1999 APSA POSTER GUIDELINES
Table of Contents:
WHAT APSA PROVIDES FOR POSTER PRESENTERS
POSTER REQUIREMENTS
POSTER GUIDELINES
RECEIVING HELPFUL FEEDBACK
RELATED POSTER WEBSITES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
EMAIL US YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS AT jag@u.arizona.edu.
WHAT APSA WILL PROVIDE:
-
Table
-
Bulletin Board
-
Thumbtacks
POSTER REQUIREMENTS
-
All poster presenters are expected to write a paper. Please have copies
of your paper available at your table.
-
DO NOT mount the text of your paper as a "poster," even if
you feel compelled to do so.
-
Presenters should begin displaying their posters one hour before their
scheduled section so that meeting attendees who can not attend a poster
session because of a scheduling conflict may still have time to see it.
Presenters are not required to remain with their poster during this
time.
POSTER GUIDELINES (which have been culled from a variety of sources.)
-
Divide the contents of your poster into appropriate sections, such as:
title, author and affiliation; abstract; methodology; data; results; and
conclusions. Include each on a separate sheet (or sheets) of paper.
-
Headings above each poster section should indicate its contents and identify
the appropriate sequence for viewing the poster by clearly visible
numbers, letters or arrows
-
Use a font pitch of no less than 16
for your text, since most viewers will be standing at least three feet
away from a poster.
-
Use larger lettering for the poster’s title, author and institutional
affiliation. (At least an inch high.)
-
Avoid fonts that utilize script or are difficult
to read.
-
If hand lettering is required, use felt-tip
black ink.
-
Written material should be concise. Save unessential but helpful or interesting
secondary points for discussion with your viewers.
-
Graphs, charts and tables are particularly eye-catching at poster sessions.
-
Your printed conclusions should permit observers to focus on a concise
statement of your central findings that lends itself to informal discussion.
-
Neutral or grayish poster or matte board is easier on the eyes than a bright
color. (But do we really want 360 neutral and gray posters?)
-
A mailing tube or portfolio case is recommended for transporting your poster.
-
A notepad may prove helpful in elaborating further upon your poster or
for taking names and addresses of people interested in your research.
RECEIVING HELPFUL FEEDBACK
-
A survey was conducted at the 1993 American Psychology Association Meeting
poster sessions. Some of the findings are relevant to political science
poster presenters as well.
The most commonly noted distracting mannerism was involvement of the
presenter in conversation unrelated to the poster. Presenters who show
an optimal level of interaction are preferred. Overzealous presenters were
noted as distracting, as were those who were uninviting or not available
for questions. Two other troubling mannerisms were watching the attendee
while he or she was reading the poster and having an arrogant attitude.
Common criticisms of presenter comportment included blocking visual access
to the poster and absence from the poster display area (Welch and Waehler
1996, 43).
-
With respect to what particularly impressed respondents,
[v]isual presentation of the poster was the most commonly endorsed
category (41%), with preference given for large print within the body of
the report, high-quality graphics, use of color, and a large title. Effectiveness
with which the ideas were communicated was the second most commonly endorse
category (37%). Among important communication aspects of the poster were
brevity, clarity of writing, supportive graphs and charts, and highlighted
main points (43-44).
. . . The most noted weaknesses were that the print of the poster text
was too small and that the presenter did not take the time to make the
poster professional and visually pleasing. Posting too many pages was another
common criticism (44).
RELATED POSTER WEBSITES
These are both excellent sources of helpful information for producing
effective posters. They provide visual examples as well.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Andrea A. Welch and Charles A. Waehler. "Preferences About Poster Presentations."
Teaching of Psychology,
Vol.23, No. 1, February
1996, pp.42-44.
EMAIL US YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS AT jag@u.arizona.edu.
Return to Top of Page | Return
to APSA Annual Meeting Page