Developing Successful Posters Using Microsoft PowerPoint
Developing successful posters usingMicrosoft PowerPointPRESENTED BY ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
University of San DiegoGoals of a successful posterA poster is a visual presentation of your research, scholarly or internship work. It is concise, focused, and explainsyour work using images, graphs/charts, tables and other visual strategies with minimal supporting text. Your viewersshould walk away understanding your work, and feeling they have learned something.Before you startIt is best to have a clear idea of your poster design before you start. Create a basic layout by drawing it on a sheet ofpaper. Organize your information and set up a folder for your images and text. Searching the internet for academicposters can give you a variety of design ideas. Take note of layout designs, colors, size of text, amount of graphics, etc.Poster setupPowerPoint has been a very popular program used to build and create slide presentations. With a few tweaks,PowerPoint is easy to use for designing academic posters.A poster created in PowerPoint consists of a single slide.If you are using Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003 (PPT2003), go to the File menu select PAGE SETUP. If you areusing Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 (PPT 2007), clickon the DESIGN TAB at the top of your screen, then thePAGE SETUP button.4236Under SLIDES SIZED FOR choose CUSTOM and then setthe page size to the size of your poster. For example, if you want your poster to be 36” x 42” then set the page size inPowerPoint to 36” x 42”. If you are using a Mac, go to FILE menu and choose PAGE SETUP to enter your poster size.Set your page size before you begin creating your poster! PowerPoint has a maximum page size of56 inches. Before choosing a poster size, remember to check the guidelines where you will be presenting,to be sure that your poster meets the necessary requirements. An incorrect size may result in a posterthat is not printable at the size you need.Changing the page size after creating the poster will result in your images scaling non-proportionally. This is whyit’s important to set the page size before you begin. If you should make a change to the page size, be sure to lookover the entire poster very carefully, as your layout may have changed.Note: To correct images that appear distorted, if using PPT 2003, right-mouseclick once on the image and then select FORMAT PICTURE. If using PPT 2007,right-mouse click and select SIZE AND POSITION. Click on the SIZE tab andmake sure the scale percentage is the same for both height and width (ie: 100%height and 100% width).Poster Layout The title should stretch across the top of the poster approximately 75% ofthe width. Font size is measured in points; there are 72 points to an inch. Titles look best using a large, boldsan-serif type font, such as: Arial Black, Franklin Gothic Heavy, Tahoma (bolded), or Trebuchet (bolded), setbetween 72-120 points. Be sure to bold the title text when using Tahoma or Trebuchet but DO NOT bold ArialBlack or Franklin Gothic Heavy as these fonts are already bolded. If you bold them more, the letters will beso close together they’ll almost touch each other making them harder to read. Also, avoid writing entirely inCAPITALS – it is like you are shouting at someone and it’s more difficult to read. For the subtitle (author’s names and institution name), make the font size smaller than the title, between 48-80points. Consider making the title and subtitle different colors; the goal is to make the title standout, allowingthe reader to easily distinguish the title from the subtitle.2
Instructional Media Services The main content of your poster should be arranged into multiple columns, each containing section headings(Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions, etc.) at the start of each section. Leave at least a 1 inch margin around all sides of the poster to prevent cropping and to increase readability. Todisplay the ruler, go to the View menu and select RULER.Font Types and SizesFont sizes will need to be adjusted based upon the amount of text in your poster and the style of font you choose. For the section headers, (Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions, etc.), make the font sizeapproximately 50% larger than the body text, between 36-72 points. Use the same font as your title or subtitle. For the body text, make the font size between 24-48 points. Choose a serif type font that’s very readable, suchas: Book Antiqua, Bookman Old Style, Garamond, Georgia, Palatino Linotype. Try and be consistent, keeping the body text font size the same throughout the entire poster. The one exceptionmight be an abstract section at the beginning of the poster or references at the end which could be smaller.If you have some additional space available, before you increase the font size consider addingadditional line and paragraph spacing. This can make your text more readable and is a good wayto fit the column length to the poster layout. To change line spacing, go to FORMAT option atthe top of your screen, and choose the PARAGRAPH option. As pictured to the right, there youcan adjust either LINE SPACING or spacing BEFORE or AFTER paragraph, to add or tightenthe space between paragraphs.Aligning bullets or numbersTo create a bullet/number list, go to the FORMAT option, at the top of your screen, andselect from the dropdown menu, bullets and numbering. To align your lists, select the text,then look at the ruler bar, you will see two sliders. The bottom slider will move the text,and the upper slider will move the bullet or number. If you don’t see the ruler, go to theVIEW menu, and turn on show rulers. Alignment of your lists will add structure to yourposter, and allow your viewers to easily navigate your poster’s content.Inserting TextYou can type anything you want into a text box, or cut and paste text from a word processor file, and place it intoa PPT text box. If cutting and pasting, it may be necessary to use the PASTE SPECIAL command so that the textwill take on the PPT text box’s attributes. Copy the text from your word processor as you normally would, thenif using PPT 2003, go to the Edit menu and select PASTE SPECIAL and then choose the UNFORMATTED TEXToption. If using PPT 2007, click on the HOME tab, then on the small arrow under the Paste button, select PASTESPECIAL and then choose the UNFORMATTED TEXT option.Look over the pasted text carefully to make sure the font size is consistent with previously entered text. It mayalso be necessary to change the line and paragraph spacing of the text to keep it consistent with previously enteredtext. Watch out for special symbols and for subscripts and superscripts that may no longer be formatted correctly.If it becomes necessary to reformat the text, simply highlight the portion of text that you wish to change, or if youwant all the text within the frame, choose the text frame, then choose FORMAT font, then enter your new sizes.Format PainterAn easy way to make all your text look the same is to use the Format Painter tool. This tool is located on the toolbarright next to cut, copy and paste, and looks like a paint brush.If you have some text in your poster that you’ve already formatted exactly the way you want it to look (font, size,3
University of San Diegocolor, etc.) and you’ve just inserted some new text that looks different, try using theFormat Painter to make the new text look just like your formatted text. Here’s how: Select a source object that has the formatting the way you want it. (The sourcecan be text but it also could be an inserted photo or a drawn object.) Now click on the Format Painter button and your cursor will change into a paintbrush. Whatever object you click on next will take on the same attributes as your sourceobject.If your source text was 32 point Arial in yellow with bold applied, now your new textwill be too. If your source was a yellow square with a red line around, your destinationobject will be filled yellow with a red line around it, even if it’s not a square!Mac versionInserting PicturesPictures from web sites are frequently low resolution, 72 ppi images. If used on a poster they will be fuzzy looking.For a picture to look good on a poster, it needs to be high resolution, and if scanned, should be scanned at 150 ppiat its full size used on the poster. For example, a picture that will be 10 inches wide on your final poster shouldhave 1500 pixels in the width.For placing your images using PPT 2003, go to the Insert menu and select PICTURE FROM FILE. If using PPT2007, click on the Insert tab at the top and then click on the PICTURE button. The Insert Picture dialog box willnow appear. Use this dialog box to navigate to where your picture files are stored. Select the picture file you wantby clicking on it once and then clicking the INSERT button. Another way of inserting a picture is simply to dragthe picture file onto your PowerPoint slide.If you need to adjust the size of the picture, hold down the shift key on your keyboard and then click and drag withyour mouse on one of the corners of the picture in order to scale it proportionally in height and width.Sometimes the right size photo isn’t always available. If you need to use a low resolution image and you’re not surehow the image will look when printed, click on it and then zoom in to 100% to get a good look at it. If it is fuzzylooking on your monitor then it will be fuzzy looking on your poster. The zoom tool can be activated by going to thetop of the PPT interface, and choosing 100%, or you could right click with your mouse and choose zoom to 100%.Using Guides for Column LayoutGuides are non-printing, horizontal or vertical lines thatyour text, photos, and other objects can align with whenlaying out your poster. Guides can help you organize yourcontent so text boxes can be quickly sized to fill the column.This speeds up the placement of text and graphics withina column and keeps the columns straight.Mac versionTo see the guides in PPT 2003, turn them on by goingto View Grid and Guides. To see the guides in PPT 2007, right-mouse click on a blankarea of the poster off to the side and select GRID AND GUIDES. At the bottom of the dialog box, check DISPLAYDRAWING GUIDES ON SCREEN. Click OK and the guides will appear. On a Mac, right-mouse click and chooseGuides, make sure all options are selected.To move a guide, simply click and drag it. As you do so, the cursor will display inches from the ruler so you alwaysknow exactly where the guide is. To create more guides, hold down the Control key (Option key on Mac) and thenclick and drag on a guide.4
Instructional Media ServicesChanging Background ColorTo change the background color, go to the FORMATtab and choose BACKGROUNDSLIDE. There, you can choose from: Solid (color), Gradient, Picture, Texture, orPattern. Additionally, you can choose from theme colors, standard colors, and customcolors by choosing the MORE COLORS option.PowerPoint HelpDon’t forget the HELP button or go to: arted-with-powerpointGeneral Design Principles Keep the layout so it is readable in columns (top to bottom, then across from left to right). Try to balance the items you put on the poster – for example, do not have all the diagrams, charts and picturesin just one column. Spread them out as evenly as possible. Avoid putting images behind text – it makes the text harder to read. Title is at the top – either top centered or top left aligned. The eye likes a margin. Putting text and images hard up against the edge of the poster makes it look crowdedand it becomes harder to read. Keep text to a minimum. Too many words and people will not read it – they will lose interest more easily andthey often just look at the parts that stand out – such as headlines and figures. It is important to have a certain amount of ‘white space’ on your poster to help guide the reader through the layout. Omit complex analyses and formulas as not all viewers will understand it. Avoid blocks of text longer than 15 lines. Minimise use of Underlining – use italics instead. It is important to have consistent line spacing throughout for a poster to look professional and allow for easeof readability. It is advisable to use some graphics on your poster – pictures, charts, flow diagrams etc. These will help breakup blocks of text and make the poster more attractive. Avoid the use of low resolution images. Review – it is important that you prepare the poster in advance and get some other people to review it andprovide you with suggestions. They may spot grammatical/typing errors, or point out sentences that are difficultto understand. What you understand, others may not – so it is important to gain other peoples point of view. It’s rather embarrassing at a poster presentation when you have a typo on your poster. So double check andthen check again!5
University of San DiegoContent Option 1:Sections you may wish to include:(will vary depending on your desired message)Content Option 2:Sections you may wish to include:(will vary depending on your desired message) Introduction, background, or overview Introduction, background, or overview Hypothesis (Question you explored) Activity/Event description (What you did) Motivation or purpose (Why you did it) Motivation or purpose (Why you did it) Methods (How you did it) Reflection (What you learned; What was the impacton you) Results (What you found) Conclusions (What you learned) Significance (What it means) Future plans or next steps References (Works cited) Acknowledgements Significance *What it means; What you want othersto learn/know from your experience Future plans or next steps References (Works cited) AcknowledgementsResources for Free Academic Poster TemplatesPoster TemplateYour nameINSERTLOGO HEREfor a 1000mmand the names of the peoThe namesIf you google search “free academic poster templates,” you’llfind many templates available that you can download orview for design ideas. Below is a listing of several sites thatI visited:x 1000mmple who have contributeand addresses of the assoon go here.utions go here.IntroductionThis templatewaslandscape orienta designed to produce a 1000mmtion. You canmodify it as needed x 1000mm poster in portraitit back to ResearorchPosters.co.za for high quality, for your presentation beforeyou sendsame day printingMaking use of.this templatewill ensure thatread and saveyouryou valuabletime in the layout poster will look professional,of your preseneasy totation.For poster designbeginners weposter templahave includedte itself.many useful tipsyou can find ontheFor further assistance and to orderyour printed posterPoster Basicscall Imago Visualhttp://www.makesigns.comChanging TheABFigure 1Figure 2Figure 3INSERTLOGO HERETemplate Colour SchemesIf you wish tofurther customize your posterpreset colourpresentation,schemethis canchange the default from the colours optionunder the DESIG be done by selecting acolors and use6). Then clickN tab. If you wouldyour own coloron thelike totry different colour COLORS drop-down menu scheme, go to the DESIGNtab (Figureonschemes untilyou find the one the right (Figure 7). There,you canyou like.at 021 447678– Poster LayoutTo start usingthis templateyou first needKeep the posterto deletetitle and one ofthe blue section most of the contents of thispage.headers.The cleared templaAfter you decide te should now look like inFigure 1.how many sectionResults, Referesyouneed for yournces, etc.), useposter (Introducopies of thethection, Methodblue section header “copy” and “paste” commas,nds to creates as needed.as manyMove the headercopies roughlycan get a bettertoidea of the overall where you think they needto be on the poster,See Figure 2.poster layout.This will helpso youyou organizeyour content.You can nowstartTo add text use adding your text.the text tool todraw a text boxthe right edgeand start typingstarting fromthe left edge ofin your text. Youalready copieda column tofrom anothersource. See Figurecan also paste the text youmay have3.Repeat the process throughoutthe poster /www.posters4research.comTABLE SAMPLE199819992001Altering The200020022004200320052006It is highly recommendedImporting Photographsto useAvoid imagesdownloaded from the largest images you haveaccess to forusing the “Inserttheyour poster.” command. To web and avoid copying andthen click onPICTURE (Figure insert an image to your poster pasting images instead of8).go to the INSERT tab and(Figure 8)When the onlysource of a neededwith caution.photo or graphicScaling an imageis the Web, scalingmore than threepixilation artifactmust be applieds.times its originaquality of an imageRefer to Figure 9 as an exampl size may introdule.ceis to zoom inposter. Whatat 100% or 200%, A simple way to preview theyou’ll see isprintingdepending onlikely what you’llthe final sizeget at printingof thetime.Figure 9: Originalimage at 100%,enlarged 200%and 400%.er Design ServicesHow To Order Your PostHeadColuIntroduction,Summaryor AbstractMaterials andResearch PostIf poster designisdesigned, printed not your cup of tea and you’dlike to have yourand delivered.expertise.Contact us andposter professwe’ll be happyionallyto provide youwith ourneed is to emailus the following:§ A Word document with all yourdocument.text or your multi-page PowerPoint§ Your logos, photos, charts, graphsand tables.§ Your conferenceposter specifications andyour deadline.Your presentationwill be readywithin 24 to 48emailed to youhours and anfor revisions andelectronic proofwill be printedfinal approval.will beand deliveredby the next day Once we have your approvor hotel.al, your posteror second dayCiti-Sprint to yourwork, homeCall us for anestimate. Wewill be happyYou can reachto assist you.us at: 021-447-6783Monday throughFriday 8AM to5PM.All you wouldLabeling Yourmn LayoutDepending onyourchange the column content and how you wishto layout yourposter, you mayThis can be achievelayout of your poster.want toincluded. To select d quite simply by selecting one of the threeeasily select an a different layout go to themaster themesDESIGN tabalternate column(Figure 5). Then we havelayout from theyou canoptions available.s & GrapImporting tables,hscharts and graphsgraphs from Excel,is easier thanimporting photosWord or otherand then comeapplications,. To import chartsbackselectandchart on the poster. to PowerPoint. From PowerP EDIT COPY, to copy yourchartoint, select EDIT Pthe Shift key and You can scale your chartsASTE and pasteand tables proportdragging in ortheout one of theionally by holdingcorners.downFigure 6ersThe blue headerbars are usedpresentation.toThe most commo identify and separate themain topics ofnly used headeryours in poster presentations are:Figure 4Importing TableFigure 7Text SizesFor this postertemplate the ArialYou can use anyfont family isused at severatypeface youl recommendedlike and at anylimits.size but try totext sizes.stay close toFigure 4 givesthe suggesteda visual reference of what differen100% and at200%.t font sizes lookDue to a pagelike when printedsize limitationatin PowerPthan 56” in length,all the work done oint and unless your posterFor example,is going to beon this templaif you chooselessteis at half the sizea 21 point fontappear as 42of thefor this poster,points.the actual printed final poster.size hics.composter presentationsentatid to this preciated institConclusionMethodsReferenceser For PrintingWe completeand dispatchposter printingwe have yourordersfiles by 12 pm,Monday through the same day they comepriority. We doin asFriday. Ordersnot charge rushdue the next day long asfees for printingSprint courierrates.takeand our shipping rates are standard CitiHow to orderyour printedposter:To order yourposterand click on “Orde go to www.researchposters.co.zar Printing Now”upload your fileby selecting from on the main menu. Fill inthe form andthe options offered.You can emailus ator call us at 021-44 archpContact Inforsters.co.zamationosters.co.zaFigure 5http://www.postersession.comPoster templateResultsby ResearchPosters.co.zaAcknowledgements219 Lower MainRoadObservatory,7925Cape TownTel: 021-447-6783Fax: 021-447-8475Email: info@researchposters.co.zPRESENTED BY ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY SERVICESa
to View Grid and Guides. To see the guides in PPT 2007, right-mouse click on a blank area of the poster off to the side and select GRID AND GUIDES. At the bottom of the dialog box, check DISPLAY DRAWING GUIDES ON SCREEN. Click OK and the guides will appear. On a Mac, right-mouse click and choose Guides, make sure all options are selected.
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use Student Worksheet: World War 1 Poster Analysis for this activity. Twenty posters are provided so there could be up to six groups who all get three posters. Visit the Archives of Ontario’s online exhibit Canadian Posters from the First World War
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USING ADOBE INDESIGN FOR RESEARCH POSTERS FAQ: IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BEGIN What is InDesign? InDesign is a desktop publishing software program that can be used to create print materials, among other functions. It’s used to make posters, flyers and brochures in the department, and to pr
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References to Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint are to the latest version of Microsoft Office as of May 1, 2005. The information on Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint contained herein has been derived from the applicat
