Think Prompt, Not Product

1. Tips for Creating a Successful Poster: Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Your name here  Department  University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Balance the Elements Use Titles & Visuals to “Hook” People • Avoid centering everything • Keep in mind the overall picture and the way you want viewer’s eyes to move – the visual flow • Posters are summaries, meant to encourage discussion • Use handouts for large amounts of text material • They’ll read the rest if interested • Make titles brief, easy to read/find • This will often be the first thing people see What’s the Story? Use Color Selectively & Consistently • What is the purpose of your poster? • What do you want the poster to be about? • What message do you want viewers to “take home”? • Let color communicate meaning • No distracting backgrounds • Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, and Contrast Helpful Information Make a Map • Are there any basic poster design guidelines? • Sketch out your design on paper. • Use sans serif fonts for titles. Arial or Helvetica work well. Use serif fonts for body copy. Times New Roman, Palatino, or Garamond work well. • Suggested font sizes: Note: these are estimates and you may have to adjust for space concerns. • Title: Between 72 and 150 points • Subheads: ~60 points • Body text: ~24 points • Colors: Use color to unify your poster. Keep contrast high between foreground elements and background. Do not overuse color. • Determine a logical sequence to your material. • Edit carefully. Make sure every word and design element adds to your communication. • Proof carefully. • What should I name my file? • The file name you choose MUST begin with your UW-Eau Claire username. • username.ppt, include the three letter file extension. • Example: leiszgj.ppt Start with the topic, then sub-topics/key points, followed by supporting topics for each sub-topic. Decide which you really need in order to convey the “take home” message. Insert/Picture/From file… to include an image in your poster. Remember that this is a large “sheet of paper” so if you are including something from the Web it may not be big enough or good enough resolution! Use only the best visuals that you can find to present quality appearance. Think Prompt, Not Product Show What You Did Use visuals whenever possible to present ideas • Illustrations • Tables • Graphs • Charts • Diagrams • Pictures, photos, etc. Text should supplement the graphic materials Capitals & Lowercase Lettering are Most Legible • Chose one font and use it throughout (or one for titles and one for content) • Add emphasis using boldface, italic, and color Text, Lettering, & Graphics Large Enough to Read Sketch a Design • How do I get my poster printed?The http://plot.uwec.edu site • Element size (heading, graph, text) should relate to its importance • Use clean fonts readable from six feet • Make it simple in terms of placement and size of elements • Use diagrams, arrows, and other strategies to direct the attention of the viewer We thank the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs for supporting this research, and Learning & Technology Services for printing this poster.