Information for ST&D 2010 Poster Presentations

Especially for newcomers to our Conference, here is a little more information about poster presentations at ST&D 2010.

Posters will be presented using table-top tri-fold poster boards. The boards will be provided by ST&D. Poster boards will be available upon registration if presenters are interested in preparing them in advance. Otherwise, they will be available for pickup at the start of each poster session, along with binder clips, tape and pushpins.

SIZE: The available space for each poster is 36'' (height) x 48'' (width).
You will be mounting your poster to the folding poster board with 1' sides and a 2' center piece. One natural layout is to have 16 sheets of paper (4 across x 4 down) printed in landscape mode with a 6" high (15cm) banner on top. Or you could print a single large format sheet that fits within the given dimensions.

TIMING: Each poster session will last for 1.5 hours. Poster Session I will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Poster Session II will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both will be held in conjunction with a reception including cocktails and light refreshments. (Location TBA)

PLACEMENT: Each presentation has been given a number in the program. Presentation numbers will be in place on the tables when you arrive. Posters will be arranged serially in the room to help participants locate specific presentations. We have attempted to group posters loosely by topic so presenters may be able to see other posters they may be interested in during the same session.

PRESENTATION: At least one author should be at the board throughout the formal session. It is suggested, but not required, that the presenting author bring a one-page handout conveying the essence of the poster and a means for interested parties to contact the presenter outside the confines of the meeting. It is often difficult to visit every poster of interest, and providing a handout of the sort described is one way of maximizing the audience for the poster, and facilitating information exchange about it. You may find it useful to have on hand a tablet of sketch paper and suitable drawing materials. Finally, note that laptops and projection equipment will NOT be provided and electrical outlets are not available in the poster session area.

Poster Preparation Recommendations

Please remember that a poster is not a written paper and should have a format more similar to talk slides than an APA style manuscript. Try to make your graphics and your fonts large, and avoid any long sentences or use bullet points to convey information to readers.  Below are some specific suggestions you may find useful in preparing your poster.

A poster presentation should be self-explanatory, allowing different viewers to proceed on their own while the author is free to supplement and discuss particular points raised in inquiry. The poster session offers a more intimate forum for information exchange than does the traditional spoken presentation, but discussion becomes difficult if the author is obliged to spend most of the time merely explaining the poster to a succession of visitors.

Title
Prepare a title for the top of your poster indicating the title, authors, and affiliations. Lettering in the label should be at least 1 in. (2.54 cm) high so it can be read from a distance.

Layout
Arrange materials in columns rather than in rows. It is easier for viewers to scan a poster by moving systematically along it rather than by zigzagging back and forth in front of it. An introduction should be placed at the upper left and a conclusion at the lower right, both in large type.

Methods
To convey the methods, schematic diagrams of procedures, or example texts or sentences or assessments, can convey a great deal of information about methods without much text. Most viewers will tend to skim or ignore long textual passages.

Results/Illustrations
Figures are often the best way to convey your results.  Figures should be designed to be viewed from a distance, and should use clear, visible graphics. Although each figure should illustrate no more than one or two major points, figures need not be simple. The main points should be clear without extended viewing, but detail can be included for the knowledgeable viewer. Remember that the time spent at each poster figure is determined by the viewer, not by the presenter.  Each figure or table should have a heading of one or two lines in large type stating the “take-home” message. Detailed information should be provided in a legend in smaller type. The figure legend could contain commentary or statistics that would normally appear in the results section.

(These comments are derived from Bob Lorch's recommendations for Psychonomics presentations and the suggestions of the Society for Neuroscience).

Please let us know if you have any other questions about the arrangements for the poster sessions by using the FAQ at http://stdconference2010.proboards.com/