Content 6. Practice Time Management 7. Prepare for Q&A

An academic presentation is a formal communication of research findings, scholarly work, or educational content delivered to an audience within an academic or professional setting. These presentations occur in various formats, such as lectures, seminars, workshops, or conference sessions, and they serve the purpose of sharing knowledge, insights, and research outcomes with peers, students, or other members of the academic community. Academic presentations can cover a wide range of topics, including research methodologies, experimental results, literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and educational practices.

A conference presentation is a formal communication delivered at a conference, seminar, symposium, or similar academic or professional gathering. These presentations serve as a means for researchers, scholars, professionals, and experts to share their work, findings, and insights with a wider audience. Conference presentations cover a diverse range of topics, including research studies, case analyses, theoretical frameworks, and practical applications within various fields. They play a crucial role in the advancement of academic and professional fields by facilitating the exchange of ideas, fostering collaboration, and showcasing the latest research and developments in a given area of study.

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Presentations and posters

Guidance and tips for effective oral and visual presentations.

Academic presentations

Presenting your work allows you to demonstrate your knowledge and familiarity of your subject. Presentations can vary from being formal, like a mini lecture, to more informal, such as summarising a paper in a tutorial. You may have a specialist audience made up of your peers, lecturers or research practitioners or a wider audience at a conference or event. Sometimes you will be asked questions.  Academic presentations maybe a talk with slides or a poster presentation, and they may be assessed. Presentations may be individual or collaborative group work.

A good presentation will communicate your main points to an audience clearly, concisely and logically. Your audience doesn’t know what it is you are trying to say, so you need to guide them through your argument.

There are a few key points that you should consider with any sort of presenting:

• What is the format? Is it a poster, a talk with visual material or a video?
• What is the purpose? Is it to summarise a topic; report the results of an experiment; justify your research approach?
• Who is your audience? Are they from your tutorial group, course or is it a wider audience?
• What content needs to be included? Do you need to cover everything, just one topic or a particular aspect? How much detail is expected?
• How should it be organised? This is often the trickiest part of designing a presentation and can take a few attempts.

Planning a presentation

Different people take different approaches to presentations. Some may start by doing some reading and research, others prefer to draft an outline structure first. 

To make an effective start, check your course materials for the format you need to use (e.g. handbooks and Learn pages for style guidelines). If it is an oral presentation, how long do you have?  If it will be assessed, have a look at the marking criteria so you know how you will be marked. (If you do not use the required formatting you may be penalised.) Do you need to allow time for questions?

One way to think about the content and draft a rough structure of your presentation is to divide it into a beginning, middle and end.

• The beginning: How are you going to set the scene for your audience and set out what they can expect to gain from your presentation? This section should highlight the key topic(s) and give any necessary background. How much background depends on your audience, for example your peers might need less of an introduction to a topic than other audiences. Is there a central question and is it clear? If using slides, can it be added as a header on subsequent slides so that it is always clear what you are discussing?
• The middle: How are you going tell the story of your work? This section should guide your audience through your argument, leading them to your key point(s). Remember to include any necessary evidence in support. You might also want to include or refer to relevant methods and materials.
• The end: What is your conclusion or summary? This section should briefly recap what has been covered in the presentation and give the audience the final take-home message(s). Think about the one thing you want someone to remember from your talk or poster. It is usually also good practice to include a reference or bibliography slide listing your sources.

Alternatively, you could start at the end and think about the one point you want your audience to take away from your presentation. Then you can work backwards to decide what needs to go in the other sections to build your argument.

Presentation planner worksheet (pdf)

Presentation planner worksheet (Word docx)

Presentation planner (Word rtf)

Using the right language can really help your audience follow your argument and also helps to manage their expectations.

Guiding your audience (pdf)  

Guiding your audience (Word rtf)

Oral presentations – practise, practise, practise!

Giving a talk can be daunting. If you have a spoken presentation to give, with or without slides, make sure you have time to rehearse it several times.

Firstly, this is really good at helping you overcome any nerves as you’ll know exactly what you are going to say. It will build your confidence.

Secondly, saying something aloud is an effective way to check for sense, structure and flow. If it is difficult to say, or doesn’t sound right, then the audience may find it difficult to follow what you are trying to say.

Finally, practising helps you know how long your presentation will take. If your presentation is being assessed, you may be penalised for going over time as that would be unfair to other presenters (it is like going over your word count).  

If you can, find out what resources and equipment you will have when you present. It is usually expected that presenters will wear or use a microphone so that everyone can hear. But you will still need to remember to project your voice and speak clearly. Also think about how you are going to use your visual material.

IS Creating accessible materials - PowerPoint presentations

IS LinkedIn Learning - online skills development

Making a video

There is no need to use expensive specialist equipment to make a recorded presentation. The Media Hopper Create platform allows film makers to create, store, share and publish their media content easily. You can create presentations using the Desktop Recorder on a PC or Mac.

All University of Edinburgh students are provided with an account on the Media Hopper service allowing you to record and upload media to your personal space and publish to channels. 

You can also use your mobile phone or tablet to make a video presentation. The DIY Film School is an online course covering the basics of shooting video on a mobile device, filming outdoors and indoors and how to get the best audio. Some materials from LinkedIn Learning are relevant to the DIY Film School and include editing advice.

IS Media Hopper Create

IS DIY Film School online course

IS LinkedIn Learning and the DIY Film School

Poster presentations

A poster is a way of visually conveying information about your work. It is meant to be a taster or overview highlighting your key points or findings, not an in-depth explanation and discussion. Your poster should communicate your point(s) effectively without you being there to explain it.

The trickiest thing with poster presentations can be the limited space and words you have. You will need to think critically about what it is important to present.

If the poster is assessed, or is for an event such as a conference, there may be a size and format which you need to follow (e.g. A1 portrait or A0 landscape). Your title should be clear.  Aim to make your poster as accessible as possible by considering the type size and font, colours and layout. It is usually good practice to include your name and email address so people know who you are and how to contact you.

Information Services (IS) have a range of resources including help on using software such as PowerPoint to make a poster and guides to printing one.

IS uCreate user guides and advice on poster printing

Standing up and talking can be intimidating; so can being filmed. Anxiety and stress can get in the way of performing effectively. 

The Student Counselling Service offer advice and workshops on a variety of topics. They have produced a helpful e-booklet about stress, why we need it and how to manage our stress levels to strike the right balance. 

Student Counselling service

Self-help online courses and workbooks on anxiety, stress and mental wellbeing

Stress: A short guide for students (pdf booklet)

Information Services (IS) provides access to a range of support and training for software provided by the University. This includes training and advice on LinkedIn Learning.

IS Digital skills and training

IS LinkedIn Learning

IS Microsoft Office 365 suite

Prezi is a popular alternative to PowerPoint but is often inaccessible to disabled people. Therefore, it is recommended that Prezi is not used for academic presentations. However, if you have to use Prezi, there are some steps you can take to improve your presentation.

IS PREZI and accessibility issues

If you are presenting at an external event, it may be appropriate to use University branding.

University brand guidelines and logos (Communications and Marketing)

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Common Formats for Conference Presentations

Articles on conferences and meetings.

• Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs)
• Group Meetings
• Journal Clubs
• Reflective Journaling
• Research Learning Contracts

The two most common formats for the presentation of research findings at conferences are:

• oral presentations ; and
• poster presentations

Oral Presentations

Depending on to whom you speak some individuals will tell you that oral presentations are preferable compared to poster presentations. Some people feel that oral presentations are more prestigious and offer more cache than do poster presentations.

Oral presentations are generally short talks or panel discussions delivered by one or more individuals to a room of interested meeting attendees. Depending on the meeting, the speaker(s) may read a prepared speech or the speaker may more informally discuss his/her work using visual aids such as a PowerPoint presentation using a laptop computer. A very brief time is allotted for individual oral presentations. An oral presentation is typically between 15 and 30-minutes in duration. Consequently, the presentation must be clearly and succinctly presented and there will be little if any time for questions from the audience.

There are two types of oral presentations:

• , which can be further categorized as:
• contributed; or

Panel Discussion

At some meetings oral presentations may be taped and available for purchase by meeting attendees. At many meetings, taping and/or photographs at oral presentations may be forbidden.

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Individual Oral Presentations

Contributed Anyone who submits a proposal or meeting abstract is potentially eligible to deliver a contributed talk. “Contributed” simply means that you as a conferee submitted your paper for consideration of presentation as versus “invited” which means the meeting organizers or symposium organizer invited you to speak. At some conferences, contributed talks are of shorter duration than invited talks but generally there are no substantive differences otherwise.

Invited In some sessions often referred to as symposia, organizers invite experts in a specific area to share their recent work. These presentations are called invited talks. Invited talks may be given slightly longer time periods than contributed talks. Invited speakers must also submit proposals or meeting abstracts.

Depending on the specific meeting, the organizers may or may not offer invited speakers benefits that contributed speakers may not receive. At some conferences, invited speakers may be offered free or reduced registration, lodging, travel, and even a small honorarium. However, an invited to be an invited speaker may come with none of these perks. If you are “invited” don’t make assumptions – ask the organizer what, if any, services the conference is providing to invited speakers. At some conferences simply being invited is considered to be a significant honor.

Presentations may be made by individuals or by panels. In panel discussions, two or speakers presenting different perspectives or different aspects of the presentation topic will sequentially summarize their work and relate it to that of the other panelists. Once all of the speakers have made their presentations there is generally an open discussion of the papers.

Poster Presentations

Poster sessions offer meeting organizers the opportunity to offer large numbers of meeting attendees the opportunity to present their work. Poster presenters are usually provided a significant amount of space (3′ x 4′ or more) on which to display a visually attractive poster summarizing their research project. Generally, poster presenters have the opportunity to share their work over an extended period of time often an hour or more. At some meetings, the poster may be displayed for an entire day! This allows the poster presenter to describe and discuss their research in greater detail than would be possible in an oral presentation to significantly more people. In my opinion, posters are in no way inferior to oral presentations and may in fact be far more useful.

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10 Essential Tips for a Successful Academic Presentation at Conferences and Events

Introduction

Academic conferences are an excellent opportunity for like-minded individuals to come together and share their interests with each other. These events provide attendees with a chance to learn and share experiences with others who have similar interests, all under one roof. Conferences are usually large in nature, bringing together people from across the country or even across the world.

If you're scheduled to present at an upcoming conference, it's important to remember that the stakes are high. With a lot of people in attendance, you want your presentation to go flawlessly when you have your moment to shine. That's why we've put together this in-depth blog post to help you master your conference presentation with some actionable tips.

As a researcher or academic, finding the right conference with the right audience and effectively sharing your latest research findings can boost your career and keep you updated on developments in your field.

Developing a conference presentation is similar to developing any other presentation - it requires proper preparation, consistency, and the ability to engage with your audience.

Presenting can be nerve-wracking, even for experienced speakers and performers. However, with practice, anyone can become a skilled presenter.

But, before creating your presentation, there are some other issues that will increase your presentation success that you should start considering well before creating your slides.

Here are some tips that you should keep in mind before starting to prepare your presentation.

• Know Your Audience:

Understanding the background, interests, and needs of your audience is essential to deliver an effective presentation. This will help you tailor your content, language, and delivery style to engage your audience and ensure they can easily understand and relate to your message.

• Define Your Objectives:

Before developing your presentation, you should define your objectives, such as what you want to achieve, what message you want to convey, and what action you want your audience to take. This will help you stay focused and make sure your presentation is clear and coherent.

• Develop a Clear and Concise Message:

Your presentation should have a clear and concise message that is easy to understand and remember. Avoid using jargon, complex language, or unnecessary details that could confuse or bore your audience.

• Create an Engaging Presentation:

An engaging presentation should be visually appealing, interactive, and informative. Use storytelling, humor, anecdotes, or case studies to keep your audience interested and involved.

• Use Visual Aids:

Visual aids such as slides, charts, graphs, or videos can enhance your presentation and help your audience understand complex information or data. However, make sure your visual aids are relevant, clear, and easy to read.

• Practice, Practice, Practice:

Practicing your presentation several times before the conference can help you gain confidence, improve your delivery, and identify areas that need improvement. Consider practicing in front of a mirror, recording yourself, or asking a friend to give you feedback.

• Time Yourself:

Keeping track of time during your presentation is crucial to ensure you don't run over or under the allocated time. This will also show your respect for your audience's time and demonstrate your professionalism.

• Prepare for Questions:

Anticipating and preparing for questions that your audience may have can help you deliver a more effective and engaging presentation. Be ready to provide evidence, examples, or references to support your arguments and handle any challenging or unexpected questions.

• Dress Appropriately:

Dressing appropriately for the conference and your presentation can help you make a good first impression, show your professionalism, and convey your respect for your audience and the event.

• Bring Business Cards:

Bringing business cards with your contact information can help you network with other attendees and potential collaborators or employers.

• Follow Up After the Conference:

Following up with your audience and fellow presenters after the conference can help you build relationships, gain feedback, and explore opportunities for future collaborations or publications.

What is an academic conference presentation?

First, let’s get an understanding of what an academic conference presentation is.

An academic conference presentation is a talk given by a researcher or scholar at an academic conference. The purpose of the presentation is to share the researcher's findings or ideas with other researchers and scholars in the same field. The presentation usually includes the researcher's research objectives, methodology, results, and conclusions. Academic conference presentations can be given in various formats, such as oral presentations, poster presentations, or panel discussions. The audience for academic conference presentations is typically composed of other researchers and scholars in the same field, as well as students and professionals interested in the topic.

How to deliver a presentation at an academic event?

An academic should pay attention to several main points while delivering a presentation at an academic conference:

• Start with a clear message:

Before creating your presentation, establish a clear message you want to convey to your audience. This will help you stay focused and deliver a presentation that is consistent and engaging.

• Keep it simple:

Avoid using complicated jargon or technical terms that your audience may not understand. Keep your presentation simple and clear.

• Use visuals:

Incorporate visuals such as graphs, charts, and images to support your presentation and help your audience understand your message.

• Engage your audience:

Engage your audience by asking questions, inviting participation, and making eye contact. This will keep them interested and attentive throughout your presentation.

• Pace yourself:

Keep a steady pace throughout your presentation, and don't rush through your slides. This will help you maintain your audience's attention and avoid losing them.

• Be enthusiastic:

Show your passion and enthusiasm for your research, and convey it to your audience. This will help keep them engaged and interested in your presentation.

• Be confident:

Believe in yourself and your research, and have confidence in your ability to deliver a great presentation.

• Use humor (if appropriate):

Humor can be a great way to break the ice and keep your audience engaged. Just make sure it's appropriate and relevant to your presentation.

• Manage nerves

Finally, don't let nerves get the better of you. Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visualization, and remind yourself that everyone gets nervous before a presentation.

How to prepare your presentation slides?

Preparing effective presentation slides is crucial for delivering a successful presentation. Here are some main rules of slide design that you should observe:

• Keep it simple

Avoid cluttering your slides with too much information. Stick to one main point per slide and use bullet points to highlight key information.

• Use visuals

Incorporate images, charts, and graphs to make your presentation more engaging and visually appealing. However, make sure that the visuals are relevant to your content and are not distracting.

• Use legible fonts

Use legible fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica, and avoid decorative or fancy fonts. Also, make sure that the font size is large enough to be easily readable by the audience.

• Use contrasting colors

Choose colors that are easy on the eyes and have high contrast to make your text and visuals stand out. Avoid using too many colors or bright colors that can be distracting.

• Limit the amount of text

Avoid putting too much text on a slide. Use short phrases or bullet points to highlight key information. The audience should be able to understand the main message at a glance.

• Use animations and transitions sparingly

Animations and transitions can add interest to your presentation, but use them sparingly. Too much animation or transition can be distracting and take away from the content of your presentation.

• Keep a consistent design

Use a consistent design throughout your presentation, including fonts, colors, and layout. This will help your audience focus on the content and not get distracted by changing designs.

• Test your slides

Before the presentation, make sure to test your slides on the equipment you will be using. Check the font size, color contrast, and overall design to ensure that everything is visible and clear for the audience.

• The maximum number of words

There is no hard and fast rule for the maximum number of words or lines on a slide for optimal readability, as it depends on various factors such as font size, typeface, spacing, and the amount of information being presented. However, as a general guideline, it is recommended to keep the text on each slide concise and to the point, using bullet points rather than full sentences.

• Proportion and alignment

In terms of proportion-related issues, it is important to ensure that the text and any accompanying visuals on the slide are properly aligned and balanced. The use of white space or negative space can be effective in achieving this balance, allowing the eye to rest and making the slide easier to read. It is also important to use appropriate font sizes, making sure that the text is large enough to be easily read from a distance but not so large that it overwhelms the slide.

Managing the presentation time and allocating a Q&A Session at the end of the presentation?

Managing time and conducting a Q&A session at the end of a presentation is crucial to ensure that the audience can engage with the speaker and get their questions answered.

Here are some tips on how to manage time and conduct a successful Q&A session:

• Time Management

When preparing your presentation, be sure to allocate enough time for the Q&A session at the end. Plan to finish your presentation at least 5-10 minutes before the scheduled end time to allow enough time for questions. It's also important to stick to your allotted time during the presentation to ensure that you have enough time for the Q&A session.

• Encourage Questions

Encourage your audience to ask questions throughout your presentation, but also let them know that you will have a dedicated Q&A session at the end. This can help you avoid interruptions during your presentation and ensure that all questions are addressed during the Q&A session.

• Repeat Questions

When someone asks a question, repeat it back to the audience to ensure that everyone heard it and understands what is being asked. This can also help you clarify the question if it's not clear.

• Stay Focused

During the Q&A session, it's important to stay focused on the questions being asked and keep your responses concise. Avoid going off-topic or providing too much detail in your responses, as this can eat up valuable time and make it difficult to address all questions.

• Be Respectful

Be respectful of all questions, even if they are challenging or critical. Avoid getting defensive or dismissive, as this can create a negative atmosphere in the room.

• End on Time

Be sure to end the Q&A session on time, even if there are still unanswered questions. Let the audience know that you are happy to continue the conversation after the presentation and provide your contact information for further discussion.

By following these tips, you can effectively manage your time and conduct a successful Q&A session at the end of your presentation.

In conclusion, delivering a successful presentation at an academic conference requires thorough preparation, clear and concise messaging, engaging presentation design, and effective delivery skills. By following the tips outlined in this article, you can effectively manage your nerves, engage your audience, and communicate your research findings in a compelling way. Remember to practice, time yourself, and be prepared for questions. With these strategies in mind, you can confidently present your work and make a meaningful contribution to your field.

If you enjoyed this article, please do not forget to share it with your friends. And if you need to know how MeetingHand can assist you in planning great academic events, please visit our website or just BOOK A PERSONAL DEMO ith us.!

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• v.32(6); 2022 Dec

What Is the Utility of Posters? Qualitative Study of Participants at a Regional Primary Healthcare Conference in Asia

Charlene s. l. soon.

1 Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Mandalay Road, Novena, Singapore, 308232 Singapore

Lorainne Tudor Car

Chirk jenn ng.

2 Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Ngiap Chuan Tan

3 SingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore, Singapore

4 SingHealth-Duke NUS Family Medicine Academic Clinical Programme, Singapore, Singapore

Helen Smith

Associated data.

The data set analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Posters are used extensively as a mode of presentation at scientific conferences, but little is documented about their value to presenters or viewers. The study aimed to explore conference delegates’ views and experiences of poster presentations, and their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of posters compared with oral presentations, and also to identify ways to enhance the educational value of posters.

This was a qualitative study using brief, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews amongst delegates at a 3-day Asia Pacific regional academic primary care conference in Singapore. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and their contents analysed thematically.

Eighty-nine interviews were analysed. Respondents were mainly early career researchers (58%), and a third were presenting (poster or oral) at the conference. Many positive attributes of posters were identified. For the viewers, these included the ability to gain a rapid overview of research activity (for “ benchmarking ”, “ updating ”, and “ inspiration ”); the ability to choose who to engage with and when, in contrast to the tightly scheduled oral sessions; and opportunity to discuss content in a leisurely and detailed fashion with the presenter. Presenters considered posters “ less threatening ” than oral presentations and valued posters for the networking opportunities they created. However, posters were reported to be more demanding on the skills of précis and their preparation was considered arduous and more expensive than an oral presentation. Posters were also perceived to have lower academic status and dominate the presenter’s time at the conference, reducing the opportunities for them to see the work of others. Suggestions for incorporating technologies to enhance the impact of posters included QR codes to access more detailed information, pre-recorded presentations, and online interactive clarification sessions with poster authors.

Posters are perceived as a valuable mode of presentation at scientific conferences by presenters and viewers. Their unique strengths challenge the perception that posters are somehow inferior to oral presentations, suggesting a need for their advantages to be promoted by researchers and conference organisers. The incorporation of technology within the traditional display may enhance poster utility. Given the time and money spent on academic conferences there is an urgent need to evaluate the different styles of presentation used at conferences and how they differ in their ability to impact on medical science knowledge and evidence-based clinical practice.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01657-z.

Conferences play a major part in the professional activities of academics, scientists, and healthcare professionals. Conferences are recognised as providing opportunities for knowledge exchange and networking, characteristics that are supported by long established educational theories such as experiential learning, legitimate peripheral participation, and communities of practice. Traditionally, presentations at conferences divide broadly into oral and posters. An oral podium presentation is often followed by a brief question-and-answer session. These oral presentations can be of different lengths, from just several minutes up to an hour, and they can happen concurrently or consecutively. Since the 1980s, posters have become increasingly used as a mode of presentation at scientific conferences, a trend which began with the advent of computer-based graphics. Posters are displayed on boards or stands and viewed from a distance. Posters are displayed simultaneously over the course of the conference and attendees are free to browse and study at their own convenience. The conference schedule may allocate time during which the poster presenters are available at their posters to engage in discussion. Poster displays are sometimes augmented with other activities, such as a guided tour and discussion led by an expert in the field, or a very short presentation at the poster site or in another location. Abstracts selected for presentation are usually collated as conference proceedings, but rarely found in the published literature.

There is significant opinion-based literature on how to prepare an effective poster (examples include [ 1 – 3 ]). There is also growing literature on the characteristics of research abstracts presented at conferences and the proportion subsequently published; 551 such articles have been systematically reviewed in a recent Cochrane initiative [ 4 ]. In contrast, there is very little in the published literature about the value of posters at healthcare and medical meetings to presenters or to delegates [ 5 , 6 ].

Anecdotally, dissatisfaction is frequently expressed about poster presentations, but rarely is it written about [ 7 , 8 ]. As academics committed to improving the quality of Family Medicine and developing research capacity in the discipline, we wanted to better understand and cater for the needs of our conference delegates. In this study, we explored conference delegates’ views of poster presentations, and their perceptions of their strengths and weaknesses when compared with oral presentations.

Participants were recruited at the three-day 6th Asia Pacific Primary Care Research Conference (APPCRC) in Singapore in 2017 [ 9 ]. Oral consent was obtained prior to commencing a brief, semi-structured individual interview about the strengths and weaknesses of poster presentation and ways that it could be enhanced (for interview schedule, please see Appendix ). Data were also collected on participant’s role, level of research skill, and if they were presenting at the conference. The interviews were conducted by nine active researchers, with at least a research degree at master’s level, who were attending the conference as delegates and/or presenters. All had previous interviewing experience, and were individually briefed on the study background and interview schedule prior to the conference. We used convenience sampling, approaching delegates who were available to be interviewed during the refreshment breaks. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim by a transcriber familiar with local accents. Two co-authors (CS, HES) independently analysed the transcripts using a highly structured approach to thematic content analysis [ 10 ]. They compared and discussed the themes derived from the data before proceeding with the final analysis using the agreed coding framework. No data analysis software was used. Details are presented using illustrative quotations, unique identifiers consist of participant number, role, self-reported research skill, and whether presenting at this conference. Our findings are reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) [ 11 ].

We recruited 89 conference delegates, almost a quarter of attendees at this approximately 400 strong conference. The characteristics of the respondents are shown in Table ​ Table1. 1 . There was a spectrum of research experience with the majority describing their level of research skill as either none or novice ( n  = 52, 58%), and only a minority self-reported as “an expert” in research ( n  = 7, 7.9%). One-third of those interviewed were presenting at the conference and the most frequent mode of presentation was poster. Two respondents had more than one presentation.

Respondents’ characteristics ( n  = 89)

* Two respondents had two presentations

From analysis of the transcribed interviews, we identified ten subthemes which could be grouped into two themes, the pros of posters (six subthemes) and the cons of posters (four subthemes). The pros of posters were rapid updating, sources of inspiration, flexibility, enabling personalization of the conference program, facilitation of networking, and good for early career presenters. The cons were too little information, less prestigious than oral presentations, challenging to prepare, and monopolizing presenter’s time at conference. These themes are discussed below with illustrative quotes.

Pros of Posters

There were six attributes that participants valued about poster presentation:

Rapid Updating

Conference delegates identified the poster display at a conference as valuable opportunity to rapidly update on research initiatives locally and regionally, whilst also helping to benchmarking their own research endeavours.

“ It’s to just have a snapshot across the board … to see what sort of topics they’re doing, which organisation is doing good work, and whether there are any new methodologies ” (#49, Academic, intermediate, oral presentation) “ You get to rate it [your work] against other people’s work and see if it sort of stands up .” (#03, Nurse, intermediate, not presenting)

Sources of Inspiration

Posters were identified as a source of inspiration for future research.

“ When you’re looking at other researchers’ posters, you can gain more idea of what you can do. These posters can give some ideas … both research questions and how to communicate research, you know .” (#61, Doctor, intermediate, poster presentation)

Some clinicians recognised how some posters also impacted on clinical practice, the presentation of new evidence “… can also benefit my patients ” (#23, Doctor, naïve, poster presenter), by inspiring service development.

Flexibility of Poster Viewing

The word “ static ” was sometimes used to describe posters, reflecting their availability for viewing throughout the conference. By being “ always there ”, participants described how posters could be viewed at their convenience and at their pace, in contrast to oral presentations that were scheduled at a specific time, and sometimes in venues with limited seating capacity. A poster was perceived as having greater potential to reach a larger audience as compared to oral presentation.

“… the poster will be available throughout the whole conference so … people can, in their free time, view the poster. Posters also allow distribution of material. For example if I print out a poster, I can leave my contact, so networking might be better, compared to oral presentation. Oral presentation is one-off … oral presentation only gives you one timeslot, so people tend to miss it .” (#65, Doctor, intermediate, no presentation)

Posters created better opportunities for reflection, unlike oral presentations where the there was only one opportunity, “ can listen to it once, whereas posters can be read a couple of times ” (#18 Administrator, naïve, no presentation).

Enables Focussing on Those Topics of Personal Interest

Poster display provides flexibility and enables delegates to personalise their schedule and engage in prolonged discussion with those who share similar interests. Interviewees frequently described how they would quickly glance at all the posters displayed, before identifying a subsample which they wished to read in detail. Posters allowed more personalisation of activities, with delegates selecting those topics of personal interest, whereas within an oral session, the relevant and irrelevant may be juxtaposed.

It was acknowledged that if there were many posters, the selection of interest becomes difficult and choice may then be influenced by presentation style rather than content.

“… when going through a hall of posters, we pick those really attractive ones. Posters may be chosen for superficial attractiveness rather than quality and then we will miss out on those “pearls in the sea”. I think that’s the pitfall .” (#10, Doctor, intermediate, no presentation)

Posters Facilitate Networking and Collaborations

Poster presentations were seen as catalysts for networking and developing collaboration.

“ You get you know, to get to meet people who are doing similar work, and possible collaborations can come out of it .” (#03, Nurse, intermediate, no presentation).

Posters attract people with similar interests to engage in in-depth discussions.

“… probably it will trigger some of the interesting discussions… would attract the people who are interested in the topic, and, ah, then you hope to have a deeper discussion on the content of the presentation .” (#26, Researcher, intermediate, poster presentation) “ People who are interested come and stand around the poster, and it’s often a more of an intimate sort of discussion than in an oral presentation session, where …people are sitting there and they’re playing on their mobile phone, you know .” (#03, Nurse, intermediate, no presentation)

Whilst oral presentations often have time allocated at the end of the presentation for questions, they were considered less effective at triggering collaboration, being disadvantaged by the finite time for discussion and a cultural reticence to ask questions in front of a large audience.

“ One of the things you find in the Asian culture is we don’t speak up in large crowds. But we can speak very well in a one-to-one basis .” (#29, Academic, novice, no presentation) “ They [conference participants] are a little bit shy to ask questions, in front of a lot of people ” (#8, Nurse, novice, no presentation)

Some perceived research presentations as a competition rather than an opportunity for academic sharing, commenting on the dominance of “ recognition and award ”. (#35, Post graduate student, naïve, poster presentation). In contrast, the interaction around a poster was perceived as being more collegiate, characterised by helpful feedback, an opportunity to meet like-minded people, and initiate future collaboration.

“ You get to meet people who are doing similar work, and any possible collaborations can come out of it .” (#03, Nurse, intermediate, no presentation)

Posters Are Preferred for Early Career Researchers and Non-native Speakers

Some presenters recognised their strength was in written rather than oral presentations and thus preferred a poster presentation. This view was echoed by early career researchers and those who found oral presentations intimidating.

“ Because sometimes I’m not very comfortable with presenting my subject. My reflexes are not that fast, so I think having a poster there would be easier for me to like spurt it out …” (#07, Nurse, novice, poster presenter)

Participants, who attended conferences where the main media of communication was a foreign language, recognised the advantages to them of posters over oral presentations.

“ In China we not very good at English. So, if it’s a poster we can take a picture, and then we can go back and see all what they said. But if it’s oral, if it’s just one time. I can listen, maybe understand some part of their oral in English , [but] I don’t know very clearly .” (#05, Academic, intermediate, oral presentation)

Cons of Posters

There were four themes that related to those attributes of posters that were less desirable and reduced their value.

Too Little Information

The concise information of a poster provides, in an easy-to-comprehend manner, an overview of current research for people who are new to the field. Conversely, being concise has its own pitfalls as posters lack depth, which is frustrating when delegates wanted to find out more about the research methodology.

“ It’s good for an introduction, it’s good as a visual for people who are new in this topic.. to have an understanding. But when you go in depth then that’s where the poster is lacking .” (#57, Doctor, novice, no presentation)

Posters Are Less Prestigious

Many presenters and delegates perceived that the standard required for acceptance of an abstract for a poster presentation was less than that required for oral presentation.

“… I think unfortunately, many people still think the oral presentation implies a higher standard .” (#58, Academic, expert, oral presentation)

Such perceptions were at times reinforced by the policies within the delegate’s host institution, as illustrated in this quote about appraisal and key performance indicators:

“ Because it [oral presentation] has higher recognition than a poster [name of the organisation] only recognise oral over poster ” (#35, Post graduate student, naïve, poster presentation)

Delegates described how submission of a poster abstract was sometimes used to legitimise conference attendance and generate reimbursement of travel and registration, “ Unfortunately, a lot of people just want to put up a poster and get a ticket for entry .” (#21 Academic, intermediate, no presentation) Consequently, some delegates, who have leveraged on poster presentation for travel rather than for academic opportunities, may affix their poster in the poster exhibition but then fail to engage further poster-related activities, “… sometimes people like to leave their posters there, and then they walk away .” (#34, Post graduate student, intermediate, no presentation).

The heterogeneity of research quality within the poster hall was in part attributed to this “ meal ticket ” mentality and perception that the conference organizer “ doesn’t take it [quality or display of posters] seriously ” (#49, Academic, intermediate, oral presentation) . The acceptance of poster abstracts was perceived to boost delegate registration and conference attendance. From the organiser’s perspectives, respondents perceived a possible tension between a financially viable conference and the quality of the science. In contrast, oral presentations were referred to being “ super curated ” (#34, Post graduate student, intermediate, no presentation) and therefore considered better use of delegates’ time.

Challenging to Prepare and Present

Poster preparation often requires condensing and précising large amounts of information to retain only that which is important and essential. This process was reported as being time-consuming and far more onerous than the preparation of an oral presentation.

“ And sometimes it’s quite difficult trying to, the orientation and stuff like that, …. you spend a lot of time just trying to fit information, quite a few critical ones and you, and it takes a long time just to try to get rid of some things and try …. to squeeze it in .” (#80 Allied Health Professional, novice, no presentation)

Other disadvantages of poster preparation were printing costs and the inconvenience of transportation.

“… especially when you travel overseas, and you need to carry the posters with you. Sometimes the airplane does not allow you to go to your seats [with the poster]. So, you have to check it in, … you’re worried that your poster will be crushed, missing, … when you reach the destination the poster will be not there .” (#27 Academic, intermediate, no presentation)

It was suggested that the requirement for posters to be concise could be compensated for if supplementary information was pre-recorded as a short presentation made available to conference attendees on a handheld tablet or screen panel. Another suggestion that was less resource intensive for both the presenter and conference organisers were QR codes, “ Maybe have a website that links to more details, like maybe a QR code that we could just take a picture of and go to the website .” (#02, Other, intermediate, no presentation).

Although participants had little experience of electronic poster (e-poster) presentation, these were mentioned as a format that would enable a more dynamic form of presentation, eliminate the need to transport a poster to the conference venue, and in addition, by being accessible to others beyond those physically at the conference, had greater potential for knowledge exchange and networking.

Posters Monopolise the Presenter’s Time

Whilst poster presentation creates flexibility for viewers to examine the poster at their own pace, it may be disadvantageous to the poster presenters who feel confined to the vicinity of their poster, as “ people come at different times, and you have to make quite a few presentations .” (GL019). Thus, poster presenter’s time can be monopolised, leaving little time to participate in other conference activities or to view the posters of others. There were occasions when the time they had invested by their poster was not rewarded with interactions with other delegates.

“….. so, say you safely go to the conference, and you put up the poster,… I’m not sure how many people actually come and read my poster which already I’ve been taking all my effort to prepare it. Then maybe someone reading it, or nobody’s reading it? I’m not sure .” (#27, Academic, intermediate, not presenting)

This interviewee went on to describe how the time for poster display can be very short.

“ And sometimes, at certain conferences, especially international, there are so many thousands of participants, they want you to just upload it in the morning, download… pick up the poster by afternoon or evening. It’s, like, one day or sometimes half a day, so I’ve had that experience before. ”

Interviewees shared many ideas for improving the value of posters at a conference; their suggestions related less to poster content and more to programming, location, and environment. It was suggested that to boost viewing rates, posters needed more prominence. The widespread perception that an oral presentation “ automatically means that the research is more interesting ” (#34, Post graduate student, intermediate, no presentation) combined with the inconspicuous location of posters (“ Posters tend to get relegated to around the corner… I don’t even know they are here ” (#03, Nurse, intermediate, no presentation) appears to deter conference delegates engaging with the posters. Other suggestions included:

• Scheduling adequate and dedicated viewing time (“ They’ve got to be scheduled when people can go ”) (#03, Nurse, intermediate, no presentation) when neither the presenters nor delegates have conflicting commitments. Also valued were the organisation of poster rounds, where experienced researchers guide delegates around a selection of themed posters, and lead on discussion.
• Central and prominent location for the posters, perhaps in the same area where “ there’s coffee or something ”. (#03, Nurse, intermediate, no presentation)
• Provision of an environment conducive to discussion , by virtue of space to gather around the poster and minimal ambient noise to compete with conversations.
• Requirement to display contact details that may be used to contact presenter outside the allotted poster viewing times.
• Including poster abstracts in the conference handbook alongside those of the oral abstracts.

Project Summary

This study explored conference attendees’ perception of posters at an Asia Pacific regional conference, focusing on the effectiveness of communicating and discussing research findings in this format. Posters have educational strengths as well as weaknesses which are almost the mirror opposite of oral presentations. Strengths of posters included viewing at one’s own pace, learning from informal and unlimited one-to-one discussion. The value of poster presenting or poster viewing was perceived as rarely favoured or enabled within the organisation or culture of conferences. The impact of posters could be improved by explicitly promoting their strengths as a focus for interaction and exchange, and displaying them in a central and prominent site with protected, scheduled time for viewing and discussion within the conference program.

Strengths and Limitations

Our data was collected at a single conference in the Asia Pacific region; however, interviewees often drew on their experiences from previous conferences, attended regionally or internationally. Our sample was large; 89 interviewees, generating 203 pages of data. The transferability of our observations is supported by the similarity to some previous unpublished research conducted at both a local and an international conference of Primary Care and a published paper [ 6 ] using an online post conference survey of poster presenters at two conferences focusing on releasing research and enterprise potential in predominantly healthcare audience. All these events were hosted in the UK.

Our study adds to what is currently an under-researched area, the needs, and motivations of conference delegates. This paucity of literature in this area is surprising as conferences are hosted worldwide to facilitate knowledge exchange and networking in science, medicine, and academia. Most attendees are employed in higher education institutions or professional bodies with responsibility for education and training. However, it seems that conferences have largely escaped formal evaluation of both their overall impact and the relative effectiveness of their constituent activities (such as oral presentations, posters, workshops). A recent study of the needs and motivations of delegates of academic, scientific, and professional conferences found that conferences were generally successful in meeting the delegates’ desires to network, interact, and share their work [ 8 ]. However, delegates had mixed perceptions about the longer-term tangible benefits and usefulness of attendance, with some considering a conference as little more than a break from routine and professional socialisation. Interestingly as far back as 1963 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) challenged that conferences were being created with the main aim of legitimising conference attendance and not because of intellectual motivation [ 12 ]. Nevertheless, this challenge appears to have gone largely unaddressed, perhaps because participation in conferences has become a well-established part of academic and professional life.

Our study focussed on conference attendees, whether presenting or not, but we did not interview the conference organisers, whose priorities may be different. Their agenda extends beyond dissemination and collaboration, and may also include financial viability and achieving geographical and institutional representation. Organisation of conference is a huge industry. It is estimated to have a turnover of 39.9 billion USD and rising [ 13 ]. Sharing the delegates’ feedback with our meeting planners’ and discussing how participants’ suggestions can be implemented in future meetings will be a step forward to improve the impact of posters as an effective tool to share new knowledge in the academia.

Perceived Status of Posters

Poster presentations were perceived as less prestigious, and of lower ranking compared to oral presentation. However, there was no mention of abstract ranking in the conference's promotional literature. Perceptions of the low status of posters are perhaps reinforced by the limited time allocated in the conference program for viewing, and their peripheral location. In a study of accepted abstracts at a Trauma meeting in the USA, abstracts selected for poster presentation had equal or higher scores than those selected for oral [ 14 ]. Dismissing posters as “second class” may not be well founded, but it is a widespread perception, often reflected in the footfall in the poster area. The number of people visiting the poster exhibitions and reading a poster at two gastroenterological conferences (one national and the other international) was estimated as < 5% [ 5 ]. In that study, the researchers asked 26 delegates to scrutinise six posters for scientific merit, originality, and aesthetics, but when the delegates were contacted two weeks later, they recalled little or nothing of the content of the posters they had evaluated, a worrying observation. This study may have underestimated recall as the posters under review were ones to which they were directed, whereas in reality, conference delegates select and view the posters of high interest to themselves and may therefore be more likely to remember their contents. However, in that study, the six posters were selected to reflect the special interest in inflammatory bowel disease of the 26 reviewers.

Does Technology Offer Any Solutions?

In the early days of poster presentation, posters were created by producing several separate sections of similar size mounted on coloured board, and then in the 2000s, it became common practice to print the poster on a single oversized sheet. Technology moves on and conference participants referred to emerging methods of presentation, including video presentation and electronic poster (e-poster) presentation [ 15 ] particularly to achieve more dynamic forms of presentation as well as reducing the inconveniences of transporting hard copies of posters to the conference venue. Innovative methods potentially impose higher expenditure on the conference organisers, as they require sophisticated equipment (e.g., interactive whiteboards) and IT facilitators on-site to troubleshoot. An article describing the conversion of a conventional poster to an e-poster discussed some of the challenges of preparation, including the time needed for preparation and the amount of file memory used [ 16 ]. They discussed how their e-poster was not available continuously but was projected onto a large screen for their 5-min slot allocated for presenting and answering questions, highlighting how the adoption of advanced technology can bring new and unexpected challenges.

E-posters were first described in the literature around the millennium. In 2001, a digital interactive poster presentation (DIPP) was used at the 14th Meeting of the European Association of Cardio-thoracic Surgery [ 17 ] with the aim of creating a more interactive presentation and encouraging greater discussion between the audience and presenters than the traditional poster. Posters were projected onto a large screen and presenters were able to magnify selected sections, be it figures, text, or tables, to accompany their 2-minute oral summary. Evaluation of the DIPP found the audience and presenters perceived it to be a more interactive medium than the traditional poster. Whilst the DIPP offered enlargement of data, there was no facility for extending the poster’s content. In contrast, the “MediaPoster” combines information technology (IT) with the “traditional” poster appearance, to liberate greater interactive potential. A “MediaPoster” enables viewers or presenter to select an area of interest on the poster surface and access a full range of linked documents and imagery which can open to the side of the screen to bring depth to the presentation [ 6 ].

The introduction of e-posters has been relatively slow and patchy over two decades, but driven by the necessity of social distancing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, their utilisation has blossomed [ 18 ]. In parallel, there have been increasing concerns about the heavy carbon footprint of international conferences and climate change [ 19 ]. Recently, there has been more published about e-posters, but notably in the context of teaching, learning, and assessment (see for example [ 20 , 21 ]), rather than the more challenging evaluation of knowledge exchange at a scientific meetings.

In the current literature, there is a plethora of publications advising on the design of an effective poster, ways to increase visual appeal, and the fate of conference abstracts (i.e., conversion of abstracts to published papers). In contrast, there is very little exploring the efficacy of academic posters. The paucity of literature regarding the educational value of different presentation formats (lectures, posters, workshops, etc.) used at conferences is disturbing given the time and money invested globally in presenting and attending conferences. We need to design studies to enable us to assess the effectiveness of different styles of presentation commonly used at conferences, be they real or virtual, and assess how their impact differs between disciplines with respect medical science knowledge and evidence-based clinical practice.

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the interviewees sharing their thoughts and experiences of conference attendance. We also wish to acknowledge our colleagues who took time out of the conference to assist with the interviews (Dr Lim Chip Dong, Dr Beh Hooi Chin, Dr Ian Choong, Dr Irmi Ismail, Dr Jonathan Tan, Dr Noreen Ooi, Dr Gloria Law).

Author Contribution

CS and HS conceived the idea for the study and drafted the protocol, which the other authors (LTC, NCJ, TNC) then helped refine. CS and HS helped collect data and conducted the preliminary analysis before sharing with all authors for discussion and consensus. CS wrote the first draft of the manuscript which was refined by HS before sharing with all authors for critique. All authors (CS, LTC, NCJ, TNC, and HS) read, edited, and approved the final manuscript.

Funded from Prof Smith’s start up grant from Nanyang Technological University.

Availability of Data

Declarations.

This study was reviewed and approved by Nanyang Technological University Institutional Review Board (NTU IRB ref: IRB-2017–05-051).

Not applicable.

The authors declare no competing interests.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

• Research article
• Open access
• Published: 08 December 2009

What impact do posters have on academic knowledge transfer? A pilot survey on author attitudes and experiences

• Nicholas Rowe 1 &
• Dragan Ilic 2  

BMC Medical Education volume  9 , Article number:  71 ( 2009 ) Cite this article

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Research knowledge is commonly facilitated at conferences via oral presentations, poster presentations and workshops. Current literature exploring the efficacy of academic posters is however limited. The purpose of this initial study was to explore the perceptions of academic poster presentation, together with its benefits and limitations as an effective mechanism for academic knowledge transfer and contribute to the available academic data.

A survey was distributed to 88 delegates who presented academic posters at two Releasing Research and Enterprise Potential conferences in June 2007 and June 2008 at Bournemouth University. This survey addressed attitude and opinion items, together with their general experiences of poster presentations. Descriptive statistics were performed on the responses.

A 39% return was achieved with the majority of respondents believing that posters are a good medium for transferring knowledge and a valid form of academic publication. Visual appeal was cited as more influential than subject content, with 94% agreeing that poster imagery is most likely to draw viewer's attention. Respondents also believed that posters must be accompanied by their author in order to effectively communicate the academic content.

This pilot study is the first to explore perceptions of the academic poster as a medium for knowledge transfer. Given that academic posters rely heavily on visual appeal and direct author interaction, the medium requires greater flexibility in their design to promote effective knowledge transfer. This paper introduces the concept of the IT-based 'MediaPoster' so as to address the issues raised within published literature and subsequently enhance knowledge-transfer within the field of academic medicine.

Peer Review reports

The dissemination of new research knowledge, or knowledge transfer, has traditionally been facilitated by oral, poster and workshop presentations. Oral presentations generally consist of detailed information presented in a didactic format. Poster presentations provide the viewer with a 'snap shot' of the topic of interest. [ 1 – 5 ] Workshops are increasingly being included in conferences to facilitate the active learning of skills and methodologies.

The static nature of the poster presentation may not be perceived as promoting an environment that is conducive to 'active learning', although it still meets the expressed professional demand for a constant 'snap-shot' overview. In itself, active learning consists of strategies that encourage the learner to engage in activities including the analysis, synthesis and evaluation of information. [ 6 ] Support of this methodology is present in literature, [ 7 ] and links closely with the practice learning approaches commonly employed within medicine and healthcare.

Poster presentations may stand alone or be accompanied by a short presentation (less than five minutes in duration) by the presenter. [ 1 ] Unsupported poster presentations may elicit a degree of active learning, in that the audience must engage with the poster to read, synthesise and analyse the information presented. [ 1 , 2 ] However, this has limited potential and increases the reliance on visual themes to attract viewer attention. Combining a short presentation or author presence with the poster presentation can facilitate discussion between the presenter and audience. [ 1 , 8 ] This process may be altogether more engaging and another means by which the poster presentation can promote active learning.

The 'traditional' poster presentation aims to present information in a succinct manner. In an effort to deliver a depth of information that supports their work, the final result is often a congested poster in which the key messages are either difficult to find or lost. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 9 ] Some posters may have tremendous visual appeal, but lack content. [ 1 ] This has led to a perception that the medium is lacking in terms of depth and interactivity and as such, not perhaps given the appropriate level of academic appreciation that it deserves. [ 2 , 9 , 10 ]

Given that posters are primarily acknowledged to be a visual medium, 'traditional' poster presentations are not well equipped to accommodate alternative learning styles. Whilst an audience may consist of those who best learn when reading information, a poster also needs to provide clear navigation in either vertical (top to bottom or vica versa) or horizontal (left to right or vica versa) planes in order to provide a sequential logic. [ 3 , 4 , 11 ] Given its passive nature; if not accompanied by a short presentation which can help with aural and verbal learning exchange, the content of the 'traditional' academic poster may only reach a limited proportion of its intended audience. [ 12 ]

A growing body of literature serves to examine the overall effectiveness of knowledge transfer within the medical and healthcare fields, although comparatively little is published exploring the poster medium. [ 13 – 15 ] The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of the academic poster presentation, together with its benefits and limitations as a mode for academic knowledge transfer.

Two academic conferences were held at Bournemouth University in June 2007 and June 2008. These were regional based conferences with the majority of attendees from the United Kingdom (UK). Following on from programmes which aimed to release the research and enterprise potential of academics from a broad range of disciplines, the conference events centred upon a range of accompanied poster presentations, at which delegates sought to disseminate independent work that had been generated during their programme participation. These meetings were selected as representative of a multi-disciplinary conference which utilised poster presentations within its structure. Delegates had undergone a year-long development programme to further their potential for research participation within their academic fields. Delegates at both conferences spent three 30 minute sessions to view the posters and interact with the respective authors. Delegates also had the option of viewing the posters over lunch.

An online survey was designed to assess the attitudes, opinions and experiences of conference delegates on academic poster presentations. Outcomes were measured on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neither agree/disagree, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly disagree). Four questions were also asked to identify participants' previous observations of academic posters. Participants were asked to state whether they recalled a specific poster from the conference attended, whether they discussed the poster with the author and whether there was any follow-up to the discussion. All of these outcomes were answered yes, no or don't recall. Participants were also asked to identify whether they best remembered the image or content of the poster. Open-ended questions were also available for participants to make any qualitative responses.

A total of 87 posters were presented at the two meetings. Authors from each poster were sent an email requesting them to participate in an online survey, incorporating the above mentioned survey, as part of this study. The survey incorporated a number of features that have been illustrated to increase participant response rate including; online delivery via a short questionnaire, an offer of overall survey results, the use of textual representation of response categories, a deadline and reminder by when to submit the survey and use of a novel topic. [ 16 ]

Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and percentages) were determined for each statement. Modified thematic analysis was used to interpret qualitative responses from the open-ended questions. [ 17 ] Ethics approval of the research was obtained from the organisers of the programmes concerned and in-line with IRB institutional policy (including the Bournemouth University Research Committee and the School of Health & Social Care Research Committee).

A total of 34 surveys from conference participants were returned, for a response rate of 39%. All respondents were academics attending two research & enterprise developmental conferences in successive years. The conferences were multi-disciplinary although the professional and academic level of attendee was representative of that to be seen at specific healthcare conferences. The majority of respondents were female (67%). Respondents were aged predominantly below 49 years (72%). Approximately half of the respondents had previously participated in some form of formal training or workshop on how to develop an academic poster presentation.

Respondent attitudes and opinions regarding academic posters are summarised in Table 1 . Overall 62% of participants agreed, or strongly agreed, with the statement that posters are a good medium for knowledge transfer in the academic environment. Half of the participants believed that posters are a valid format of academic publication, however only 32% agreed that the medium permits the author to convey a suitable depth of subject information to the viewer. Participants were divided on their attitude on whether posters allow the author to present considered academic debate on the topic, with 41% agreeing with the statement and 53% disagreeing.

The majority of participants believed that the visual aspects of an academic posters was more appealing to viewers that the text and subject content. Almost all of the participants (94%) believed that the imagery and composition of the poster (e.g. colours, figures) was the main factor in catching the viewer's attention. However, over half of respondents did not believe that the author's artistic ability disguised the scholarly content offered in the poster (53%).

Participants agreed that the information provided by posters needed to be supplemented by some form of oral presentation, or author presence, to further communicate the content. Approximately two-thirds of participants believed that conference delegates discussed poster presentations during conferences, with 76% believing that authors should be present with their poster. Participants were divided in their belief as to whether posters effectively communicated a lasting message to the viewer, with 47% agreeing or strongly agreeing with the statement, whilst 44% were uncommitted. A similar trend was also observed when identifying the long term impact of knowledge translation post conference.

Participants were also asked about their own experiences with constructing and presenting their poster at the conferences, with the majority of participants' answers endorsing their previous responses on the various topics (Table 2 ). Half of the participants believed that their poster was an effective medium for knowledge transfer, with 59% judging that it sufficiently attracted the attention of conference delegates. Almost half of the respondents (47%) acknowledged some formal training in designing academic posters, and the majority (70%) found it easy to construct a poster with balanced text and graphical content. Despite 59% of participants stating that knowledge transfer is not achieved when posters are 'stand alone', half of the respondents believed that their poster would have worked as a stand-alone presentation at the recent conference.

Several open-ended questions elicited qualitative responses from participants. A total of 88% of participants recalled a specific poster from the event that they attended.

"They (posters) are a very useful way to include more (academic content) into a conference. New researchers especially can bring their work to a wider audience prior to the paper presentations which they will do later on in their academic careers."

Over two-thirds of participants (73%) remembered the imagery of the poster more clearly, rather than academic content.

"Posters appeal to me due to their visual component, but there are too many factors, both technical and behavioural, that restrict their value. They make a very efficient use of our time at external events as an ice-breaker for beginning discussions and establishing networks with colleagues."

Although 73% of respondents discussed the poster with the author, less than a third (30%) followed up on their discussion after the event. From an author's perspective:

"The poster medium is an excellent discipline for crystallizing your views on a topic. However unless you get a chance to discuss the poster with other delegates it can feel like you are having a discourse with yourself."

This pilot study is the first to evaluate the perception of the academic poster as a medium for knowledge transfer. The majority of literature currently published on the subject has concentrated on only discussing the benefits and limitations of the poster as an academic tool, and the generalised aspects of poster construction. The findings from this pilot study have identified that academic posters are perceived as a good medium for transferring knowledge and also a valid form of academic publication. It also identified that the visual appeal of posters is more influential than subject content, with poster imagery the most likely feature to draw viewers' attention to the poster and subsequently engage them. It is also evident that traditional academic posters must be accompanied by the author in order to effectively communicate the subject detail.

The characteristics that aim to promote knowledge transfer within 'traditional' poster presentation are, paradoxically, also features which may limit its effectiveness. As seen in our study, and supported by others, viewers may place more emphasis on 'first impressions' and characteristics such as presentation rather than scientific merit, a succinct message and originality. [ 18 ] Posters are designed to give a visual representation of an issue that firstly attracts attention, and then conveys an intended message. Therefore, much of the poster's success as an educational tool relies upon the design of the poster. Design layout, including colour schemes, framing of information and readability all influence how effectively the key information may be conveyed to the reader; sometimes at detriment to the overall scientific message that is presented. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 11 , 18 ]

Advances beyond paper

The digital interactive poster presentation (DIPP) was a new system proposed for organising poster sessions in 2001, and employed at the 14th Meeting of the European Association of Cardio-thoracic Surgery. [ 12 ] It aimed to overcome the limitations of 'traditional' posters by creating an interactive presentation which would encourage greater discussion between the audience and presenter. [ 12 ] The DIPP permitted presenters to project their poster on a large screen and magnify pre-selected sections (e.g. figures, text, tables) whilst providing a two minute summary of their poster. Whilst this contributed to the special quality of the presentation and ensured author participation; the enhanced illustration of imagery and data did not extend beyond that represented on the poster itself. An evaluation of the DIPP system demonstrated support towards a more interactive poster presentation system by both audience and presenters. [ 12 ]

'MediaPoster' - a practical development of the academic poster

In developing the 'MediaPoster' concept, we have looked to enable the combined evolution of the DIPP principle and its traditional forbear. [ 19 ] The 'MediaPoster' aims to combine information technology (IT) with a 'traditional' poster appearance, thus retaining the static image and at the same time releasing the full interactive potential of the medium. [ 19 ] 'MediaPoster' is presented from a laptop base onto interactive LCD or whiteboard screens, or even as a standard interactive computer screen display. It allows any individual section of a digital poster (full or screen size) to hold embedded links to supporting and additional information. Viewers can select an area of interest on the poster surface and access a full range of linked documents and imagery which open in a dedicated viewing area at the side of the screen (Additional file 1 ). The original poster image and information remains unchanged and in full view for others to see. All supporting documents are 'live' and allow open access to tables, PDF and other common publishing formats, which open in an enhanced view to aid readability. Authors may enable access to as much or as little supporting data and material as is appropriate, so assigning their own academic 'depth' to the medium. Restraints are only relative to the technological capability of the hardware system employed.

The limitations to this pilot study are acknowledged. Despite the use of established methods to increase participant response rate to our electronic survey, our response rate was 39%. Future follow-up surveys aim to incorporate additional measures, including personalising invitations, follow-up emails and incentives, in an attempt to increase response rate. [ 16 ] It is further recognised that due to the low response rate, the results of this study are limited in their generalisability. Participants in this study had undergone a year-long development programme specifically designed to better their research skills. This study represents attitudes and experiences of this selected group of academics, which may limit the findings widespread applicability. However, given that this is the first study to explore the perceptions, attitudes and experiences of the academic poster, the pilot nature of the data yields sufficient information to validate the construction of a larger survey instrument. It is anticipated that this instrument will be disseminated at several upcoming conferences across a variety of academic and medical disciplines.

Poster presentations are a valid form of transferring academic knowledge. However, greater flexibility in their design and dissemination is required. 'MediaPoster' provides an opportunity to deliver a genuine depth of information, which is amendable to suit a wide variety of academic, professional and commercial disciplines. It accounts for a full range of learning styles by use of interactive delivery, and so promotes a genuine forum of active learning. Further research is however required and an interventional study is currently being devised on which to evaluate the effectiveness of the 'MediaPoster'.

Author information

NR is a lecturer at the School of Health & Social Care, Bournemouth University. DI is a senior lecturer in Evidence Based Practice at the School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University.

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Acknowledgements

No external funding was obtained in pursuit of this research.

Authors and Affiliations

School of Health & Social Care, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK

Nicholas Rowe

Monash Institute of Health Services Research, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Australia

Dragan Ilic

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Correspondence to Nicholas Rowe .

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Authors' contributions

NR conceived the design of the study, collected and analysed the data, and drafted the manuscript. DI analysed the data and drafted the manuscript. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Additional file 1: mediaposter. a graphical representation of the 'mediaposter'. (doc 107 kb), authors’ original submitted files for images.

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Rowe, N., Ilic, D. What impact do posters have on academic knowledge transfer? A pilot survey on author attitudes and experiences. BMC Med Educ 9 , 71 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-9-71

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Received : 21 May 2009

Accepted : 08 December 2009

Published : 08 December 2009

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-9-71

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