How to Make a Scientific Poster

Science students at all levels create scientific posters to show the results of their research. They display their posters at scientific gatherings so attendees can see what they've been working on and stop for more information only if they are interested in the student's work. A scientific poster must contain all the elements of a scientific paper in condensed form, and should be as professional in appearance as possible.

Poster Elements

1. Create a short title. Scientific papers may have lengthy titles. Shorten yours so that it adequately conveys what your research is about and your experimental method but takes up no more than 2 lines at the top of your poster.
   • If you can, make your title "catchy" so it will attract interest from passersby, but don't try to make it funny.
2. Write an introduction. Place your research in the context of previous work, then introduce an interesting hypothesis.
   • Keep your introduction to under 200 words so it can be read quickly. You can add a photograph or other visual aid to make it more interesting and eye-catching.
   • Don't clutter your introduction with definitions, background information or anything else that will only bog down the narrative and cause passersby to lose interest.
3. Describe your experimental approach. Briefly describe your method, taking no more than 200 words and using illustrations if they're helpful. Flow charts are especially good for this section.
4. Give your results. Do this with 2 paragraphs of text and a clearly labeled table so passersby can understand your results at a glance. Most will skip the other sections and just study your results, so take extra care with this section.
   • In the first paragraph, state whether your experiment worked or not.
   • In the second paragraph, analyze your results in terms of your hypothesis.
5. Include some discussion of your conclusions. In about 200 words, tell the reader why your research was important and relevant, both to the field of study and the real world.
   • Remind the reader of your result and whether your initial hypothesis was supported.
   • Try to convince your reader that your results are conclusive and interesting.
6. List any previously published research you used. Cite about 10 journal articles you read that support your research, in the format prescribed for researchers in your field.
7. Thank everyone who assisted and supported you. Don't list the titles of people who supported you, but do list what specific assistance or support they provided.
   • If there was any actual or potential conflict of interest or commitment regarding your research, list it in this section.
8. Give your name, email address, website if you have one, and a place where readers can download a copy of your poster.

Creating a Professional Look

1. Carefully select what to put on your poster. Many students try to include everything in their research paper, but this is a serious mistake. Posters that have too much on them will be passed over in favor of those that are easier to read.
2. Use software designed for making slide presentations and software that manipulates images to create your poster.
   • Once you've created all your sections and illustrations, transfer the files to portable document format (PDF) so you can be certain how they will look when printed.
   • Use either PC or Mac platform for everything so you don't run into compatibility problems when moving files between the two.
3. Look at your poster from a distance of 6 feet (2 m) away. Check your graphs, charts and other illustrations to make sure a reader can make out the details at that distance.
   • Avoid using 3D illustrations unless it's absolutely necessary. If you do use 3D illustrations, print stereoscopic versions on the poster and provide readers with 3D glasses.
   • Don't settle for poor-quality images. Go to the trouble of finding image files that will still look sharp when blown up to place on your photo. You may have to take your own digital photos.
4. Add audio and video files if appropriate. There are a number of ways to do this, from using the devices found inside recordable greeting cards to attaching your personal media player to your poster.
   • You can place a quick response (QR) code on your poster that readers with smart phones and similar devices can scan to access a website that will show photographs, play sound files or display other media on their devices.
5. Assemble a rough draft of your poster and ask for feedback from fellow students and teachers. Use the feedback to create the final version.
6. Consider having a professional printing service create your poster. You can use a local printing service or find one online that specializes in creating scientific posters.
   • If you are traveling to a scientific gathering, you can have a printing service create your poster and have it waiting for you when you arrive. Conference organizers often make agreements with printing services to make and deliver posters as a courtesy to students.