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

Cover for how to design a poster presentation

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.

Examples of research posters using SlideModel's templates

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

Summary of why are poster presentations important

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 anatomy of a winning poster

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

Resume of font characteristics a winning poster presentation must follow

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.

Effective color pairing tactics for poster presentations

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. 

Tips for properly arranging data visualization dimensions in poster presentations

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.

Tips on alignment, margins, and white space in poster presentation design

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.

Example of the structure of a scientific/academic conference poster presentation

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

poster presentation conference template

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

poster presentation conference template

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

poster presentation conference 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. 

Summary of how to make a research 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.

Basic structure layout of an academic poster presentation

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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Scientific Poster PowerPoint Templates

Scientific Research Poster Printing

Looking for Billboard Poster Templates?

Billboard Posters, also called better posters or Posters 2.0 , are a new style of scientific poster that intends to simplify posters and make sharing information easier in a shorter amount of time. We have templates and tutorials to get you started.

Billboard Poster Templates

Here are some PowerPoint templates to get you started. Feel free to change the colors and layout as needed. These templates are within the PowerPoint page size limit of 56" and comes in several different aspect ratios, each of which can be printed in a number of sizes (as listed).

Scientific Poster Persuading Sapphire

Persuading Sapphire

  • 48 x 36 56x42 | 64x48
  • 48 x 24 72x36 | 84x42 | 96x48
  • 36 x 24 54x36 | 63x42 | 72x48
  • 36 x 36 (square) 42x42 | 48x48
  • 36 x 48 (vertical) 42x56 | 48x64

Scientific Poster Pondering Peacock

Pondering Peacock

Scientific Poster Assessing Slate

Assessing Slate

Scientific Poster Hypothetical Ocean

Hypothetical Ocean

Scientific Poster Philosophical Seafoam

Philosophical Seafoam

Scientific Poster Conceptualizing Cobalt

Conceptualizing Cobalt

Scientific Poster Perceptual Pewter

Perceptual Pewter

Scientific Poster Deliberating Watermelon

Deliberating Watermelon

Scientific Poster Concentrative Chartreuse

Concentrative Chartreuse

Scientific Poster Intuitive Cerulean

Intuitive Cerulean

Scientific Poster Intellectual Sage

Intellectual Sage

Scientific Poster Inquisital Anchor

Inquisital Anchor

Scientific Poster Ruminative Mauve

Ruminative Mauve

Scientific Poster Debating Denim

Debating Denim

Scientific Poster Comprehensive Crimson

Comprehensive Crimson

Scientific Poster Rational Rouge

Rational Rouge

Scientific Poster Introspective Porpoise

Introspective Porpoise

Scientific Poster Melancholy Medallion

Melancholy Medallion

Scientific Poster Concluding Cider

Concluding Cider

Scientific Poster Pragmatic Graphite

Pragmatic Graphite

Scientific Poster Imaginative Arctic

Imaginative Arctic

Scientific Poster Speculative Stone

Speculative Stone

Scientific Poster Contemplative Cloud

Contemplative Cloud

Scientific Poster Theorizing Vermillion

Theorizing Vermillion

Scientific Research Poster Printing

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Free PowerPoint ® research poster templates in various sizes & styles.

If you don't see the specific dimensions you want, use a template that is the same proportion and we will correctly scale it at the time of printing. because powerpoint does not allow dimensions greater than 56", we use scaled templates for the larger poster sizes. our 42x90 templates are actually sized at 21x45 which we then print at 200%. tip: before selecting a template, bear in mind that most poster session boards have a one-inch metal frame. reducing the poster by a few inches allows it to mount flat on the board without the edges curling. if you are allowed a 48" x 48" space, we recommend using a 44" x 44" template. similarly, for a 48" x 96" board, we recommend no larger than a 42" x 90" template.    click here to see a comparison of how they fit on a board..

Free Poster Carry Tube


PC - PowerPoint 2019
PC - PowerPoint 2016
PC - PowerPoint 2013
PC - PowerPoint 2010
PC - PowerPoint 2007

Mac - PowerPoint 2019
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Mac - PowerPoint 2011
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poster presentation conference template



Click on the desired print size from the table.
In Internet Explorer select "Save As", in Firefox select "Save File", and in Safari, Google Chrome, and Edge the file will save to your /downloads folder.


 
 
   
     

poster presentation conference template

Abstract Sidebar Design

   
   
     
 
     

poster presentation conference template

Title-Left Design

       
         
         
       
         
       

poster presentation conference template

Graphical Design

       
         
         
       
         
         

poster presentation conference template

Visual Abstract Design

poster presentation conference template

Our Tri-Fold posters are self-standing displays on 3/16" FoamCore board. The center section is 24" wide and the two 12" sides fold in for easy shipping. Choose from our economical Direct Print style, or add gloss or matte lamination for a rugged, reusable display that will last for years.

Trifold poster template



Templates in this section are designed for the following versions:
PC-PowerPoint 2003 and earlier
Mac-PowerPoint 2004 and earlier
Click on one of the images below.
In Internet Explorer select "Save As", in Firefox select "Save File", and in Safari, Google Chrome, and Edge the file will save to your /downloads folder.

This template can be used to create any poster with a 1:1 ratio of height to width.
Alternate print sizes include: 30x30, 36x36, 40x40.

This template can be used to create any poster with a 2:3 ratio of height to width.
Alternate print sizes include: 30x45, 36x54, 48x72.

This template can be used to create any poster with a 1:2 ratio of height to width.
Alternate print sizes include: 30x60, 36x72, 42x84, 44x88, 48x96.

This template can be used to create any poster with a 3:4 ratio of height to width.
Alternate print sizes include: 30x40, 42x56.

This template can be used to create any poster with a 3:5 ratio of height to width.
Alternate print sizes include: 30x50, 42x70.

This template can be used to create any poster with a 7:15 ratio of height to width.
Alternate print sizes include: 28x60, 35x75.

This template can be used to create any poster with a 1:1 ratio of height to width.
Alternate print sizes include: 30x30, 36x36, 40x40.

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Research Poster Templates

18 creative research poster templates (word, powerpoint).

Learning how to create a research poster template is important as these are widely used in conferences, presentations, and more, especially in the academic community. A research or scientific poster template summarizes the research or information in a concise and attractive way to publicize this information and start discussions.

Table of Contents

  • 1 Research Poster Templates
  • 2 What makes a good research poster?
  • 3 Research Poster Examples
  • 4 Components of a research poster
  • 5 Research Poster Presentations
  • 6 The layout of your research poster
  • 7 Design tips and guidelines for your research poster

Free Creative Research Poster Template

What makes a good research poster?

A typical research poster template contains a combination of pictures, tables, graphs , and other elements used in presentations. This type of template is also known as a scientific poster template, an academic poster template or a science poster template. At conferences, researchers stand by their poster so they can talk about the topic more effectively.

If you want to create an effective research poster, make sure that it should:

  • Be completely readable from up to 10 feet away.
  • It has a short title which catches the interest of the audience.
  • It has a word count of 300-800.
  • The text is both concise and clear.
  • Make it easier to read by using headlines, numbering, and bullets.
  • Use colors, fonts, and graphics effectively.
  • It has a clean and consistent layout.
  • It includes your name, the name of your institution, and acknowledgments .

Research Poster Examples

Free Animal Research Poster

Components of a research poster

Most people who create research or academic poster templates organize the information into sections. Each section contains paragraphs, charts, photos, and other elements. Each section that you plan to include must have its own purpose. Also, make sure that the viewers would have familiarity with these sections.

To make it easier for you, it’s best to organize all of the information on your template into these main components or sections:

  • Introduction The elements in this section set the stage for the rest of your poster. Here, the readers learn more about your research giving them a better idea of what to expect. Condensed Abstract Background Hypothesis Purpose or Objectives
  • Research This section contains all of the data you’ve collected through your research and the methods you used all throughout. It contains most of the “meat” of your template so make sure to think about this section carefully. Materials Methodology Analysis Models Results
  • Conclusion Finally, this section is where you include the summary and analysis of your results. Recommendations Implications Discussion Acknowledgments Contact Information

You may choose to add more sections or elements depending on your needs. But these basic components are what the readers expect, therefore, you must pay special attention to them. Also, before creating your template, you must first answer these questions:

  • What is your poster all about?
  • Why do you need to create the poster? What do you hope to add to the discussion?
  • What methods did you use during your research?
  • What conclusions did you come to?
  • What are your recommendations based on your research?

Most academic and science poster templates have columns which contain a few sections in each column. Readers go through these columns from top to bottom so you must organize the information this way. This gives your readers a clearer picture of the poster’s contents.

You can create your own research poster template or you can download starter templates and customize these according to your needs. Downloading a template makes it easier since you already have a structure to start with. But if you can’t find one which suits your preferences, you can make your own.

Research Poster Presentations

Free Ecology Research Poster

The layout of your research poster

Most types of research poster templates have similar components. There’s no standard when it comes to these types of posters. But when thinking of the layout, make sure that it’s both organized and logical. To help you out, here are some pointers to keep in mind:

  • Size and orientation If you’re looking for a “standard size,” most people use 48-inches x 36-inches in landscape orientation. But if this is too small or too big for you, feel free to modify the size. Also, there’s no problem with using a portrait orientation if that works with your content.
  • Background It’s important that your poster’s background doesn’t distract the viewers. This is why most people use white or other light colors for their backgrounds. You may also use subtle gradients as long as these don’t take any attention from the rest of the elements on your poster. What you should avoid are distracting colors, busy patterns or even photo backgrounds. If you want to use a dark color, you may want to use white color for your text to make it more readable.
  • Styles of the title and headings The best posters allow the viewers to see the titles and headings clearly at a glance. These make it easier for the viewers to know what your poster is all about. Use boxes, strategic colors, bold text, and a lot of whitespaces to make sure that these elements standout.
  • Fonts The main rule when it comes to fonts is to make sure that they’re readable. Beyond this, it’s already up to your own preferences. One good principle of design is to use a single font for the title and all the headings and a different font for the rest of the text. Also, make sure that all of the most important text on your poster can be clearly read from a normal distance. This way, even the viewers who aren’t right in front of your poster can read what’s written on it. Also, set a good spacing for the fonts as this adds to their readability.
  • Colors The color scheme is an important element of your research poster template. Use colors which capture the attention of the viewers and emphasize the most important information too. It’s best to use the same colors as your own brand but this isn’t a requirement. If you want to choose different colors, you may want to opt for neutral colors and just one bold color which you may use sparingly.
  • Alignment and whitespace If you want your poster to look professional, you must align all the elements well. This doesn’t mean that you should align all the elements on the left, the right or the center. You can use different alignments as long as you make sure that everything looks organized and there’s nothing out of place. Finally, you must also make sure that there’s enough whitespace between each of the elements in your poster design. There shouldn’t be any elements or text which are too close to each other as viewers who are far away can’t see these clearly. The more whitespace your poster has, the more you can emphasize the most important elements.

Design tips and guidelines for your research poster

At the very core, a research or scientific poster template serves as a visual representation of information which you’ve consolidated and organized into a format that’s easier to read. Ideally, viewers must understand the content of your poster in a matter of minutes. After all, they would probably move on if your template takes forever to read!

If you want to get the best results, make sure that your poster is well-designed, logical, and consistent. To help you out, here are some rules to keep in mind:

  • Less is more When it comes to the design of your poster, you may want to go for a simpler layout instead of a loud, distracting one. Remember, this is an academic poster template. You don’t have to add cute graphics and other irrelevant elements to it. The simpler it is, the easier your viewers will understand it.
  • Avoid clutter Cluttered posters aren’t appealing in the least. Using too many elements makes it difficult for viewers to find the most important information. Also, a cluttered poster makes it challenging to distinguish the sections from one another.
  • Perform a final check before having the poster printed Before you have your poster printed, perform a final check on it. Make sure that everything looks great, you haven’t made any spelling or grammatical errors, and everything is easy to read and understand. As part of your final check, you may want to answer these questions: Is there a logical flow to all of the sections in the poster? Remember that all the sections must flow smoothly from start to finish. Is all the text easy to read? Make sure all of the text stands out, especially the title and all of the headings. Are all the images of a high-resolution? Zoom in to the images you’ve used to ensure their clarity and crispness. This is especially important if you plan to have a large-sized poster printed. Low-res files tend to get blurred or pixelated when printed in larger sizes. Will your viewers understand all of your data? Make sure that all non-text elements are easy to understand. If needed, include captions under them. Have you highlighted all of the most important information? This is important as well so that your viewers can look at all of the highlighted information to get a quick overview of the content of your poster.

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Academic Conference Poster

It seems that you like this template, academic conference poster presentation, free google slides theme, powerpoint template, and canva presentation template.

Are you ready to present your research at an academic conference? Make sure you do it in style with this amazing academic conference poster template! Showcase your data, results, and conclusions in a clear and eye-catching design. This template features a cream color scheme with a modern style, giving your presentation the look it needs to stand out. Add your own titles, images, and other content to make the poster truly unique

Features of this template

  • 100% editable and easy to modify
  • 8 different slides to impress your audience
  • Contains easy-to-edit graphics such as graphs, maps, tables, timelines and mockups
  • Includes 500+ icons and Flaticon’s extension for customizing your slides
  • Designed to be used in Google Slides, Canva, and Microsoft PowerPoint
  • 4:3 standard format for screens
  • Includes information about fonts, colors, and credits of the resources used

How can I use the template?

Am I free to use the templates?

How to attribute?

Attribution required If you are a free user, you must attribute Slidesgo by keeping the slide where the credits appear. How to attribute?

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Conference Poster Templates

Make a lasting impact at your next conference with Venngage's Conference Poster Templates. Whether you're presenting research findings, promoting your organization, or sharing valuable insights, our designs help you create professional and eye-catching posters. Customize with ease, add compelling visuals, and showcase key information effectively. Design your conference posters now and captivate your audience with visually stunning presentations!

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Other poster templates

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Stop spending hours resizing and aligning boxes on your poster.

Design beautiful research posters in minutes with biorender's poster builder. experience quick and easy poster-making with this powerful tool, built by scientists for scientists..

a laptop showing the BioRender poster builder software

The easiest poster building experience you’ve ever tried.

  • Create a poster from scratch in minutes with drag and drop components.
  • Everything magically resizes to fit the poster size and maintain consistent margins. Change your poster from landscape to portrait with one click.
  • Easily pan and zoom around the canvas to ensure every detail is perfect.
  • Add BioRender figures with just a few clicks. All of your files live in one place.

Save time by starting with a professionally designed, fully customizable template.

  • Templates are available in landscape, portrait, and square orientation.
  • Choose from a wide range of color themes or customize the poster to match institutional branding.
  • Default font sizes and margins, optimized for printed posters.
  • High quality export available in PDF, PNG, and JPG file formats for all your print and presentation needs.

Using Poster Builder is a really, really nice experience— it only took me a day to put together a poster . The same poster would probably take me a week to do in PowerPoint.

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Never email posters back and forth again.

  • Quickly give and receive contextual feedback with comments.
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poster presentation conference template

Free PowerPoint Templates

Presentation Poster Templates

Here you can find research poster templates that can be edited to make your own poster presentations. Free poster presentation templates are available for PowerPoint (.pptx), Google Slides, and OpenOffice for PC and Mac. Poster presentation templates are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

48×36 Research Poster Presentation Template

poster-presentation-template-48x36

View on Google Slides | Download (pptx)

42×42 Research Poster Presentation Template

poster-presentation-template-42x42

40×28 Research Poster Presentation Template

Free Poster PowerPoint Template 40x28 inches

55×28.5 Research Poster Presentation Template

Research Poster for PowerPoint and Google Slids

PowerPoint does not allow a filet to use dimensions greater than 56″ so if you need a very large poster size, can use a scaled template. For instance, for a 94×94 poster size dimension, use the 42×42 poster and scale it 200%.

How to use the poster templates?

If you are using Microsoft PowerPoint, download the .pptx version and open it in PowerPoint. It is compatible with Mac and PC (Windows).

If you are using Google Slides to design your poster presentation, click View on Google Slides and then go to File -> Make a Copy to create your own copy of the presentation. Starting from this point you’d be able to edit the poster and add your own data, images and content.

Can I edit the poster presentations?

Yes. Poster templates can be edited to fit your presentation needs. Remember to save your changes. You can edit the presentation by adding your own content, data charts and images. It is possible to replace the top left logo by any logo image you want or remove it completely if it is not required. You can also remove the footer with our logo, notes and comments.

Poster designs are fully customizable and can be edited to change colors with a few clicks. The poster presentation format follow most standard US and international poster sizes and supports different versions of PowerPoint. Only basic PowerPoint skills are required. The poster templates can be used for research posters, in any scientific poster designs or as a conference posters.

You can also download an ODP poster version for LibreOffice and OpenOffice clicking here or other free presentation templates .

If you need any particular dimension that is not listed here, please kindly contact us recommending the new size.

Customizing Your Poster Presentations

Our 100% editable poster templates offer you a wide range of customization options. You can easily modify the content, include data charts and images, or replace the top-left logo with your brand’s identity. The footer, which contains our logo, notes, and comments, is also editable. Feel free to remove it if it doesn’t serve your presentation needs.

With just a few clicks, you can also adjust color schemes to match your brand or presentation theme. Our poster templates conform to most standard US and international poster sizes and are compatible with various PowerPoint versions. Only basic PowerPoint skills are required. You can create your own posters using PowerPoint or other presentation tools, like Google Slides or Canva. In our article how to make a poster in PowerPoint we explain a process to make a new poster.

Use Cases & Applications: How can you use the Poster Presentations?

Our poster templates cater to a wide range of poster presentations. From scientific research posters to conference posters, the sky is the limit.

Use Cases in Business

  • Project Showcase: Poster presentations are an efficient way to share details about new projects or initiatives within your company. They can succinctly highlight objectives, milestones, and outcomes. You can download a project poster presentation template from this website.
  • Marketing Campaigns: Poster presentations are also invaluable tools for marketing, displaying product information, promotional offers, or upcoming events in a visually appealing format. An A3 poster template for PowerPoint and Google Slides can help to accomplish it.
  • Employee Training: They can be used to facilitate employee training, demonstrating workflows, protocols, or safety procedures in a user-friendly manner.

Use Cases in Academia

  • Research Findings: Posters are commonly used to share research findings at academic conferences. They can effectively showcase methodologies, data, and conclusions. A creative research poster template is useful for this purpose. These poster presentations typically follow IMRaD format, which refers to a paper that is structured by four main sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (sometimes named Conclusion).
  • Educational Material: In a classroom setting, poster presentations can be used to simplify complex topics, visually represent theories, or exhibit historical timelines.

Use Cases in Medical Field

  • Medical Research: Poster presentations are vital in the medical field for sharing cutting-edge research, clinical trial results, and innovative medical procedures. Medical practitioners and researchers can utilize a medical research poster template to concisely present complex data and findings.
  • Patient Education: Hospitals and clinics can use poster presentations to educate patients on various health conditions, preventative measures, and treatment options. A patient education poster template can help in creating informative and easy-to-understand posters.
  • Conference and Symposium: Medical conferences and symposiums often feature poster sessions where professionals can share their work, network, and learn from each other. A medical conference poster template can provide a structured format to showcase research and case studies.

Use Cases in Arts and Design

  • Art Exhibitions: Artists can use poster presentations to display their artwork and provide context or commentary. An art exhibition poster template can be tailored to complement the artwork and enhance the viewer’s experience.
  • Design Portfolios: Designers can create poster presentations to showcase their portfolio of work to potential clients or employers. A design portfolio poster template can help in arranging works aesthetically and providing necessary project details.
  • Event Promotion: For promoting arts and cultural events, poster presentations can be an effective medium. An event promotion poster template can help in creating eye-catching and informative posters to attract attendees.

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poster presentation conference template

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Four conference poster templates for a successful presentation

Poster sessions are the heart of scientific conferences. Here presenters meet the visitors, exchange ideas, and form new relationships. But this will happen only if the poster design attracts visitors’ attention and its content helps the author to explain the research. A good conference poster template will make your job in designing such a poster much easier.

A guy with a poster standing on a street

In this article, you will find four different conference poster templates that you can download and use right away. To find out the advantages and disadvantages of each, keep reading this article. Hint: the design we have all used most of the time will be the wrong one.

After discussing the templates, I will share tools that make designing a poster more efficient and the result – better. Let’s dive in.

No.1: Traditional academic poster template

A traditional academic-style conference poster looks a lot like the one in figure below. Its sections closely resemble those of a research paper: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Conclusions, References, and Acknowledgements. The boldest authors might have swapped the section titles for something more related to their research, but this will not disguise the general characteristics of this poster layout:

  • The text is copy-pasted from the paper, often resembling a research paper stuck to a board.
  • The figures require squinting even in close-up, not to mention reading them while passing by.
  • Every square centimeter is filled with information
  • The title reflects the topic of the study and does not say anything about the results.
  • It is polluted with logos – the university, conference, etc.

poster presentation conference template

You probably noticed that I have a certain dislike for the traditional style poster. I will offer better conference poster designs later in this article. But first, let me acknowledge that there are some situations when this type of layout can be useful:

  • The layout is benificial when leaving the poster unattended since it allows the visitor to autonomously learn about the research. Such situations include permanent exhibition of research projects in a hallway or a website of a research project.
  • The traditional posters arguably have a better chance to receive the best poster award – simply because of the amount of information that can be packed within it. The judges usually award the prizes based on the depth of the content rather a than visitor-friendly design.
  • The traditional style poster can serve as a great summary of your research. Printed on a conventional paper (rather than on a poster) such a One Pager provides a condensed summary of your research for those who are not interested to read an entire paper but might spend 5 minutes to go over the key points. Cases where this could be useful include handing out to potential collaborators from the industry or to stakeholders.
  • Finally, sticking to the traditional layout might be a wise choice when you expect conservative academics to judge you. For example, if the professor sent you a template for a graded poster session at the end of the course, you might just do as you’r told.

In most cases, including a conference poster session where the author is required to stand next to the poster, the traditional posted design is next to useless . Instead, use one of the three conference poster templates that I offer next.

poster presentation conference template

You will access these traditional academic poster templates in the download

No.2: Presenter’s poster template

In a typical academic conference, most of the text that you have pasted on the poster is pointless. It would be an extremely socially awkward situation if the visitor would spend 10 minutes reading your poster while you silently observe this process. I can assure you that after 20 seconds one of you is going to budge and start a conversation.

A conversation is the whole point of a poster session – you, the presenter, want to interact with people. And the visitors want to hear from the author. This means that you can delete most of the text because you will be there to explain it orally.

Another pitfall of the traditional posters is the sheer amount of information they hold. The visitors can’t spend 20 minutes chatting to the presenter because they also need to browse the other 150 posters.

poster presentation conference template

Actually you, the presenter, are also not interested in spending a lot of time with a single visitor because other potential guests, seeing that you are busy might simply pass by. This reduces your networking opportunities. Who knows – perhaps one of the people to whom you didn’t talk had a brilliant idea for a collaboration.

So there you go – most of the time neither the presenter nor the visitor are particularly interested in chatting for more than a couple of minutes. And yet, none of them knows how to politely get out of the conversation so it drags on.

Now that we have identified the key problems with the typical academic poster, let’s take a fresh look at designing a more effective one. The figure below shows a conference poster template that I designed to help you intuitively apply the best poster design principles. Its main focus is on visual information – graphs, flow charts, and illustrations. Since this template is going to be used when the author is present to explain the content, let’s call it The Presenter’s Poster.

poster presentation conference template

The template is simple enough to ensure that designing the poster will not take more of your time than creating the traditional poster.

When using the Presenter’s Poster template, focus on the most important results. If visitors want to dive into the details, hand out your full research paper or add a link on your poster for downloading it. Better yet, exchange contacts and agree to meet during the lunch break for an in-depth conversation. You can also exchange business cards and follow-up once you are back home.

Scrapping the excessive information from the poster is going to free up space on the poster. Now you can make the charts and illustrations large enough for people to see them without a magnifying glass. Not only will it facilitate discussions; larger figures are more likely to attract the interest of passers-by.

poster presentation conference template

You will access these Presenter’s Poster templates in the download

A guide for poster design

My book Scientific Presentation Skills will explain what to include in each of the Presenter’s Poster sections to facilitate fruitful conversations.

poster presentation conference template

No.3: #betterposter template

“So, tell me about your poster”

This is probably the most frequent opening when a visitor stops by a new poster. Mike Morrison, the originator of the #betterposter layout, thinks this alone shows the inability of the traditional poster design to convey anything meaningful about its content. If a glance at the poster would already answer this basic question, the visitor could approach the author with a more meaningful question thus making the conversation more efficient for both parties. 

A peek at the poster should also signal the passer-by if he or she is even interested in a conversation. It is not worth chatting if either side will not benefit much and there are many other posters to visit. 

The solution? Mike calls it #betterposter. See an example in the figure below.

SUPER excited to present my #BetterPoster built from the @mikemorrison concept at the @waynestate Lipids Symposium today! pic.twitter.com/TSHYkPoyjQ — Matt Kuhn, DVM, PhD (@MattKuhnDVM) May 7, 2019

You will notice that the first thing attracting attention in the design is the supersized text. This punchline is meant to summarize in plain English the take-home message of the poster. It allows the passers-by to quickly decide if they would like to get into more details. If they do, they can approach the author who then explains the research using the smaller bits of the poster. Mike Morrison puts it simply: 

A poster that successfully communicates one thing is more effective than a poster that fails to communicate a thousand things. 

When talking about the thousand things he is, of course, referring to the traditional academic poster. 

poster presentation conference template

You will access these #betterposter templates in the download

Best of all, Mike has created two videos that explain the pitfalls of the traditional poster and how the #betterposter can help make poster sessions better. Grab some popcorn, they are worth watching!

No.4: Infographic style poster template

At every scientific conference, there will most probably be at least one neatly designed poster resembling the example figure below. It will immediately attract the attention of passers-by. More eyes on you promise many more fruitful conversations during the conference.

poster presentation conference template

To create an infographic-style poster, you will have to come up with the design, create neat-looking graphics, care about the colors, and do many other things. This will take more work compared to the couple of hours you probably spent on creating the last poster. At the same time,  the designing of one is less demanding than you probably think.

On http://peerrecognized.com/graphics you will help you see how to find useful graphics for illustrating a poster.

poster presentation conference template

It is possible to design an infographic-style poster using PowerPoint, but a more specialized app will make it easier. One such tool is Canva, so I created this poster template using it. To use the tool, you will have to create a user profile but once this is done, the free version should serve your needs well enough.

poster presentation conference template

You will access these infographic style poster templates in the download

A potential drawback of an infographic-style poster is that at some point it will fail to be scientific enough. For example, if you are attending a specialist research conference in your field, the visitors might want to see detailed charts, correlations, p-values, and jargon. Replacing these with pretty images, cartoons, and infographics might fail to leave an impression of you as a serious scientist. For this reason, before creating such a poster, consider the type of audience you will encounter.

Poster design software

Now that we have reviewed four radically different poster layouts, let’s look at some tools that will help create them.

poster presentation conference template

PowerPoint is the No.1 used app for designing posters. For this reason, I made most of the templates using this tool. The familiarity of the software is its main benefit, but other tools (after a learning curve) might actually make the design process more enjoyable and the result – better. Cost: yes

poster presentation conference template

Adobe InDesign is the go-to app professionals use for designing posters. It offers many features that PowerPoint doesn’t, for example wrapping of text around images. These features make InDesign a powerful tool for creating professional-looking posters. Once mastered, you might use it for other science-related tasks. Cost: yes.

poster presentation conference template

Publisher is Microsoft’s version of page layout design software. Due to the general familiarity with Microsoft’s products, many might find it more intuitive than InDesign. Besides, it is quite likely that you already have it installed on your PC. Cost: yes.

poster presentation conference template

Canva is an online tool that offers many stylish poster templates and useful icons for creating infographics and scientific posters. Cost: There is a free version and a premium upgrade with a larger library of images. I have found that the free version is enough, especially since I most often use my own images.

poster presentation conference template

Piktochart is similar to Canva as it allows creating infographics, posters, presentations, and graphics. Especially useful for social media. Cost: yes

Finding images for posters

The posters will most often hold graphics with your results, flowcharts, or images that you created. But in some cases, you might need a generic image, for example, to visually demonstrate the problem you are solving (e.g. plastics littering a sandy beach if you are researching bio-degradable plastics). The problem is, you are not allowed to simply use whatever you find online. Images are by default protected by copyright and you need permission from the author to re-use them publicly. Fortunately, many people choose to make their work shareable.

Here are some tools that allow finding images that you can reuse freely. Check the license though. Even if you are allowed to re-use them, in most cases you are obliged to give attribution to the author.

poster presentation conference template

Creative Commons is a non-profit organization that enables sharing of different types of creative works that normally would be copyrighted. It also offers a search engine for searching free-to-use images. Cost: free.

poster presentation conference template

Unsplash offers a selection of generic photographs that the authors have chosen to make freely available to everyone. Even attribution is not mandatory, but of course, the authors will appreciate it. Cost: free.

Creating images for posters

If you need to create your own icon or drawing, here are some tools that will help to do it.

poster presentation conference template

Adobe Illustrator is the go-to software many professionals use for creating and editing vector graphics. Cost: Yes.

poster presentation conference template

Inkscape is an open-source alternative to Illustrator and it can do many of the same things without breaking the bank. There is also a strong Inkscape user community for when you hit a wall. Cost: free.

poster presentation conference template

Adobe Sketchbook is a free drawing software by Adobe. It is especially nice to use if you own a digital drawing pad or a tablet. I used Sketchbook for creating all the illustrations for the Peer Recognized series books. Cost: free.

poster presentation conference template

Krita is an open-source alternative to Adobe Sketchbook. Cost: free.

Other useful poster design tools

poster presentation conference template

Not everyone has an eye for choosing matching colors. And we don’t have to, because tools like the Adobe color wheel help to select a color palette that is pleasing to look at. Even better, its accessibility feature offers a tool for selecting colors that ensure enough contrast for the easy readability of the poster. It can also serve as a check for making sure colorblind people can easily understand your poster. Cost: free.

poster presentation conference template

Both Microsoft and Apple already include grammar-checking tools which will be enough for many. But for someone like me who is not a native speaker, Grammarly can do miracles by helping to improve the readability. Best of all, you can download an add-on for Windows, Mac, or your Internet browser. Get it here: https://app.grammarly.com/apps Cost: free for the most useful features.

Prepare for presenting the poster

Designing a good poster is only one of the steps in getting ready for a conference poster session. Now you have to prepare for presenting it to your visitors. The presentation and the following conversations might help you generate new ideas, form new research partnerships, or even find friends.

My name is Martins Zaumanis and with my book Scientific Presentation Skills I will show you how to make the most out of a poster presentation using a three-step system:

  • select a fitting design for the particular audience
  • polish a pitch for piquing the interest of visitors
  • prepare for conversations.

poster presentation conference template

Related articles:

Presenter with presentation slides filled with bullet points, crossed by a red X

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How to Create a Research Poster

  • Poster Basics
  • Design Tips
  • Logos & Images

What is a Research Poster?

Posters are widely used in the academic community, and most conferences include poster presentations in their program.  Research posters summarize information or research concisely and attractively to help publicize it and generate discussion. 

The poster is usually a mixture of a brief text mixed with tables, graphs, pictures, and other presentation formats. At a conference, the researcher stands by the poster display while other participants can come and view the presentation and interact with the author.

What Makes a Good Poster?

  • Important information should be readable from about 10 feet away
  • Title is short and draws interest
  • Word count of about 300 to 800 words
  • Text is clear and to the point
  • Use of bullets, numbering, and headlines make it easy to read
  • Effective use of graphics, color and fonts
  • Consistent and clean layout
  • Includes acknowledgments, your name and institutional affiliation

A Sample of a Well Designed Poster

View this poster example in a web browser .  

Three column blue and white poster with graphs, data, and other information displayed.

Image credit: Poster Session Tips by [email protected], via Penn State

Where do I begin?

Answer these three questions:.

  • What is the most important/interesting/astounding finding from my research project?
  • How can I visually share my research with conference attendees? Should I use charts, graphs, photos, images?
  • What kind of information can I convey during my talk that will complement my poster?

What software can I use to make a poster?

A popular, easy-to-use option. It is part of Microsoft Office package and is available on the library computers in rooms LC337 and LC336. ( Advice for creating a poster with PowerPoint ).

Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign

Feature-rich professional software that is good for posters including lots of high-resolution images, but they are more complex and expensive.  NYU Faculty, Staff, and Students can access and download the Adobe Creative Suite .

Open Source Alternatives 

  • OpenOffice is the free alternative to MS Office (Impress is its PowerPoint alternative).
  • Inkscape and Gimp are alternatives to Adobe products.
  • For charts and diagrams try Gliffy or Lovely Charts .
  • A complete list of free graphics software .

A Sample of a Poorly Designed Poster

View this bad poster example in a browser.

Poster marked up pointing out errors, of which there are many.

Image Credit: Critique by Better Posters

  • Next: Design Tips >>
  • Last Updated: Jul 9, 2024 5:34 PM
  • URL: https://guides.nyu.edu/posters

Poster templates

Picture-perfect posters are possible with customizable template designs. create an eye-catching, informative poster that puts your unique message front and center..

Grand opening poster template surrounded by 3D design elements

Free poster templates that make a statement

Create a powerful poster with these poster templates that are ready to be customized and will fit all your needs, whether you’re issuing a public service announcement, promoting a fundraiser, or sharing an infographic. Or maybe you're launching a sale, promoting an event, or hosting an open house for your real estate business. Easily edit any of these templates with Microsoft PowerPoint , Microsoft Word , or another Microsoft 365 app, depending on the template you choose. Change up the text, font, colors, images, and other design elements, then download and print it yourself or send it to a print service. Even use these poster templates to create social media posts for Facebook , Instagram , and other social channels. For more, check out these free flyer templates .

Scientific Conference Posters: Conference Posters

Poster samples & sharing.

Search these sites to get ideas on how posters are presented within your discipline.

Also, if you upload your poster to one of these sites you can provide handouts or bookmarks with links to the electronic version of your poster at the conference, and keep your work accessible long after the conference.

  • Faculty of 1000 Research Posters Open access repository for posters and slide presentations across biology and medicine.
  • eposters Open-access journal that provides free access to over 1,800 scientific and medical posters presented at conferences from around the world.
  • FigShare This link opens in a new window figshare allows users to upload any file format so that scholarly information can be disseminated electronically.

Designing a Research Poster

The following resources provide guidance on the poster creation process .

  • ACP American College of Physicians - Preparing a Poster Presentation This article addresses poster planning, production, and presentation.

poster presentation conference template

  • Makesigns Scientific Poster Tutorial Step-by-step guide to poster design and creation.

These resources can be used to obtain copyright compliant images .  Image resolution will vary.

  • USC Academic Unit Logotypes University approved logos.
  • Open-i - Open Access Biomedical Image Search Engine This link opens in a new window Open-i searches for images in all Open Access articles indexed in PubMed Central. Search over 600,000 copyright compliant images by keyword, topic, or image to find relevant or visually similar images.
  • Pixabay This link opens in a new window Repository of free, high quality, copyright compliant images. Begin typing "medical" into the search box. Click dropdown menu to filter by image type. Sign up for free account to download images.
  • Wikimedia Commons This link opens in a new window A database of freely usable, high resolution image files.
  • Google Images This link opens in a new window For copyright compliant images: type in keywords, click "Search tools", click on "Usage rights" dropdown menu, select from the "Labeled for reuse" options.
  • Multimedia Resources (in the Health Sciences) Guide Find videos, audio clips, images, and cases to use in education.

Working with images

  • Tips for working with images in Publisher Vendor tips for working with images in Publisher. Includes content about image size, resolution, file formats, and refining.
  • Photoshop isn’t the only solution: 5 best programs for resizing images This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to upsample images using Photoshop, GIMP, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Preview, and Pixlr.

Image Manipulation Guidelines

Low resolution images may be manipulated to improve print quality, however you want to proceed with caution when it comes to images that represent research data.

  • Rossner, M., & Yamada, K. (2004). What's in a picture? The temptation of image manipulation. The Journal of Cell Biology, 11-15. PMID: 15240566 This article provides specific guidelines on the do's and dont's of image manipulation in scientific publishing in order to ensure the integrity of your data.

Poster Sample / Tips

poster presentation conference template

Diagram image citation:  Blausen.com staff. " Blausen gallery 2014". Wikiversity Journal of Medicine. DOI:10.15347/ wjm /2014.010. ISSN 20018762. (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

  • Scientific Conference Posters - Webinar This video provides an overview of some tools, resources and key elements to creating a conference poster. Content covers software, general content, design tips, provides image resources, and tips for improved print quality. ~35 min.
  • Conference Poster Click here to download a pdf copy of the poster above.
  • Scientific Posters PPT slides Click here to download video PPT slides.

Click on chart to access online.

poster presentation conference template

https://www.flickr.com/photos/new-pastpresentfuture/3800240305 /

  • Psychology of Color This site provides information on the meaning of color and how it is perceived.
  • The Art of Color Coordination How to combine colors in order to have a positive effect on your audience.

Upsampling images in Photoshop

Through a process called upsampling , you can add pixels to low resolution images , and thereby improve the print quality . The short video below demonstrates how to upsample images in Photoshop .

Final Checklist

poster presentation conference template

https://www.acponline.org/system/files/documents/education_recertification/education/program_directors/abstracts/prepare/poster_checklist.pdf

Universal Design

Universal Design is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, size or disability. 

  • Equal Access: Universal Design of Conference Exhibits and Presentations A checklist for making conference exhibits and presentations welcoming and accessible to everyone.

Microsoft Publisher Tutorials

The following resources provide guidance on how to use Microsoft Publisher . Resources at the top provide step-by-step guidance about poster creation. Links at the bottom provide general guidance on using Publisher.

  • Microsoft Publisher: Conference Poster Sessions University of Liverpool's Microsoft Publisher software video tutorial. Step-by-step demonstration of the key features used to create a poster. Applicable to Publisher 2010, 2013, and 2016. Run time ~12 min.
  • Publisher 2016 Essential Training Training videos via Lynda.com that offer in-depth instruction to Publisher 2016.
  • Text wrapping in Publisher Guide on how to wrap text around images in Publisher.

PowerPoint Templates & Tutorials

Links to freely available PowerPoint conference poster templates , and guidance for specific software features relevant to poster creation . 

  • PhD Posters - Power Point Template Files PPT templates in a variety of sizes. Packed with helpful tips and easy to customize.
  • Mega Print Inc - Free Powerpoint Scientific Research Poster Templates PowerPoint® 2007-2013 templates in a variety of sizes.
  • Colin Purrington's PPT Poster Templates Free PPT templates and poster making tips.
  • Using grids in PowerPoint Guide on how to set up grids in PPT for better content alignment.
  • Creating a Poster in PowerPoint 2010 Eastern Michigan University's detailed guide to creating a poster in PowerPoint.

Other Software

Graphics , such as charts and tables can easily be created in Excel .

  • Creating Excel charts with the Recommended Charts feature Lynda.com video tutorial that demonstrates how to create charts in Excel 2013. Requires login.

Print Vendors

The following list is provided as a convenience , and is not meant to endorse or promote any particular vendor.

  • PhD Posters Fabric or paper options. Also offers free PPT templates and many poster creation tips.
  • PosterSmith Fabric posters.

Help from Norris Medical Library

During business hours (M-F)

  • Chat with USC Libraries
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Request a consultation
  • Ask a Norris Librarian form
  • View Health Sciences Libraries tutorials or all USC Libraries tutorials
  • Last Updated: Aug 8, 2024 10:42 AM
  • URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/healthsciences/posters

EdrawMax App

3-step diagramming

Free Editable Poster Presentation Examples

Poster presentations are a popular presentation format for research and clinical findings. These presentations effectively communicate the research data and concepts to the audience using a balanced combination of visuals and text. We will also look into a few poster presentation examples to see how they help communicate with the audience perceptively and concisely.

1. What is a Poster Presentation?

A poster presentation is a short, concise yet clear way of communicating your research, study findings, concepts, and ideas. There are two most critical elements in any poster presentation example: a poster and a brief explanation.

Creating a poster presentation starts with analyzing and evaluating information or synthesizing ideas to present all necessary data and facts. The properties of an effective poster presentation are:

  • The flow of information is well-organized and easy to follow.
  • The text is easy to read, as a large font is used, and the information is not cluttered.
  • Allows to convert to a mind map or a timeline diagram from the Gantt chart
  • The balanced use of visuals, text, colors, and graphics makes the poster presentation attractive without losing its functionality.

What is Poster Presentation

2. The Poster Presentation Examples

Poster presentations include a part of the information from the research paper or the main text. So, it is crucial to pick the right amount and type of information, which is part of the analysis phase. Let us review some poster presentation examples to understand the salient features of well-made poster presentations.

Example 1: Nursing Poster Presentation Example

This nursing poster presentation example shows a nursing research paper's findings in a well-organized manner. It uses columns and rows to break down the information into different segments to make the text more readable. It also uses graphics, including graphs, bars, and charts, to show the relevant data and figures.

You can see that the flow of the information is very smooth and very understandable. The audience can quickly go to the section they want to read without skimming through the information for the required text.

Nursing Poster Presentation Example

Example 2: Medical Poster Presentation Example

The medical poster presentation example presented here is the perfect sample to product the summary of a medical research paper in organized and readable layout. It is a clinical case study with learning objective and case presentation. The case presentation also includes an image placeholder to explain the problem more clearly. The other important section in this poster presentation example are nutritional intervention, topic discussion and references.

Medical Poster Presentation Example

Example 3: Research Poster Example

This editable research poster example is an excellent tool for any project team to produce their findings and information. The format is straightforward because it breaks down information into many sections. You can quickly put in the relevant information in every section without formatting issues. The title contains the logo, poster title, and author information. The later areas include project introduction, goals, and description. The central section presents the evaluation strategy, findings, and reference literature. We have the conclusion and implication, acknowledgment, and contact information in the concluding paragraph.

Research Poster Example

Example 4: App Poster Presentation Example

This app poster presentation example also deals with health behavior theory analysis. You can take inspiration from this template and show your research findings using this research poster example. It combines text and visuals to present the data and information attractively and effectively. It makes efficient use of tables to deliver the data, while some graphics and charts are also used to give information in an easy-to-understand manner.

App Poster Presentation Example

Example 5: Scientific Poster Presentation Example

This scientific poster presentation example is a template focused on presenting the summary of research in an easily readable format. The template starts with a logo and introduction to the study, and a list of authors. The later parts include abstract, introduction, results, discussion, and other relevant sections. Another distinguishing feature of this poster presentation example is the detailed guidelines presented in each area. So, even a beginner can create an effective poster presentation using this template and guidelines.

Scientific Poster Presentation Example

Example 6: Psychology Poster Presentation Example

This document's psychology poster presentation example shows a scientific poster that produces the relevant information in a very effective and well-organized layout. The layout is immaculate yet collects a good amount of data without clutter. You can see a pie chart and a lot of bullet text. The central part of this research paper example is exciting. It has two parts, each with a circle in the center and four sections. It gives inspiration for presenting a large amount of text interestingly.

Psychology Poster Presentation Example

Source: EdrawMax Online

Example 7: Science Poster Presentation Example

This science poster presentation example uses columns to divide the content into manageable parts. The content division makes it easy to read, easy to edit, and makes going to specific information straightforward. Colorful headings and background color make this template attractive without distracting the flow of information and losing focus on the text.

Science Poster Presentation Example

Example 8: Good Poster Presentation Example

A good poster presentation example must be editable, well laid out, well organized, and guidelines for the poster presentations. The main sections are an introduction, method, results, conclusions, and bibliography. This example can also see placeholders for charts, graphs, and figures. The use of the right size of the font, proper text format, and proper use of graphics makes any poster presentation an excellent tool for communication.

Good Poster Presentation Example

Example 9: Mathematics Poster Presentation Example

Mathematics poster presentation examples are based on graphs, charts, and maps to show the statistics, mathematical functions, and data. Mathematicians need less amount of text and rely more on data presentations. This example shows how to include numerous charts and graphs in one poster presentation without losing any value in information and readability. It uses classic blue and a good size font for the contained text.

Mathematics Poster Presentation Example

3. Online Scientific Poster Maker

A poster presentation example must present the information and data in an engaging, readable, and attractive layout. It is essential to communicate your important information effectively without losing anything to the structure. An online scientific poster maker is a tool that allows you to create scientific posters in less time and with all essential elements. EdrawMax Online is a great candidate for your best scientific poster maker because it has an easy-to-use editor, great font and layout toolkit, and an excellent collection of templates. You can use the professionally made scientific poster templates for inspiration and a quick start. These templates are fully customizable, so you can add your text and graphics to create an attractive scientific poster. Also, you can import your data easily with a few clicks and export your poster in many file formats.

4. Key Takeaways

Scientific posters and poster presentation examples are more complex than other posters because their information needs to be accurate and complete. Also, the text, data, and graphics must be visible even from a distance. Therefore, an excellent scientific poster maker like EdrawMax allows you to create a perfect poster presentation easily and quickly. A good choice of charts, graphs, and data representation also contributes towards a more effective poster presentation. You cam find more science diagrams or poster presentations in the Templates Community .

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COMMENTS

  1. Free Research Poster PowerPoint Templates

    This PowerPoint research poster template is suitable for most poster presentations. It can accommodate moderate to large amounts of content. This scientific poster template can be printed at the following sizes: 42x60 (Standard), 36x51.42, 48x68.57. VIEW POSTER SAMPLES DOWNLOAD THE 42x60" POWERPOINT POSTER TEMPLATE.

  2. Research Poster Presentation templates

    Download the Anatomy Poster for High School presentation for PowerPoint or Google Slides. High school students are approaching adulthood, and therefore, this template's design reflects the mature nature of their education. Customize the well-defined sections, integrate multimedia and interactive elements and allow space for research or group ...

  3. How to Design a Winning Poster Presentation (Examples & Templates)

    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.

  4. Scientific Poster PowerPoint Templates

    Billboard Posters, also called better posters or Posters 2.0, are a new style of scientific poster that intends to simplify posters and make sharing information easier in a shorter amount of time. We have templates and tutorials to get you started. Here are some PowerPoint templates to get you started. Feel free to change the colors and layout ...

  5. Free PowerPoint Research Poster Templates

    Free PowerPoint Research Poster Templates (.PPTX format) Genigraphics poster templates are designed to give you fast, easy, professional results. Each template has a variety of built-in color themes! Templates in this section are designed for use with: PC - Office 365. PC - PowerPoint 2019. PC - PowerPoint 2016. PC - PowerPoint 2013.

  6. 18 Creative Research Poster Templates (Word, PowerPoint)

    18 Creative Research Poster Templates (Word, PowerPoint) Learning how to create a research poster template is important as these are widely used in conferences, presentations, and more, especially in the academic community. A research or scientific poster template summarizes the research or information in a concise and attractive way to ...

  7. Academic Conference Poster Presentation

    Make sure you do it in style with this amazing academic conference poster template! Showcase your data, results, and conclusions in a clear and eye-catching design. This template features a cream color scheme with a modern style, giving your presentation the look it needs to stand out. Add your own titles, images, and other content to make the ...

  8. Free Conference Poster Templates

    Elevate your conference presentations with Venngage's professional Conference Poster Templates. Capture attention with eye-catching designs for research findings, organization promotion, and insightful presentations. Customizable to match your brand and theme. Create impactful conference posters and stand out from the crowd. Design yours now and make a lasting impression at your next event!

  9. Free Conference Poster Templates

    This row should only exist if a blank template is needed at the beginning of the templates. default-create-link-text. { {placeholder-format}} Choose from dozens of online free Conference Poster template ideas from Adobe Express to help you easily create your own free Conference Poster. All creative skill levels are welcome.

  10. Design Free Scientific Research Poster Templates

    Templates are available in landscape, portrait, and square orientation. Choose from a wide range of color themes or customize the poster to match institutional branding. Default font sizes and margins, optimized for printed posters. High quality export available in PDF, PNG, and JPG file formats for all your print and presentation needs.

  11. How to prepare a scientific poster

    Practice a 1- to 2-minute pitch until you feel comfortable. The poster and your pitch must be aimed at the audience that will be present. The clearer and more rational your poster layout, the easier it will then be for you to make a strong pitch. —Srinivas.

  12. Free Presentation Poster Templates & PowerPoint Slides

    Here you can find research poster templates that can be edited to make your own poster presentations. Free poster presentation templates are available for PowerPoint (.pptx), Google Slides, and OpenOffice for PC and Mac. Poster presentation templates are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

  13. Four conference poster templates for a successful presentation

    No.1: Traditional academic poster template (PowerPoint) No.2: Presenter's poster template (PowerPoint) No.3: #betterposter template (PowerPoint) No.4: Infographic-style poster (Canva) After discussing the templates, I will share tools that make designing a poster more efficient and the result - better. Let's dive in.

  14. Research Guides: How to Create a Research Poster: Poster Basics

    Research posters summarize information or research concisely and attractively to help publicize it and generate discussion. The poster is usually a mixture of a brief text mixed with tables, graphs, pictures, and other presentation formats. At a conference, the researcher stands by the poster display while other participants can come and view ...

  15. Free poster presentation template

    Easily edit any of these templates with Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, or another Microsoft 365 app, depending on the template you choose. Change up the text, font, colors, images, and other design elements, then download and print it yourself or send it to a print service. Even use these poster templates to create social media posts for ...

  16. Research poster design samples

    What you see here is a typical 36x48 research poster layout that includes the most common elements of a research poster layout. Other size layouts will look similar. If you have not made a research poster before use this layout as a general guide. The different backgrounds show what the same layout looks on the templates we provide.

  17. Scientific Conference Posters: Conference Posters

    A checklist for making conference exhibits and presentations welcoming and accessible to everyone. ... Links to freely available PowerPoint conference poster templates, and guidance for specific software features relevant to poster creation. PhD Posters - Power Point Template Files.

  18. Free Editable Poster Presentation Examples

    So, even a beginner can create an effective poster presentation using this template and guidelines. Source:EdrawMax Online. Example 6: Psychology Poster Presentation Example This document's psychology poster presentation example shows a scientific poster that produces the relevant information in a very effective and well-organized layout.