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Poster Vs Oral Presentation: Which Is Best In 2023?

When it comes to presenting information or research, there are two popular options: posters or oral presentations. Choosing between the two can be a tough decision, but fear not! We’re here to help you explore the key differences and find the best fit for your needs. So, let’s dive in and compare the advantages of each approach.

First up, we have posters. These visual displays offer a great way to showcase your work creatively. With posters, you can utilize eye-catching graphics, images, and charts to capture your audience’s attention. Plus, posters allow for easy interaction, as viewers can take their time to study the content at their own pace.

On the other hand, we have oral presentations, which involve speaking in front of an audience to convey your research findings. Oral presentations enable you to engage directly with your peers, expressing your ideas, and answering questions on the spot. They offer a dynamic platform for showcasing your public speaking skills and establishing your expertise.

Now that we’ve introduced both options, let’s delve deeper into the specific merits of each one—poster presentations and oral presentations. By examining the distinct features of these approaches, we can help you make an informed decision that best suits your needs and preferences. So, let’s weigh the pros and cons and find the perfect medium for your next presentation.

When deciding between a poster and an oral presentation, there are several key features to consider.

1. Visual Impact: Posters offer a visual representation of information, while oral presentations allow for direct engagement.

2. Audience Interaction: With posters, viewers can leave comments or ask questions. For oral presentations, immediate feedback is possible.

3. Versatility: Posters can be displayed for extended periods, while oral presentations allow for dynamic delivery.

4. Time Management: Posters can be viewed at any time, while oral presentations have a set duration.

5. Communication Style: Posters rely on visuals, while oral presentations include spoken words and gestures.

Consider these features to determine which format will best suit your needs.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways: Poster vs Oral Presentation

• Posters are visual displays of information, while oral presentations involve speaking to an audience.
• Posters allow for more creativity in design and visual appeal.
• Oral presentations provide an opportunity for direct interaction and engagement with the audience.
• Posters are often used in conferences or exhibitions, while oral presentations are common in classrooms or professional settings.
• Both formats have their benefits and can be effective in communicating information.

Comparing Poster vs Oral Presentation

In today’s fast-paced world, effective communication is key. Whether it’s presenting research findings, sharing ideas, or conveying information, there are various methods to choose from. Two popular options are posters and oral presentations. In this article, we will explore the differences and similarities between these two formats, to help you make an informed decision on which method is better suited for your needs.

Overview of Posters

Posters are a visual medium for presenting information. They typically consist of a combination of text, images, graphs, and charts. Posters are often used in academic and scientific settings, such as conferences or research symposiums, to showcase research findings or present complex data. They offer a concise and visually appealing way to convey information to a large audience.

Creating a poster involves careful consideration of the layout, design elements, and content. The goal is to effectively communicate the main points of the research or topic in a visually appealing manner. Posters can be displayed on walls or presentation boards, allowing viewers to engage with the information at their own pace.

Overview of Oral Presentations

Oral presentations, on the other hand, involve the delivery of information through spoken words. This format is commonly used in academic, professional, and educational settings. Instead of relying solely on visual aids, oral presentations allow presenters to verbally explain their research or ideas, often supported by slides or visual aids.

An oral presentation typically follows a structured format, with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Presenters are expected to articulate their thoughts clearly, provide engaging explanations, and convey their message effectively. This format allows for direct interaction with the audience through questions, discussions, and feedback.

Key Features Compared

When comparing posters and oral presentations, there are several key features to consider. Let’s explore each of these features in detail and compare the two methods.

Content Delivery

In terms of content delivery, posters and oral presentations offer different approaches. Posters rely heavily on visuals and concise written information to convey the main points. Viewers can read the content at their own pace and spend more time analyzing the information presented. On the other hand, oral presentations focus on verbal communication, allowing presenters to provide more in-depth explanations and engage directly with the audience.

Engagement and Interaction

Posters provide a more self-paced experience for viewers. They can spend as much time as needed to absorb the information, making them suitable for passive engagement. However, posters lack the interactive element that oral presentations offer. Oral presentations allow for real-time interaction, such as question-and-answer sessions or audience feedback, creating a more dynamic and engaging experience.

Presentation Skills

Both posters and oral presentations require distinct presentation skills. Creating an effective poster involves designing an aesthetically appealing layout, using clear and concise language, and organizing information in a logical manner. Oral presentations, on the other hand, require strong public speaking skills, the ability to engage the audience, and effective use of visual aids. Each format requires different skill sets and preparation.

User Experience

The user experience for both posters and oral presentations can vary depending on various factors. For posters, viewers have the flexibility to study the content at their own pace, review specific details, and focus on areas of interest. However, posters may lack the personal touch and direct interaction that oral presentations provide.

In oral presentations, the audience can benefit from real-time explanations, engagement, and the opportunity to ask questions. This format allows for a more dynamic and interactive user experience. However, some audience members may feel overwhelmed by the fast pace or struggle to fully grasp the information presented in the moment.

Pros and Cons

• Visually appealing and engaging.
• Provides a concise overview of research or information.
• Allows viewers to study and analyze content at their own pace.
• Lacks direct interaction and engagement with the audience.
• May require a large amount of space for display.
• Can be challenging to condense complex information into a limited space.

Oral Presentations

• Allows for direct interaction and engagement with the audience.
• Enables presenters to provide in-depth explanations and clarify misunderstandings.
• Creates a dynamic and engaging experience for both presenters and audience members.
• Requires strong public speaking skills and presentation preparation.
• May limit the amount of information that can be covered within a given time frame.
• Relies heavily on the presenter’s ability to convey the message effectively.

Price Comparison

When it comes to cost, posters are generally more affordable compared to oral presentations. Creating a poster requires minimal resources, such as printing costs, design software, and materials for display. On the other hand, oral presentations may involve additional expenses, such as travel costs for attending conferences or professional presentation software.

Comparison Table

Here is a comparison table that highlights the key features of posters and oral presentations:

| Feature | Posters | Oral Presentations | |————————-|—————————————|————————————-| | Content Delivery | Relies on visuals and concise text | Verbal explanations and visual aids | | Engagement and Interaction | Passive engagement for viewers | Real-time interaction with audience | | Presentation Skills | Design and organization | Public speaking and visual aid usage |

Which is Better – Poster vs Oral Presentation

In conclusion, the choice between posters and oral presentations ultimately depends on various factors, such as the nature of the content, audience preferences, and available resources. Both formats have their strengths and limitations, and the decision should be based on the specific goals and circumstances of the presentation.

When choosing between posters and oral presentations, consider the level of audience engagement desired, the complexity of the information being conveyed, and the presentation skills of the presenter. While posters offer a visually appealing and self-paced experience, oral presentations provide real-time interaction and the opportunity for in-depth explanations.

In summary, posters are ideal when conveying concise information visually and when passive engagement is desired. On the other hand, oral presentations are best suited for interactive discussions, in-depth explanations, and audience engagement. Ultimately, the choice between posters and oral presentations should be based on the specific goals and requirements of the presentation.

Three reasons to choose posters:

• Visually engaging and can effectively communicate concise information.
• Allows for self-paced studying and analysis of the content.
• Minimal cost and resource requirements compared to oral presentations.

Frequently Asked Questions

When it comes to presenting information, two common formats are posters and oral presentations. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about these two formats and their differences.

1. Which format is better for presenting information, a poster or an oral presentation?

Both formats have their advantages, and the choice depends on the context and purpose of the presentation. Posters are visually appealing and allow viewers to absorb information at their own pace. They are great for displaying complex data or visuals and can be easily referenced. Oral presentations, on the other hand, allow for direct interaction with the audience and the opportunity to convey information with enthusiasm and charisma. They are more dynamic and can often be more engaging for the audience. Ultimately, it’s important to consider the specific goals of your presentation and choose the format that aligns best with those objectives.

2. What are the main differences between a poster and an oral presentation?

The main difference is the way information is delivered. In a poster, the content is static and can be absorbed visually. Viewers can interpret the information at their own pace and refer back to it when needed. An oral presentation, on the other hand, involves a live performance where the presenter delivers information verbally. This format allows for direct interaction with the audience, the use of visual aids, and the ability to adapt the delivery based on audience reactions. Another difference is the level of preparation required. Posters typically require more time for design and visual arrangement, while oral presentations require more time rehearsing and practicing engaging delivery.

3. Are there any advantages to using a poster instead of an oral presentation?

Yes, there are several advantages to using a poster. Posters are highly visual and can convey complex information in an easily digestible manner. They allow viewers to study the content at their own pace and can be used as reference material even after the presentation. Posters are also ideal for situations where there is limited time for presentations or if the presenter prefers a more hands-off approach. Additionally, posters can be displayed in public areas even after the event, reaching a wider audience and serving as a long-lasting visual representation of the topic.

4. Can an oral presentation be more engaging than a poster?

Yes, an oral presentation can often be more engaging than a poster. Oral presentations allow for direct interaction with the audience, enabling the presenter to capture their attention and convey information using gestures, voice modulation, and visual aids. Presenters can also adapt their delivery based on audience reactions and engage the audience through questions, discussions, or interactive activities. Additionally, the live nature of an oral presentation allows for the presenter’s enthusiasm and passion for the topic to shine through, making it more memorable and impactful for the audience.

5. Can a poster and an oral presentation be used together?

Absolutely! Combining a poster and an oral presentation can be a powerful way to enhance the impact of your message. By creating a visually appealing poster that provides an overview of the topic, you can effectively capture the audience’s attention. Then, during the oral presentation, you can dive deeper into the content, providing additional insights, anecdotes, and engaging the audience in an interactive discussion. This combination allows for the best of both worlds, offering the visual appeal and reference value of a poster, along with the dynamic engagement of an oral presentation.

Poster Presenting Tips : Cal NERDS’ Student Research Poster Presenting Tips

So, to sum it all up, when it comes to presenting information, there are two main options: posters and oral presentations. Posters are like visual aids that can help you explain your ideas with pictures, graphs, and text. On the other hand, oral presentations involve speaking to an audience and sharing your thoughts and information out loud.

Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Posters can be a great way to showcase your creativity and make your ideas visual. They allow your audience to take their time and study the information on their own. However, they might not provide enough explanation and can limit your ability to interact with your audience.

Oral presentations, on the other hand, give you a chance to engage with your audience directly. You can use your voice, gestures, and expressions to convey your message. However, they require more preparation and can be nerve-wracking for some people.

In the end, the best method for presenting information depends on your personal style and the situation. If you’re a visual person who likes to express yourself through images and graphs, posters might be your go-to. If you enjoy speaking and connecting with others, oral presentations might be a better fit.

Remember, it’s not about picking a winner between the two, but rather about choosing the method that works best for you and effectively communicates your ideas. So, whether you choose to create a poster or give an oral presentation, embrace the opportunity to share your knowledge and let your creativity shine!

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Poster and oral presentations

Need assistance with poster presentations?

Get help with poster presentations.

Contact the Research Navigators:

• Email:  [email protected]

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.

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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How to prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation

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• Peer review
• Lucia Hartigan , registrar 1 ,
• Fionnuala Mone , fellow in maternal fetal medicine 1 ,
• Mary Higgins , consultant obstetrician 2
• 1 National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
• 2 National Maternity Hospital, Dublin; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin
• luciahartigan{at}hotmail.com

The success of an oral presentation lies in the speaker’s ability to transmit information to the audience. Lucia Hartigan and colleagues describe what they have learnt about delivering an effective scientific oral presentation from their own experiences, and their mistakes

The objective of an oral presentation is to portray large amounts of often complex information in a clear, bite sized fashion. Although some of the success lies in the content, the rest lies in the speaker’s skills in transmitting the information to the audience. 1

Preparation

It is important to be as well prepared as possible. Look at the venue in person, and find out the time allowed for your presentation and for questions, and the size of the audience and their backgrounds, which will allow the presentation to be pitched at the appropriate level.

See what the ambience and temperature are like and check that the format of your presentation is compatible with the available computer. This is particularly important when embedding videos. Before you begin, look at the video on stand-by and make sure the lights are dimmed and the speakers are functioning.

For visual aids, Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Mac Keynote programmes are usual, although Prezi is increasing in popularity. Save the presentation on a USB stick, with email or cloud storage backup to avoid last minute disasters.

When preparing the presentation, start with an opening slide containing the title of the study, your name, and the date. Begin by addressing and thanking the audience and the organisation that has invited you to speak. Typically, the format includes background, study aims, methodology, results, strengths and weaknesses of the study, and conclusions.

If the study takes a lecturing format, consider including “any questions?” on a slide before you conclude, which will allow the audience to remember the take home messages. Ideally, the audience should remember three of the main points from the presentation. 2

Have a maximum of four short points per slide. If you can display something as a diagram, video, or a graph, use this instead of text and talk around it.

Animation is available in both Microsoft PowerPoint and the Apple Mac Keynote programme, and its use in presentations has been demonstrated to assist in the retention and recall of facts. 3 Do not overuse it, though, as it could make you appear unprofessional. If you show a video or diagram don’t just sit back—use a laser pointer to explain what is happening.

Rehearse your presentation in front of at least one person. Request feedback and amend accordingly. If possible, practise in the venue itself so things will not be unfamiliar on the day. If you appear comfortable, the audience will feel comfortable. Ask colleagues and seniors what questions they would ask and prepare responses to these questions.

It is important to dress appropriately, stand up straight, and project your voice towards the back of the room. Practise using a microphone, or any other presentation aids, in advance. If you don’t have your own presenting style, think of the style of inspirational scientific speakers you have seen and imitate it.

Try to present slides at the rate of around one slide a minute. If you talk too much, you will lose your audience’s attention. The slides or videos should be an adjunct to your presentation, so do not hide behind them, and be proud of the work you are presenting. You should avoid reading the wording on the slides, but instead talk around the content on them.

Maintain eye contact with the audience and remember to smile and pause after each comment, giving your nerves time to settle. Speak slowly and concisely, highlighting key points.

Do not assume that the audience is completely familiar with the topic you are passionate about, but don’t patronise them either. Use every presentation as an opportunity to teach, even your seniors. The information you are presenting may be new to them, but it is always important to know your audience’s background. You can then ensure you do not patronise world experts.

To maintain the audience’s attention, vary the tone and inflection of your voice. If appropriate, use humour, though you should run any comments or jokes past others beforehand and make sure they are culturally appropriate. Check every now and again that the audience is following and offer them the opportunity to ask questions.

Finishing up is the most important part, as this is when you send your take home message with the audience. Slow down, even though time is important at this stage. Conclude with the three key points from the study and leave the slide up for a further few seconds. Do not ramble on. Give the audience a chance to digest the presentation. Conclude by acknowledging those who assisted you in the study, and thank the audience and organisation. If you are presenting in North America, it is usual practice to conclude with an image of the team. If you wish to show references, insert a text box on the appropriate slide with the primary author, year, and paper, although this is not always required.

Answering questions can often feel like the most daunting part, but don’t look upon this as negative. Assume that the audience has listened and is interested in your research. Listen carefully, and if you are unsure about what someone is saying, ask for the question to be rephrased. Thank the audience member for asking the question and keep responses brief and concise. If you are unsure of the answer you can say that the questioner has raised an interesting point that you will have to investigate further. Have someone in the audience who will write down the questions for you, and remember that this is effectively free peer review.

Be proud of your achievements and try to do justice to the work that you and the rest of your group have done. You deserve to be up on that stage, so show off what you have achieved.

Competing interests: We have read and understood the BMJ Group policy on declaration of interests and declare the following interests: None.

• ↵ Rovira A, Auger C, Naidich TP. How to prepare an oral presentation and a conference. Radiologica 2013 ; 55 (suppl 1): 2 -7S. OpenUrl
• ↵ Bourne PE. Ten simple rules for making good oral presentations. PLos Comput Biol 2007 ; 3 : e77 . OpenUrl PubMed
• ↵ Naqvi SH, Mobasher F, Afzal MA, Umair M, Kohli AN, Bukhari MH. Effectiveness of teaching methods in a medical institute: perceptions of medical students to teaching aids. J Pak Med Assoc 2013 ; 63 : 859 -64. OpenUrl

Preparing Oral and Poster Presentations

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A poster or oral presentation is a great way to share your research project and get feedback. Designing a poster or preparing an oral presentation should be done within the guidelines set forth by the conference. Traditional posters and oral presentations convey the same information in different formats. When presenting your study, you should know all the details of the project and be able to field any questions from the audience.

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Barker E, Phillips V. Creating conference posters: structure, form and content. J Perioper Pract. 2021;31(7–8):296–9.

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Gundogan B, Koshy K, Kurar L, Whitehurst K. How to make an academic poster. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2016;11:69–71.

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Naegle KM. Ten simple rules for effective presentation slides. PLoS Comput Biol. 2021;17(12):e1009554.

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Rathbun, K.M. (2023). Preparing Oral and Poster Presentations. In: Olympia, R.P., Werley, E.B., Lubin, J.S., Yoon-Flannery, K. (eds) An Emergency Physician’s Path. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47873-4_79

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Oral Presentations Purpose

An Oral Research Presentation is meant to showcase your research findings. A successful oral research presentation should: communicate the importance of your research; clearly state your findings and the analysis of those findings; prompt discussion between researcher and audience.  Below you will find information on how to create and give a successful oral presentation.  

Creating an Effective Presentation

Who has a harder job the speaker? Or, the audience?

Most people think speaker has the hardest job during an oral presentation, because they are having to stand up in a room full of people and give a presentation. However, if the speaker is not engaging and if the material is way outside of the audiences knowledge level, the audience can have a difficult job as well. Below you will find some tips on how to be an effective presenter and how to engage with your audience.

Organization of a Presentation  

Introduction/Beginning

How are you going to begin?  How are you going to get the attention of your audience? You need to take the time and think about how you are going to get started!

Here are some ways you could start:

• Ask the audience a question
• make a statement
• show them something

No matter how you start your presentation it needs to relate to your research and capture the audiences attention.  

Preview what you are going to discuss .  Audiences do not like to be manipulated or tricked. Tell the audience exactly what you are going to discuss, this will help them follow along.  *Do not say you are going to cover three points and then try to cover 8 points.

At the end of your introduction, the audience should feel like they know exactly what you are going to  discuss and exactly how you are going to get there.  

Body/Middle

Conclusion/End

Delivery and Communication

Eye Contact

Making eye contact is a great way to engage with your audience.  Eye contact should be no longer than 2-3 seconds per person.  Eye contact for much longer than that can begin to make the audience member feel uncomfortable.

Smiling lets attendees know you are happy to be there and that you are excited to talk with them about your project.

We all know that body language says a lot, so here are some things you should remember when giving your presentation.

• Stand with both feet on the floor, not with one foot crossed over the other. 
• Do not stand with your hands in your pockets, or with your arms crossed.
• Stand tall with confidence and own your space (remember you are the expert).  

Abbreviated Notes

Having a written set of notes or key points that you want to address can help prevent you from reading the poster. 

Speak Clearly

Sometimes when we get nervous we begin to talk fast and blur our words.  It is important that you make sure every word is distinct and clear. A great way to practice your speech is to say tongue twisters. 

Ten tiny tots tottered toward the shore

Literally literary. Literally literary.  Literally literary.

Sally soon saw that she should sew some sheets.

Avoid Fillers

Occasionally we pick up fillers that we are not aware of, such as um, like, well, etc. One way to get rid of fillers is to have a friend listen to your speech and every time you say a "filler" have that friend tap you on the arm or say your name.  This will bring the filler to light, then you can practice avoiding that filler.

Manage Anxiety

Many people get nervous when they are about to speak to a crowd of people.  Below are ways that you can manage your anxiety levels. 

• Practice, Practice, Practice - the more prepared you are the less nervous you will be.
• Recognize that anxiety is just a big shot of adrenalin.
• Take deep breaths before your presentation to calm you down. 

Components of an Oral Research Presentation

Introduction

The introduction section of your oral presentation should consist of 3 main parts.  

Part 1: Existing facts

In order to give audience members the "full picture", you first need to provide them with information about past research.  What facts already exist? What is already known about your research area?

Part 2: Shortcomings

Once you have highlighted past research and existing facts. You now need to address what is left to be known, or what shortcomings exist within the current information.  This should set the groundwork for your experiment.  Keep in mind, how does your research fill these gaps or help address these questions? 

Part 3: Purpose or Hypothesis

After you have addressed past/current research and have identified shortcomings/gaps, it is now time to address your research.  During this portion of the introduction you need to tell viewers why you are conducting your research experiement/study, and what you hope to accomplish by doing so. 

In this section you should share with your audience how you went about collecting and analyzing your data

Should include:

• Participants: Who or what was in the study?
• Materials/ measurements: what did you measure?
• Procedures: How did you do the study?
• Data-analysis: What analysis were conducted? 

This section contains FACTS – with no opinion, commentary or interpretation. Graphs, charts and images can be used to display data in a clear and organized way.  

Keep in mind when making figures:

• Make sure axis, treatments, and data sets are clearly labeled
• Strive for simplicity, especially in figure titles. 
• Know when to use what kind of graph
• Be careful with colors.

Interpretation and commentary takes place here. This section should give a clear summary of your findings. 

You should:

• Address the positive and negative aspects of you research
• Discuss how and if your research question was answered. 
• Highlight the novel and important findings
• Speculate on what could be occurring in your system 

Future Research

• State your goals
• Include information about why you believe research should go in the direction you are proposing
• Discuss briefly how you plan to implement the research goals, if you chose to do so.  

Why include References?

• It allows viewers to locate the material that you used, and can help viewers expand their knowledge of your research topic.  
• Indicates that you have conducted a thorough review of the literature and conducted your research from an informed perspective.
• Guards you against intellectual theft.  Ideas are considered intellectual property failure to cite someone's ideas can have serious consequences. 

Acknowledgements

This section is used to thank the people, programs and funding agencies that allowed you to perform your research.

Questions 

Allow for about 2-3 minutes at the end of your presentation for questions. 

It is important to be prepared. 

• Know why you conducted the study
• Be prepared to answer questions about why you chose a specific methodology

If you DO NOT know the answer to a question

Visual Aids

PowerPoints and other visual aids can be used to support what you are presenting about.

Power Point Slides and other visual aids can help support your presentation, however there are some things you should consider: 

• Do not overdo it . One big mistake that presenters make is they have  a slide for every single item they want to say. One way you can avoid this is by writing your presentation in Word first, instead of making a Power Point Presentation. By doing this you can type exactly what you want to say, and once your presentation is complete, you can create Power Point slides that help support your presentation. ​

Formula for number of visual aids : Length of presentation divided by 2 plus 1

example: 12 minute presentation should have no more than 7 slides.

• Does it add interest? 
• Does it prove? 
• Does it clarify?
• Do not read the text . Most people can read, and if they have the option of reading material themselves versus listen to you read it, they are going to read it themselves and then your voice becomes an annoyance. Also, when you are reading the text you are probably not engaging with the audience. 
• No more than 4-6 lines on a slide and no more than 4-6 words in a line.
• People should be able to read your slide in 6 seconds.
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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

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Preparing and Presenting Effective Research Posters

Associated data.

APPENDIX A.2. Comparison of Research Papers, Presentations, and Posters—Contents.

Posters are a common way to present results of a statistical analysis, program evaluation, or other project at professional conferences. Often, researchers fail to recognize the unique nature of the format, which is a hybrid of a published paper and an oral presentation. This methods note demonstrates how to design research posters to convey study objectives, methods, findings, and implications effectively to varied professional audiences.

A review of existing literature on research communication and poster design is used to identify and demonstrate important considerations for poster content and layout. Guidelines on how to write about statistical methods, results, and statistical significance are illustrated with samples of ineffective writing annotated to point out weaknesses, accompanied by concrete examples and explanations of improved presentation. A comparison of the content and format of papers, speeches, and posters is also provided.

Each component of a research poster about a quantitative analysis should be adapted to the audience and format, with complex statistical results translated into simplified charts, tables, and bulleted text to convey findings as part of a clear, focused story line.

Conclusions

Effective research posters should be designed around two or three key findings with accompanying handouts and narrative description to supply additional technical detail and encourage dialog with poster viewers.

An assortment of posters is a common way to present research results to viewers at a professional conference. Too often, however, researchers treat posters as poor cousins to oral presentations or published papers, failing to recognize the opportunity to convey their findings while interacting with individual viewers. By neglecting to adapt detailed paragraphs and statistical tables into text bullets and charts, they make it harder for their audience to quickly grasp the key points of the poster. By simply posting pages from the paper, they risk having people merely skim their work while standing in the conference hall. By failing to devise narrative descriptions of their poster, they overlook the chance to learn from conversations with their audience.

Even researchers who adapt their paper into a well-designed poster often forget to address the range of substantive and statistical training of their viewers. This step is essential for those presenting to nonresearchers but also pertains when addressing interdisciplinary research audiences. Studies of policymakers ( DiFranza and the Staff of the Advocacy Institute 1996 ; Sorian and Baugh 2002 ) have demonstrated the importance of making it readily apparent how research findings apply to real-world issues rather than imposing on readers to translate statistical findings themselves.

This methods note is intended to help researchers avoid such pitfalls as they create posters for professional conferences. The first section describes objectives of research posters. The second shows how to describe statistical results to viewers with varied levels of statistical training, and the third provides guidelines on the contents and organization of the poster. Later sections address how to prepare a narrative and handouts to accompany a research poster. Because researchers often present the same results as published research papers, spoken conference presentations, and posters, Appendix A compares similarities and differences in the content, format, and audience interaction of these three modes of presenting research results. Although the focus of this note is on presentation of quantitative research results, many of the guidelines about how to prepare and present posters apply equally well to qualitative studies.

WHAT IS A RESEARCH POSTER?

Preparing a poster involves not only creating pages to be mounted in a conference hall, but also writing an associated narrative and handouts, and anticipating the questions you are likely to encounter during the session. Each of these elements should be adapted to the audience, which may include people with different levels of familiarity with your topic and methods ( Nelson et al. 2002 ; Beilenson 2004 ). For example, the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association draws academics who conduct complex statistical analyses along with practitioners, program planners, policymakers, and journalists who typically do not.

Posters are a hybrid form—more detailed than a speech but less than a paper, more interactive than either ( Appendix A ). In a speech, you (the presenter) determine the focus of the presentation, but in a poster session, the viewers drive that focus. Different people will ask about different facets of your research. Some might do policy work or research on a similar topic or with related data or methods. Others will have ideas about how to apply or extend your work, raising new questions or suggesting different contrasts, ways of classifying data, or presenting results. Beilenson (2004) describes the experience of giving a poster as a dialogue between you and your viewers.

By the end of an active poster session, you may have learned as much from your viewers as they have from you, especially if the topic, methods, or audience are new to you. For instance, at David Snowdon's first poster presentation on educational attainment and longevity using data from The Nun Study, another researcher returned several times to talk with Snowdon, eventually suggesting that he extend his research to focus on Alzheimer's disease, which led to an important new direction in his research ( Snowdon 2001 ). In addition, presenting a poster provides excellent practice in explaining quickly and clearly why your project is important and what your findings mean—a useful skill to apply when revising a speech or paper on the same topic.

WRITING FOR A VARIED PROFESSIONAL AUDIENCE

Audiences at professional conferences vary considerably in their substantive and methodological backgrounds. Some will be experts on your topic but not your methods, some will be experts on your methods but not your topic, and most will fall somewhere in between. In addition, advances in research methods imply that even researchers who received cutting-edge methodological training 10 or 20 years ago might not be conversant with the latest approaches. As you design your poster, provide enough background on both the topic and the methods to convey the purpose, findings, and implications of your research to the expected range of readers.

Telling a Simple, Clear Story

Write so your audience can understand why your work is of interest to them, providing them with a clear take-home message that they can grasp in the few minutes they will spend at your poster. Experts in communications and poster design recommend planning your poster around two to three key points that you want your audience to walk away with, then designing the title, charts, and text to emphasize those points ( Briscoe 1996 ; Nelson et al. 2002 ; Beilenson 2004 ). Start by introducing the two or three key questions you have decided will be the focus of your poster, and then provide a brief overview of data and methods before presenting the evidence to answer those questions. Close with a summary of your findings and their implications for research and policy.

A 2001 survey of government policymakers showed that they prefer summaries of research to be written so they can immediately see how the findings relate to issues currently facing their constituencies, without wading through a formal research paper ( Sorian and Baugh 2002 ). Complaints that surfaced about many research reports included that they were “too long, dense, or detailed,” or “too theoretical, technical, or jargony.” On average, respondents said they read only about a quarter of the research material they receive for detail, skim about half of it, and never get to the rest.

To ensure that your poster is one viewers will read, understand, and remember, present your analyses to match the issues and questions of concern to them, rather than making readers translate your statistical results to fit their interests ( DiFranza and the Staff of the Advocacy Institute 1996 ; Nelson et al. 2002 ). Often, their questions will affect how you code your data, specify your model, or design your intervention and evaluation, so plan ahead by familiarizing yourself with your audience's interests and likely applications of your study findings. In an academic journal article, you might report parameter estimates and standard errors for each independent variable in your regression model. In the poster version, emphasize findings for specific program design features, demographic, or geographic groups, using straightforward means of presenting effect size and statistical significance; see “Describing Numeric Patterns and Contrasts” and “Presenting Statistical Test Results” below.

The following sections offer guidelines on how to present statistical findings on posters, accompanied by examples of “poor” and “better” descriptions—samples of ineffective writing annotated to point out weaknesses, accompanied by concrete examples and explanations of improved presentation. These ideas are illustrated with results from a multilevel analysis of disenrollment from the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP; Phillips et al. 2004 ). I chose that paper to show how to prepare a poster about a sophisticated quantitative analysis of a topic of interest to HSR readers, and because I was a collaborator in that study, which was presented in the three formats compared here—as a paper, a speech, and a poster.

Explaining Statistical Methods

Beilenson (2004) and Briscoe (1996) suggest keeping your description of data and methods brief, providing enough information for viewers to follow the story line and evaluate your approach. Avoid cluttering the poster with too much technical detail or obscuring key findings with excessive jargon. For readers interested in additional methodological information, provide a handout and a citation to the pertinent research paper.

As you write about statistical methods or other technical issues, relate them to the specific concepts you study. Provide synonyms for technical and statistical terminology, remembering that many conferences of interest to policy researchers draw people from a range of disciplines. Even with a quantitatively sophisticated audience, don't assume that people will know the equivalent vocabulary used in other fields. A few years ago, the journal Medical Care published an article whose sole purpose was to compare statistical terminology across various disciplines involved in health services research so that people could understand one another ( Maciejewski et al. 2002 ). After you define the term you plan to use, mention the synonyms from the various fields represented in your audience.

Consider whether acronyms are necessary on your poster. Avoid them if they are not familiar to the field or would be used only once or twice on your poster. If you use acronyms, spell them out at first usage, even those that are common in health services research such as “HEDIS®”(Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set) or “HLM”(hierarchical linear model).

Poor: “We use logistic regression and a discrete-time hazards specification to assess relative hazards of SCHIP disenrollment, with plan level as our key independent variable.” Comment: Terms like “discrete-time hazards specification” may be confusing to readers without training in those methods, which are relatively new on the scene. Also the meaning of “SCHIP” or “plan level” may be unfamiliar to some readers unless defined earlier on the poster.

Better: “Chances of disenrollment from the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) vary by amount of time enrolled, so we used hazards models (also known as event history analysis or survival analysis) to correct for those differences when estimating disenrollment patterns for SCHIP plans for different income levels.” Comment: This version clarifies the terms and concepts, naming the statistical method and its synonyms, and providing a sense of why this type of analysis is needed.

To explain a statistical method or assumption, paraphrase technical terms and illustrate how the analytic approach applies to your particular research question and data:

Poor : “The data structure can be formulated as a two-level hierarchical linear model, with families (the level-1 unit of analysis) nested within counties (the level-2 unit of analysis).” Comment: Although this description would be fine for readers used to working with this type of statistical model, those who aren't conversant with those methods may be confused by terminology such as “level-1” and “unit of analysis.”

Better: “The data have a hierarchical (or multilevel) structure, with families clustered within counties.” Comment: By replacing “nested” with the more familiar “clustered,” identifying the specific concepts for the two levels of analysis, and mentioning that “hierarchical” and “multilevel” refer to the same type of analytic structure, this description relates the generic class of statistical model to this particular study.

Presenting Results with Charts

Charts are often the preferred way to convey numeric patterns, quickly revealing the relative sizes of groups, comparative levels of some outcome, or directions of trends ( Briscoe 1996 ; Tufte 2001 ; Nelson et al. 2002 ). As Beilenson puts it, “let your figures do the talking,” reducing the need for long text descriptions or complex tables with lots of tiny numbers. For example, create a pie chart to present sample composition, use a simple bar chart to show how the dependent variable varies across subgroups, or use line charts or clustered bar charts to illustrate the net effects of nonlinear specifications or interactions among independent variables ( Miller 2005 ). Charts that include confidence intervals around point estimates are a quick and effective way to present effect size, direction, and statistical significance. For multivariate analyses, consider presenting only the results for the main variables of interest, listing the other variables in the model in a footnote and including complex statistical tables in a handout.

Provide each chart with a title (in large type) that explains the topic of that chart. A rhetorical question or summary of the main finding can be very effective. Accompany each chart with a few annotations that succinctly describe the patterns in that chart. Although each chart page should be self-explanatory, be judicious: Tufte (2001) cautions against encumbering your charts with too much “nondata ink”—excessive labeling or superfluous features such as arrows and labels on individual data points. Strive for a balance between guiding your readers through the findings and maintaining a clean, uncluttered poster. Use chart types that are familiar to your expected audience. Finally, remember that you can flesh out descriptions of charts and tables in your script rather than including all the details on the poster itself; see “Narrative to Accompany a Poster.”

Describing Numeric Patterns and Contrasts

As you describe patterns or numeric contrasts, whether from simple calculations or complex statistical models, explain both the direction and magnitude of the association. Incorporate the concepts under study and the units of measurement rather than simply reporting coefficients (β's) ( Friedman 1990 ; Miller 2005 ).

Poor: “Number of enrolled children in the family is correlated with disenrollment.” Comment: Neither the direction nor the size of the association is apparent.

Poor [version #2]: “The log-hazard of disenrollment for one-child families was 0.316.” Comment: Most readers find it easier to assess the size and direction from hazards ratios (a form of relative risk) instead of log-hazards (log-relative risks, the β's from a hazards model).

Better: “Families with only one child enrolled in the program were about 1.4 times as likely as larger families to disenroll.” Comment: This version explains the association between number of children and disenrollment without requiring viewers to exponentiate the log-hazard in their heads to assess the size and direction of that association. It also explicitly identifies the group against which one-child families are compared in the model.

Presenting Statistical Test Results

On your poster, use an approach to presenting statistical significance that keeps the focus on your results, not on the arithmetic needed to conduct inferential statistical tests. Replace standard errors or test statistics with confidence intervals, p- values, or symbols, or use formatting such as boldface, italics, or a contrasting color to denote statistically significant findings ( Davis 1997 ; Miller 2005 ). Include the detailed statistical results in handouts for later perusal.

To illustrate these recommendations, Figures 1 and ​ and2 2 demonstrate how to divide results from a complex, multilevel model across several poster pages, using charts and bullets in lieu of the detailed statistical table from the scientific paper ( Table 1 ; Phillips et al. 2004 ). Following experts' advice to focus on one or two key points, these charts emphasize the findings from the final model (Model 5) rather than also discussing each of the fixed- and random-effects specifications from the paper.

Presenting Complex Statistical Results Graphically

Text Summary of Additional Statistical Results

Multilevel Discrete-Time Hazards Models of Disenrollment from SCHIP, New Jersey, January 1998–April 2000

Source : Phillips et al. (2004) .

SCHIP, State Children's Health Insurance Program; LRH, log relative-hazard; SE, standard error.

Figure 1 uses a chart (also from the paper) to present the net effects of a complicated set of interactions between two family-level traits (race and SCHIP plan) and a cross-level interaction between race of the family and county physician racial composition. The title is a rhetorical question that identifies the issue addressed in the chart, and the annotations explain the pattern. The chart version substantially reduces the amount of time viewers need to understand the main take-home point, averting the need to mentally sum and exponentiate several coefficients from the table.

Figure 2 uses bulleted text to summarize other key results from the model, translating log-relative hazards into hazards ratios and interpreting them with minimal reliance on jargon. The results for family race, SCHIP plan, and county physician racial composition are not repeated in Figure 2 , averting the common problem of interpreting main effect coefficients and interaction coefficients without reference to one another.

Alternatively, replace the text summary shown in Figure 2 with Table 2 —a simplified version of Table 1 which presents only the results for Model 5, replaces log-relative hazards with hazards ratios, reports associated confidence intervals in lieu of standard errors, and uses boldface to denote statistical significance. (On a color slide, use a contrasting color in lieu of bold.)

Relative Risks of SCHIP Disenrollment for Other * Family and County Characteristics, New Jersey, January 1998–April 2000

Statistically significant associations are shown in bold.

Based on hierarchical linear model controlling for months enrolled, months-squared, race, SCHIP plan, county physician racial composition, and all variables shown here. Scaled deviance =30,895. Random effects estimate for between-county variance =0.005 (standard error =0.006). SCHIP, State Children's Health Insurance Program; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval.

CONTENTS AND ORGANIZATION OF A POSTER

Research posters are organized like scientific papers, with separate pages devoted to the objectives and background, data and methods, results, and conclusions ( Briscoe 1996 ). Readers view the posters at their own pace and at close range; thus you can include more detail than in slides for a speech (see Appendix A for a detailed comparison of content and format of papers, speeches, and posters). Don't simply post pages from the scientific paper, which are far too text-heavy for a poster. Adapt them, replacing long paragraphs and complex tables with bulleted text, charts, and simple tables ( Briscoe 1996 ; Beilenson 2004 ). Fink (1995) provides useful guidelines for writing text bullets to convey research results. Use presentation software such as PowerPoint to create your pages or adapt them from related slides, facilitating good page layout with generous type size, bullets, and page titles. Such software also makes it easy to create matching handouts (see “Handouts”).

The “W's” (who, what, when, where, why) are an effective way to organize the elements of a poster.

• In the introductory section, describe what you are studying, why it is important, and how your analysis will add to the existing literature in the field.
• In the data and methods section of a statistical analysis, list when, where, who, and how the data were collected, how many cases were involved, and how the data were analyzed. For other types of interventions or program evaluations, list who, when, where, and how many, along with how the project was implemented and assessed.
• In the results section, present what you found.
• In the conclusion, return to what you found and how it can be used to inform programs or policies related to the issue.

Number and Layout of Pages

To determine how many pages you have to work with, find out the dimensions of your assigned space. A 4′ × 8′ bulletin board accommodates the equivalent of about twenty 8.5″ × 11″ pages, but be selective—no poster can capture the full detail of a large series of multivariate models. A trifold presentation board (3′ high by 4′ wide) will hold roughly a dozen pages, organized into three panels ( Appendix B ). Breaking the arrangement into vertical sections allows viewers to read each section standing in one place while following the conventions of reading left-to-right and top-to-bottom ( Briscoe 1996 ).

• At the top of the poster, put an informative title in a large, readable type size. On a 4′ × 8′ bulletin board, there should also be room for an institutional logo.

Suggested Layout for a 4′ × 8′ poster.

• In the left-hand panel, set the stage for the research question, conveying why the topic is of policy interest, summarizing major empirical or theoretical work on related topics, and stating your hypotheses or project aims, and explaining how your work fills in gaps in previous analyses.
• In the middle panel, briefly describe your data source, variables, and methods, then present results in tables or charts accompanied by text annotations. Diagrams, maps, and photographs are very effective for conveying issues difficult to capture succinctly in words ( Miller 2005 ), and to help readers envision the context. A schematic diagram of relationships among variables can be useful for illustrating causal order. Likewise, a diagram can be a succinct way to convey timing of different components of a longitudinal study or the nested structure of a multilevel dataset.
• In the right-hand panel, summarize your findings and relate them back to the research question or project aims, discuss strengths and limitations of your approach, identify research, practice, or policy implications, and suggest directions for future research.

Figure 3 (adapted from Beilenson 2004 ) shows a suggested layout for a 4′ × 8′ bulletin board, designed to be created using software such as Pagemaker that generates a single-sheet presentation; Appendix C shows a complete poster version of the Phillips et al. (2004) multilevel analysis of SCHIP disenrollment. If hardware or budget constraints preclude making a single-sheet poster, a similar configuration can be created using standard 8.5″ × 11″ pages in place of the individual tables, charts, or blocks of text shown in Figure 3 .

Find out well in advance how the posters are to be mounted so you can bring the appropriate supplies. If the room is set up for table-top presentations, tri-fold poster boards are essential because you won't have anything to attach a flat poster board or pages to. If you have been assigned a bulletin board, bring push-pins or a staple gun.

Regardless of whether you will be mounting your poster at the conference or ahead of time, plan how the pages are to be arranged. Experiment with different page arrangements on a table marked with the dimensions of your overall poster. Once you have a final layout, number the backs of the pages or draw a rough sketch to work from as you arrange the pages on the board. If you must pin pages to a bulletin board at the conference venue, allow ample time to make them level and evenly spaced.

Other Design Considerations

A few other issues to keep in mind as you design your poster. Write a short, specific title that fits in large type size on the title banner of your poster. The title will be potential readers' first glimpse of your poster, so make it inviting and easy to read from a distance—at least 40-point type, ideally larger. Beilenson (2004) advises embedding your key finding in the title so viewers don't have to dig through the abstract or concluding page to understand the purpose and conclusions of your work. A caution: If you report a numeric finding in your title, keep in mind that readers may latch onto it as a “factoid” to summarize your conclusions, so select and phrase it carefully ( McDonough 2000 ).

Use at least 14-point type for the body of the poster text. As Briscoe (1996) points out, “many in your audience have reached the bifocal age” and all of them will read your poster while standing, hence long paragraphs in small type will not be appreciated! Make judicious use of color. Use a clear, white, or pastel for the background, with black or another dark color for most text, and a bright, contrasting shade to emphasize key points or to identify statistically significant results ( Davis 1997 ).

NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY A POSTER

Prepare a brief oral synopsis of the purpose, findings, and implications of your work to say to interested parties as they pause to read your poster. Keep it short—a few sentences that highlight what you are studying, a couple of key findings, and why they are important. Design your overview as a “sound byte” that captures your main points in a succinct and compelling fashion ( Beilenson 2004 ). After hearing your introduction, listeners will either nod and move along or comment on some aspect of your work that intrigues them. You can then tailor additional discussion to individual listeners, adjusting the focus and amount of detail to suit their interests. Gesture at the relevant pages as you make each point, stating the purpose of each chart or table and explaining its layout before describing the numeric findings; see Miller (2005) for guidelines on how to explain tables and charts to a live audience. Briscoe (1996) points out that these mini-scripts are opportunities for you to fill in details of your story line, allowing you to keep the pages themselves simple and uncluttered.

Prepare short answers to likely questions about various aspects of your work, such as why it is important from a policy or research perspective, or descriptions of data, methods, and specific results. Think of these as little modules from an overall speech—concise descriptions of particular elements of your study that you can choose among in response to questions that arise. Beilenson (2004) also recommends developing a few questions to ask your viewers, inquiring about their reactions to your findings, ideas for additional questions, or names of others working on the topic.

Practice your poster presentation in front of a test audience acquainted with the interests and statistical proficiency of your expected viewers. Ideally, your critic should not be too familiar with your work: A fresh set of eyes and ears is more likely to identify potential points of confusion than someone who is jaded from working closely with the material while writing the paper or drafting the poster ( Beilenson 2004 ). Ask your reviewer to identify elements that are unclear, flag jargon to be paraphrased or defined, and recommend changes to improve clarity ( Miller 2005 ). Have them critique your oral presentation as well as the contents and layout of the poster.

Prepare handouts to distribute to interested viewers. These can be produced from slides created in presentation software, printed several to a page along with a cover page containing the abstract and your contact information. Or package an executive summary or abstract with a few key tables or charts. Handouts provide access to the more detailed literature review, data and methods, full set of results, and citations without requiring viewers to read all of that information from the poster ( Beilenson 2004 ; Miller 2005 ). Although you also can bring copies of the complete paper, it is easier on both you and your viewers if you collect business cards or addresses and mail the paper later.

The quality and effectiveness of research posters at professional conferences is often compromised by authors' failure to take into account the unique nature of such presentations. One common error is posting numerous statistical tables and long paragraphs from a research paper—an approach that overwhelms viewers with too much detail for this type of format and presumes familiarity with advanced statistical techniques. Following recommendations from the literature on research communication and poster design, this paper shows how to focus each poster on a few key points, using charts and text bullets to convey results as part of a clear, straightforward story line, and supplementing with handouts and an oral overview.

Another frequent mistake is treating posters as a one-way means of communication. Unlike published papers, poster sessions are live presentations; unlike speeches, they allow for extended conversation with viewers. This note explains how to create an oral synopsis of the project, short modular descriptions of poster elements, and questions to encourage dialog. By following these guidelines, researchers can substantially improve their conference posters as vehicles to disseminate findings to varied research and policy audiences.

CHECKLIST FOR PREPARING AND PRESENTING AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCH POSTERS

• Design poster to focus on two or three key points.
• Adapt materials to suit expected viewers' knowledge of your topic and methods.
• Design questions to meet their interests and expected applications of your work.
• Paraphrase descriptions of complex statistical methods.
• Spell out acronyms if used.
• Replace large detailed tables with charts or small, simplified tables.
• Accompany tables or charts with bulleted annotations of major findings.
• Describe direction and magnitude of associations.
• Use confidence intervals, p -values, symbols, or formatting to denote statistical significance.

Layout and Format

• Organize the poster into background, data and methods, results, and study implications.
• Divide the material into vertical sections on the poster.
• Use at least 14-point type in the body of your poster, at least 40-point for the title.

Narrative Description

• Rehearse a three to four sentence overview of your research objectives and main findings.
• Summary of key studies and gaps in existing literature
• Data and methods
• Each table, chart, or set of bulleted results
• Research, policy, and practice implications
• Solicit their input on your findings
• Develop additional questions for later analysis
• Identify other researchers in the field
• Prepare handouts to distribute to interested viewers.
• Print slides from presentation software, several to a page.
• Or package an executive summary or abstract with a few key tables or charts.
• Include an abstract and contact information.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Ellen Idler, Julie Phillips, Deborah Carr, Diane (Deedee) Davis, and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on earlier drafts of this work.

Supplementary Material

The following supplementary material for this article is available online:

APPENDIX A.1. Comparison of Research Papers, Presentations, and Posters—Materials and Audience Interaction.

Suggested Layout for a Tri-Fold Presentation Board.

Example Research Poster of Phillips et al. 2004 Study.

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Posters & Oral Presentations

Good scientific research involves a sound methodology and a novel idea that can be tested simply and repeatedly to give valid, trustworthy results. However, even the most clinically significant research is useless if it is not communicated successfully. Scientific ideas are novel, sometimes simple in theory, but most always complex in technique. These attributes of research make it necessary to use all available means of presentation. The most common media for scientists to communicate with the general public is primary journal articles. However, posters and oral presentations are also affective because they allow scientists to be in direct contact with their audience. This provides both parties an opportunity to ask pertinent questions to add clarity to the work being presented.

A poster is an exciting way for scientists to present their research. It, just as a primary research article, includes all aspects of the scientific method. A title that is brief, but specific, an abstract, an introduction, material and methods, results, and a conclusion are some headings that can appear on a poster. Also, references and acknowledgments are sometimes are included. A poster is different from a written manuscript or an oral presentation because it is mostly graphical. As such, it is important to design a poster that is visually pleasing by focusing on charts, graphs, and pictures and minimizing lengthy introductions and discussions. Highlighting all significant information with the use of bullets is essential because if further explanation is needed the audience will simply ask for it.

Oral presentations are yet another avenue for scientists to share their findings with the world. Although it can be challenging to present years of works within fifteen minutes, oral presentations can be a rewarding experience because you are the only one front of an audience whose attention you know have. Of course this emphasizes the need to speak clearly and concisely with choice words that engross the audience. Again, just as with written manuscript and posters the format of oral presentations can also vary, but essentially it must include logical, easy-to-understand events that are presented in a matter with respect to the scientific method.

Electronic Resources

Poster Presentation http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters

This is an excellent site that covers all aspects of a poster presentation from creating a poster to presenting one. It also provides several examples with critiques for each sample. Lastly, it has a quick reference page with helpful tips for delivering a successful poster presentation.

Oral Presentation http://www.kumc.edu/SAH/OTEd/jradel/Preparing_talks/103.html

This site is cited by the NIH and is quite useful when designing an oral presentation. It addresses all aspects of a scientific talk from planning and preparing to practicing and presenting. It is brief and easy to follow with helpful tips on how to prepare for the question/answer session.

Document Resources  

Scientific Poster: Tips, Significance, Design, Templates and Presentation

This document provides tips and temples for designing a poster presentation. It also discusses the significance of a poster presentation and includes a section that gives advice on how to present successfully.

Oral Presentations: Tips, Significance, Design, Guidelines & Presentation

This document provides tips and guidelines for designing an oral presentation. It also discusses the significance of an oral presentation and includes a section that gives advice on how to present successfully.

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Preparing a Poster Presentation

Posters are a legitimate and popular presentation format for research and clinical vignettes. They efficiently communicate concepts and data to an audience using a combination of visuals and text. Most scientific meeting planners take advantage of the popularity and communication efficiency of poster presentations by scheduling more poster than oral presentations. Poster presentations allow the author to meet and speak informally with interested viewers, facilitating a greater exchange of ideas and networking opportunities than with oral presentations. Poster presentations often are the first opportunities for young investigators to present their work at important scientific meetings and preparatory for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Poster Production Timeline

In order to be successful, certain prerequisites must be met. First, you must have a desire to be scholastically effective and be willing to put the time into the design and production of the poster. Second, you need organizational skills. Like any other endeavor associated with deadlines, you must be able to deliver the product on time. Posters are associated with more deadlines than oral presentations, due to the necessary interaction with graphic artists, graphic production, and the needs of the meeting itself. Organizational skills are also needed to create a concise and logically structured graphic and text presentation of the research or vignette. In order to help you achieve these goals, this article addresses poster planning, production, and presentation. It may be helpful to create a poster production timeline .

• Determine if your poster will be judged at the scientific meeting. If so, ask for the judging criteria , which will be immensely helpful for you to plan and construct the poster.
• Know the rules . It is your responsibility to know the physical requirements for the poster including acceptable size and how it will be displayed. A 4' × 4' display area cannot accommodate a 6' × 6' poster and a 3' × 3' poster will look insignificant in an 8' × 8' display area. All scientific programs that sponsor a poster session will send you information on the display requirements at the time your poster is accepted for presentation. Review and follow the instructions precisely. However, be warned that not all scientific programs will automatically tell you how the poster will be displayed. Some programs provide a cork/tack-board system that allows you to display your poster by fastening it to a solid display board with stickpins. This gives you the option of displaying your poster as many individual parts (components of the poster, such as abstract, methods, graphics, conclusion, are fastened individually to the display board) or as one piece. Other programs "hang" their posters from a frame by large spring clips. This means that the poster must be created as a single unit and cannot be too heavy for the clips or too light such that it will curl upwards like a window shade. A few programs still use easels to display posters, mandating that the poster be constructed of or placed on a firm backing that can be supported in this way. The point is, find out how the poster will be displayed and engineer a poster that best meets the requirements.
• Determine exactly how the poster will be produced. Will you hire a graphic artist for partial or complete production? Does your institution provide graphic services to your department? Will you need to do this yourself? If payment is required, who will pay for the production? Regardless of who is doing the work and how it will be financed, only you can determine the individual tasks and set the deadlines. Make sure your deadlines include sufficient time to revise the poster if you find mistakes or otherwise need to make changes prior to the scientific meeting. Finally, if you are working with a graphic artist, make your timetable after consultation with him/her so it is realistic and he/she understands your time constraints.
• Compile a list of components that will appear on the poster. There are common elements to all posters, whether they are research presentations or clinical vignettes. At the top center, the poster should display the title, authors, and institutional affiliations. Any necessary acknowledgments can also be placed here. Many scientific programs will insist that the abstract be included on the poster and will specify its location (i.e., upper right corner).

Scientific posters should follow the IMRAD format (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) .

• The Introduction presents the background and the purpose of the research. The background information typically consists of a statement summarizing the current knowledge in an area, what knowledge is missing, and how this research project addresses the knowledge gap. A hypothesis can be included in the Introduction.
• The Methods section should specifically address the following areas: research design, research setting, number of patients enrolled in the study, and how they were selected. The Methods section should also include a description of the intervention (if appropriate), a description of the outcome variables and how they were measured, and the method of statistical analysis.
• The Results section includes the quantitative data. This section usually begins with a description of the subjects in the study and a description of those who were not included because they failed to meet the inclusion criteria or dropped out. Include the frequencies of the most important outcome variables. Consider comparisons of the outcome variables between various subgroups within the study (treated vs. untreated, young vs. old, male vs. female, and so forth). Numerical results should include standard deviations or 95% confidence limits and the level of statistical significance should be indicated.
• Finally, in the Discussion section, state concisely what can be concluded from the study and its implications. Make sure that the conclusions are supported by the data presented in the Results and do not present unsubstantiated personal opinion.

Clinical vignette posters generally have three components: Introduction, Case Description, and Discussion. A short Introduction typically describes the context of the case and explains its relevance and importance. When describing the case, follow the basic rules of medical communication by describing in sequence the history, physical examination, investigative studies, and patient's progress and outcome. The main purpose of the discussion is to review why decisions were made and to extract the lesson from the case. Be wary of boasting that your case is the "first" to describe a particular phenomenon, since even the most thorough searches often fail to reveal all instances of similar cases. Keep in mind that the best research and clinical vignette posters are those that make a small number of points (even just one) clearly and succinctly.

As you review your content, make decisions on what can be displayed pictorially. Posters that are mainly text discourage others from visiting and reviewing your work. Make your presentation as visual as possible; not only does it make your poster more appealing, but information can be transmitted more efficiently with a picture, figure, or graph. For example, information on patient demographics could be represented as a pie chart, frequencies of outcomes as bar graphs, and comparisons of means and statistical significance as tables. Clinical vignettes offer an excellent opportunity to display clinical photographs that illustrate important points of pattern recognition.

Finally, find out if you are required to be present during the poster session. Most scientific meetings schedule a period of time for the author to stand by the poster during the session. This enables you to answer questions about your work and, in some situations, is part of the judging process. Find out if and when this is scheduled.

A Few Tips on Poster Appearance:

Avoid clutter.

Limit your poster presentation to a few main ideas. It's better to present a few of your findings well than present all of your findings poorly. Arrange your poster components to read from left to right and top to bottom. Emphasize important points on the poster with lines, frames or boxes, and arrows.

Keep the lettering simple.

Use no more than three different font sizes; the largest for the poster title, second-largest for section titles, and smallest for text. For all lettering, use both upper- and lowercase letters. Words composed of all uppercase letters are difficult to read. The smallest font should be large enough so it is easily read from a distance of 3 to 5 feet (usually, 24-point font).

Keep the colors simple.

Too much color can be distracting, while too little color can be boring and lifeless. Use color mainly to highlight important elements.

You will need to decide how your poster will be constructed. Your budget and available graphic art resources will most likely influence this decision. At one end of the spectrum, you can inexpensively produce a poster with a graphics software package (such as PowerPoint) and a color printer. Your output will be limited to individual components that measure 8" × 11" to 11" × 17". These components will probably need to be mounted on a stiff backing, such as poster board or foam core, to effectively display them. At the other, more expensive end of the spectrum, you can work with the graphic arts department at your institution. They can use sophisticated software programs, such as Quark, to design and create a poster. The electronic version of the poster can be sent by e-mail to a printing or service bureau. Service bureaus produce a variety of visual products including posters, slides, signs, and limited print editions of books. They can print any size poster with all its component parts as a single unit usually within 24 to 48 hours. The cost of this service is difficult to estimate because it is dependent on a number of variables including poster size, use of color, resolution of the print (dpi, or dots per inch), whether it is laminated, or backed with foam core. A moderately priced poster may cost from $500 to $600. The staff in your graphic arts department can help you pick the options that are within your budget.

At the time of production, it is your responsibility to review the first draft, or copy, of the poster. This is your best chance to correct errors and make changes to improve the accuracy and visual attractiveness of the poster. Use the Poster Checklist  to aid your review. In addition, have a colleague help you proofread. It's a good idea to have someone unfamiliar with the research or case help you because he or she will quickly identify areas that are confusing or ambiguous. It's a good idea to have someone who is expert in spelling and grammar review the poster as well. As mentioned previously, schedule the proofreading early enough in the process so that you have time to make any corrections or changes prior to the meeting.

As you prepare to travel to the scientific meeting, consider the following tips:

• Arrange for a proper carrying case for your poster. A worthy investment can prevent damage to your poster and your reputation.
• Don't check your poster as luggage. Carry the poster with you at all times. Better your clothes get lost than your poster.
• Come with some basic equipment. Although these items are typically provided at scientific meetings, you may not have quick access to them. Bring with you:
• Push pins, tacks, or stapler
• Know where and when to set up your poster. The room or area reserved for posters is usually noted in the meeting program. Arrive early to set up your poster. This will allow you to adapt to any surprises in the physical layout or unannounced changes in the method of displaying the poster. Additionally, it's easier to put up your poster when there are fewer people competing for space and equipment. Most scientific programs assign a unique identifying number to your poster that corresponds to location of the poster in the display area. Find out what your number is and place your poster in the corresponding spot.
• Know when to "stand-by" your poster. The time will be listed in the meeting program. Arrive on time and stay until the end of scheduled time. Don't wander off; you may miss the judges, your next fellowship director, or your next partner or employer.
• Know when to take your poster down. Meeting rooms turn-over fast. Have a clear understanding when the poster session is over and when the poster must come down. Failure to take the poster down at the appointed time can result in the hotel or convention staff (not so gently) removing it.
• Be prepared to promote yourself. Consider bringing handouts and business cards for those who visit your poster. Use this opportunity to "network" with other professionals who share similar academic interests.

This final section provides examples of what makes a poster effective. As you study the examples, note that they share similar characteristics:

• Organized and easy to follow the flow of information
• Easy to read, using large font size and are not overly dense with text
• Attractive, due to judicious use of colors, use of graphics, and arrangement

Listed below are a number of important poster characteristics and examples illustrating those characteristics:

• Use of a poignant attention getter
• Use of graphics  to communicate data
• Well organized  poster with easy to follow flow of information
• Overly dense  presentation of content

• Research Profiles
• Refererences

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.

Back to Top

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.

Research Posters

• Designing a Poster
• Presenting a Poster
• Get Research Help

Presentation Tips

Preparation.

To prepare for the oral presentation of your poster you should first summarize and distill your research into a short paragraph statement of no more than twenty words. This paragraph should state the central message of your research. Try writing from memory what your research is about and see if that helps you to be more concise. You can create your summary by asking yourself the following questions:

• What is the most important thing my research reveals?
• Who is the audience for my poster? Am I using words and terms that my audience can understand?
• Have I chosen an introduction that grabs attention so that my audience will want to listen to my poster presentation?
• Is my presentation bogged down with background information, detailed descriptions, or words and phrases that are redundant?

The Attention Curve

According to research, 90% or more of your audience is listening at the beginning of your presentation and then the curve dips to lower engagement percentages throughout the presentation. So how can you keep them plugged in? It helps to break your presentation into smaller parts. Instead of conceptualizing your presentation as one long flowing talk, think in terms of several smaller speeches that each have a conclusion. Use the right words to bring your mini sections to a conclusion. For example, use words such as finally , to conclude , in conclusion  and next , now , to begin , and  to start with  to end and begin sections of your presentation. This makes content easier to digest and helps to "reset" the listening curve. 

Try to speak in slow measured tones. Excitement and nervousness often change the pace of speech. Never underestimate the power of positive non-verbal communication such as a smile and eye contact! Feel free to use a pointer to point to relevant sections of your poster while you are talking. Don't be afraid to pause mid-speech and welcome newcomers.

You can gauge your audience participation and understanding by pausing to ask questions such as "have I been complete enough in my description?" or "would you like me to go over this section again?" Having handouts such as compilations of your research or business cards is always a good idea. Finally, don't forget to thank your audience for their time and engagement with your research. 

• Cain Project: A Guide to Presenting a Poster
• Hacking the Audience Attention Curve
• How to Give Successful Oral and Poster Presentations
• How to Summarize Information for a Poster
• << Previous: Designing a Poster
• Next: Citations >>
• Last Updated: Apr 18, 2024 1:22 PM
• URL: https://sfcollege.libguides.com/research-posters

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IEEE IV 2024

IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV 2024)

Preparing Your Presentation

Preparing your oral/poster presentation, your presentation will be either oral or poster. this year at iv’24 all papers, including oral presentations, will have a poster for more personal interactions. in addition, each poster session will begin with a short poster spotlight presentation. each author will have 1 minute to highlight their poster (using a single slide submitted according to the instructions: to be updated)..

The IV 2024 logo can be downloaded via the following button:

Each presentation time slot is 15 minutes including lecture and discussion (questions and answers). Each presentation has its own time slot which cannot be changed or shifted. Please plan your presentation by allowing 4 minutes from the time allocated to your presentation for introduction by the session chair and questions from the audience. 

Oral presentations at IV’24 are made in plenum, ie, some five hundred people. Thus, most of the conference delegates will be there and listen to you. Since only a subset of them can be expected to be experts in your particular research topic, it makes sense to plan your presentation for a broader audience where you explain somewhat more what the research question is, and why it is important, and less of deep details. For the experts in your particular research topic, you have the poster session on Wednesday where you present your poster, take questions and discuss more in detail. Having a poster also makes it easier for us to keep the time schedule of the conference, since questions can be taken there if we are short of time. The poster you prepare according to the instructions below. The only difference is that for the posters from the oral speakers we don’t have any slides at the introduction. Since you already had a 15-minute talk, the introduction will just be that each presenter introduces themselves.

The presentation room is equipped with a computer, a data projector, and a microphone. You can also use your own computer if necessary. Remember to embed all your fonts into your PDF presentation.

PRIOR TO YOUR PRESENTATION: Come to the session 15 minutes before the session starts. Introduce yourself to the session chair and upload your presentation to the session computer or if you are using your own computer make sure it works with the available interfaces.

The interactive poster session will start with a short 1-minute oral introduction by each presenter in turn. There you have one minute to introduce yourself and the topic of your poster while you show one slide. Don’t try to give a complete overview in this short time, but highlight the main parts to stimulate interest of the audience to come and discuss with you. You need to prepare one slide in PDF-format. Name the file with the slide after the code for your paper in the program, which is a concatenation of the session code and the number of your contribution in the session. For example, MoAOR3.pdf would be the slide for paper 3 in session MoAOR. Instructions on how to submit is below.

Afterwards, presenters are expected to stay in front of their posters to present their work to interested attendees with more in-depth technical discussions. You can have your lap-top to show, for example, animations and other illustrations complementing the information on the poster.

Posters will be attached on the walls, adhesive tape for that will be available. A0 size posters in portrait orientation are recommended . Larger than that might be problematic. Please print your poster ahead of time and bring it with you to the conference on the day of your session. Don’t include too much detailed text but include figures so that you can take help from them when you present your results. Main messages and results are typically good to write out. On the internet you can easily find good examples of how to design your poster. Include the IEEE ITSS logo  https://ieee-itss.org/wp-content/uploads/IEEE-ITSS-logo-x2.png in a corner of the poster.

The presenters have time to mount their poster during the transition prior to each session. They must check-in with the Session Chairs prior to the session start and remain with their posters throughout the session. Failing to do this may lead to marking no-show or absence of the author. Please remove your poster at the end of your allocated session. Posters left mounted to the boards after the end of the session will be removed and disposed of.

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces Two Oral Presentations and One Poster Presentation Involving TNX-1500 (Fc-modified humanized anti-CD40L mAb) at the American Transplant Congress 2024

TNX-1500 displays potential as a monotherapy or combination therapy to prevent rejection in organ transplantation in allograft and xenograft animal models

Research Directed by Faculty of the Center for Transplantation Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital

Transplantation is also believed to be a model for treating autoimmunity

CHATHAM, N.J., June 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: TNXP) (Tonix or the Company), a fully-integrated biopharmaceutical company with marketed products and a pipeline of development candidates, announces two oral presentations and a poster presentation at the American Transplant Congress 2024, held June 1-5, 2024 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pa. A copy of the oral and poster presentation is available under the Scientific Presentations tab of the Tonix website at www.tonixpharma.com.

“We remain encouraged by the potential of our TNX-1500, Fc-modified humanized anti-CD40L monoclonal antibody therapy for the prevention of rejection in solid organ transplantation,” said Seth Lederman, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Tonix Pharmaceuticals. “Despite advancements in the field of solid organ transplantation, there remains a significant need for new treatments with improved activity and tolerability. Several lines of research indicate that anti-CD40L therapy may improve outcomes for allograft acceptance, and that anti-CD40L therapy may be required for long term xenograft acceptance. We are excited about the broad potential of TNX-1500, on the prevention of allograft and xenograft rejection and also for the treatment of autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren’s Syndrome.”

In the oral presentation titled, “ Combined Blockade of the CD154 and CD28 Co-Stimulation Pathways Attenuates Pathogenic Alloimmunity and Prolongs Survival in Cynomolgus Cardiac Allografts ”, by Kinoshita, K. et al ., data demonstrated that the combined use of TNX-1500 and anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody, VEL-101 is associated with durable protection and graft survival and function in a nonhuman primate model.

In the oral presentation titled, “ Extended Survival of 9- and 10-Gene-Edited Pig Heart Xenografts with Ischemia Minimization and CD154 Costimulation Blockade-Based Immunosuppression ”, Sanatkar, A. et al ., data demonstrated that TNX-1500 has promise to prevent rejection of 9-, or 10-gene-edited (GE) pig hearts. 1,2

The poster presentation titled, “ Experience with a Novel Delayed Immune Tolerance Protocol in Nonhuman Primates Based on Anti-CD154, Anti-CD2, and Anti-CD28 ”, by Ileka, I. evaluated whether a modified protocol based on targeting CD28 and CD2 promotes expansion of peripheral regulatory T-cells and is sufficient to promote heart allograft acceptance.

In February 2024, Tonix announced completion of the clinical stage of its Phase 1 single ascending dose study of TNX-1500 in healthy volunteers. The primary objectives of the study are to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intravenous TNX-1500. This first-in-human study is intended to support dosing in a planned Phase 2 trial in kidney transplant recipients.

About TNX-1500

TNX-1500 (Fc-modified humanized anti-CD40L mAb) is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds and blocks the CD40-ligand (CD40L), also known as CD154. TNX-1500 is being developed for the prevention of allograft and xenograft rejection, for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) and for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. A first-in-human Phase 1 trial of TNX-1500 has completed the clinical phase. The primary objective of the Phase 1 trial is to assess the safety, tolerability, PK, and pharmacodynamics of intravenous ( i.v. ) TNX-1500. Eligible participants enrolled in the Phase 1 trial were distributed across three dosing cohorts (3 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, and 30 mg/kg, respectively) and evaluated regularly over a 120-day period after dosing. The Phase 1 trial is intended to support dosing in a planned Phase 2 trial in kidney transplant recipients. Two published articles in the American Journal of Transplantation demonstrate TNX-1500 prevents rejection, prolongs survival and preserves graft function as a single agent or in combination with other drugs in non-human primate renal and heart allografts. 3,4

• Revivicor 9-GE pigs: GalKO.β4GalNT2KO.GHRKO.hCD46.hCD55.hTBM.hEPCR.hCD47.hHO-1
• Revivicor 10-GE pigs: GalKO.β4GalNT2KO.CMAHKO.GHRKO.hCD46.CD55.hTBM.hEPCR.hCD47.hHO-1.
• Lassiter G., et al.  Am J Transplantation . 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajt.2023.03.022
• Miura S., et al. Am J Transplantation . 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajt.2023.03.025

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. *

Tonix is a fully-integrated biopharmaceutical company focused on developing, licensing and commercializing therapeutics to treat and prevent human disease and alleviate suffering. Tonix’s development portfolio is focused on central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Tonix’s priority is to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA in the second half of 2024 for Tonmya 1 , a product candidate for which two statistically significant Phase 3 studies have been completed for the management of fibromyalgia. TNX-102 SL is also being developed to treat acute stress reaction as well as fibromyalgia-type Long COVID. Tonix’s CNS portfolio includes TNX-1300 (cocaine esterase), a biologic designed to treat cocaine intoxication that has Breakthrough Therapy designation. Tonix’s immunology development portfolio consists of biologics to address organ transplant rejection, autoimmunity and cancer, including TNX-1500, which is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CD40-ligand (CD40L or CD154) being developed for the prevention of allograft rejection and for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Tonix also has product candidates in development in the areas of rare disease and infectious disease. Tonix Medicines, our commercial subsidiary, markets Zembrace ® SymTouch ® (sumatriptan injection) 3 mg and Tosymra ® (sumatriptan nasal spray) 10 mg for the treatment of acute migraine with or without aura in adults.

*Tonix’s product development candidates are investigational new drugs or biologics and have not been approved for any indication.

1 Tonmya™ is conditionally accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the tradename for TNX-102 SL for the management of fibromyalgia. Tonmya has not been approved for any indication.

Zembrace SymTouch and Tosymra are registered trademarks of Tonix Medicines. All other marks are property of their respective owners.

This press release and further information about Tonix can be found at www.tonixpharma.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “expect,” and “intend,” among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Tonix's current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to the failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations; risks related to the failure to successfully market any of our products; risks related to the timing and progress of clinical development of our product candidates; our need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payor reimbursement; limited research and development efforts and dependence upon third parties; and substantial competition. As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. Tonix does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 1, 2024, and periodic reports filed with the SEC on or after the date thereof. All of Tonix's forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by all such risk factors and other cautionary statements. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date thereof.

Investor Contact

Jessica Morris Tonix Pharmaceuticals [email protected] (862) 904-8182

Peter Vozzo ICR Westwicke [email protected] (443) 213-0505

Media Contact

Katie Dodge LaVoieHealthScience [email protected] (978) 360-3151

Related Stocks

Oral Metformin and Polymetformin Reprogram Immunosuppressive Microenvironment and Boost Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Colorectal Cancer

Add to collection, downloadable content.

• Affiliation: Eshelman School of Pharmacy
• Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), especially PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, are emerging as promising therapeutic options for patients with advanced tumors, but the response rate in the majority of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients remains low. Herein, the use of metformin (Met) and its polymeric form (Polymet) to enhance the response rate of immune checkpoint blockade therapy is reported. Oral Met and Polymet significantly enhance the antitumor effect of ICI therapy in a murine orthotopic CRC model. Further analyses reveal that Met and Polymet reprogram the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via activation of adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase and inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway, stimulating T cell infiltration into the tumor. Additionally, oral Met and Polymet change the abundance of key microbes in the intestinal environment, including increasing the Lactobacillus population, which should exert tumor-suppressing activities in the CRC. These findings highlight the potential of combining Met or Polymet with cancer immunotherapy and provide a strategy for sensitizing CRC patients to immune checkpoint blockade therapy.
• cancer immunotherapy
• immune checkpoint blockade
• Polymetformin
• tumor microenvironments
• https://doi.org/10.17615/t8q2-7647
• https://doi.org/10.1002/adtp.202000168
• In Copyright
• Advanced Therapeutics
• National Institutes of Health, NIH: CA198999
• National Natural Science Foundation of China, NSFC: 81774011
• Carolina Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, CCNE, UNC
• Blackwell Publishing Ltd

This work has no parents.

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Deposit a peer-reviewed article or book chapter. If you would like to deposit a poster, presentation, conference paper or white paper, use the “Scholarly Works” deposit form.

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2024 Presentation Guidelines

(scroll down for poster guidelines)

For Oral Presentations

Authors making oral presentations must submit a full paper to the ICSD organizers by August 1, 2024, or risk losing their presentation slot (unless they have been accepted for “6A Mission-oriented research to accelerate SDG solutions” as that theme does not require a full paper). We will begin accepting full papers on June 9, 2024. Full papers will be reviewed by the Scientific Committee and used to inform the presentation order and discussion. It is optional to also have your paper published as a conference proceeding (not peer-reviewed); check the box to opt-out as you prefer.

Papers must meet the following guidelines:

• Papers cannot be longer than 9 pages including figures and tables, excluding bibliographies.
• The top of the page should include the paper title, a list of all the authors and their affiliations (Ex. John Doe, Professor, University of Illinois), and full contact details for the corresponding author (email, phone number, and mailing address).
• Text should be in 11 point Arial font and single-spaced.
• Citations should follow the  Chicago Manual of Style  and use footnotes.
• A  template  of a full paper format is available to download.
• All papers must be uploaded as a PDF file.

Please upload your paper via the AirTable submission form shared in your abstract decision email. Please note, once you’ve completed your submission, you cannot go back and edit it . You may email us at [email protected] if there are corrections needed.

All oral presenters will present virtually. Each will be given 10 minutes to present their work and an additional 5 minutes for Q&A, for a total of 15 minutes. Presenters will be able to share their screens for a slide presentation, but this is not required. Presentations will be done on Zoom Webinar. Almost all presentation software is compatible with Zoom, however videos are not recommended as the quality will be poor and there may be technical difficulties with sound. You will have to share your own screen and advance your own slides. More guidance on how presenters will connect through Zoom will be provided in August. The full program will be announced by mid-August, and we will do our utmost to accommodate presenters’ time zones.

**Important: We encourage you to incorporate feedback you receive at the event into your paper. You will have the opportunity to submit an updated manuscript after the event.**

For Poster Presentations

Authors making poster presentations must submit their posters to the ICSD organizers by August 1, 2024, or risk losing their presentation slot. We will begin accepting posters on June 9, 2024.

Please upload your poster via the AirTable submission form shared in your abstract decision email.  Please note, once you’ve completed your submission, you cannot go back and edit it . You may email us at [email protected] if there are corrections needed.

This year’s posters will be displayed in our online virtual event poster gallery from AirTable. Once the event is live, all posters will be available to view. The full program will be announced by mid-August and we will share more details on how participants can engage with poster presenters at that time.

Poster presentations must meet the following guidelines:

• All posters must be uploaded as a one page PDF.
• Poster presentations cannot be larger than 5MB.
• A  presentation sample/template  is available for download should you require assistance. You are not required to use this layout (but you are required to keep it to one page ).
• While participants will be able to zoom in or out on your poster, we suggest using at minimum Arial 17 point font for readability.
• There are no required dimensions for the posters, just the 5MB file size restriction.

More specifics on how to interact with our online poster gallery will be provided in August. Should you have any additional questions, please visit our  FAQ  or email us at  [email protected] .