How to make an academic poster in powerpoint

Karina Adcock

28 Nov 201813:22

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis tutorial guides you through creating an academic poster in PowerPoint, covering steps from choosing the correct size and layout to adding content, logos, images, and references. It emphasizes using vector images, appropriate fonts, and colors, and concludes with converting the final design to a PDF for presentation.

Takeaways

📏 Start by checking the conference website for the required poster size and orientation.
📐 Open a new PowerPoint presentation and adjust the slide size to the specified dimensions.
📝 Begin with the title and abstract, pasting them into PowerPoint and adjusting the font size and layout.
📑 Organize the poster content into sub-sections using short sentences and bullet points for clarity.
🖼️ Arrange the layout with a logical flow, from top to bottom and left to right for portrait posters.
🏷️ Include necessary logos, such as the University, conference, and funding organizations, in vector or high-resolution raster formats.
👤 Add a professional headshot of yourself with your name and contact information at the bottom of the poster.
👥 List co-authors with their affiliations, using superscript numbers to match with their institutions.
🙏 Include an acknowledgement section to credit minor contributors and funding sources.
📚 Incorporate a concise references section with superscript numbers and DOI for each citation.
🖼️ Select high-quality images that complement your research and include attribution if not your own.
🎨 Choose a limited number of fonts, with non-serif for titles and headings, and serif for body text.
🔠 Use sentence case for titles and headings, and ensure consistent line spacing and bolding for emphasis.
🎨 Stick to a light background with darker text for readability, and use color schemes that match the poster's theme.
🔄 Use gridlines and guides to align all elements of the poster for a polished look.
📄 Convert the final poster to a PDF to preserve formatting across different viewing platforms.

Q & A

What is the first step in creating an academic poster in PowerPoint?
-The first step is to choose the size of your poster by checking the conference website for the required size and orientation (landscape or portrait).
How do you set a custom slide size in PowerPoint for an academic poster?
-You open a blank PowerPoint presentation, delete everything on the slide, go to 'Design', then 'Slide Size', 'Custom Slide Size', and input the required width and height as specified by the conference.
What are the two main types of fonts mentioned in the script, and which is recommended for titles and subheadings?
-The two main types are serif and sans serif fonts. Sans serif fonts are recommended for titles and subheadings.
Why is it important to include a photo of yourself on the poster?
-Including a head and shoulders photo helps to personalize the poster, allowing attendees to associate a face with the research presented.
What should be included in the acknowledgement section of the poster?
-The acknowledgement section should mention those who made minor contributions to the research and any organizations that funded the work.
How should references be formatted in the poster?
-References should be formatted with the first author's name, the year of publication, the abbreviated journal name, and the DOI number.
What is the recommended way to add images to the poster?
-Images should be either vector or high-resolution raster images, and they should be credited with a small URL if they do not belong to you.
Why is it advised to avoid using Comic Sans for the poster's text?
-Comic Sans is not recommended due to its informal appearance, which may not be suitable for the academic and professional context of a conference poster.
What are some tips for making the text on the poster more readable?
-Tips include using sentence case for titles, 1.5 line spacing for readability, and making titles and headings bold while keeping the body text normal.
How should the colors be chosen for the poster?
-Colors should be chosen from the same theme, with a light background and darker text for readability. Titles and subheadings can have a darker background with white text.
Why is converting the final poster to a PDF recommended before printing or sharing?
-Converting to a PDF ensures that the poster's formatting remains consistent across different versions of PowerPoint and prevents any potential layout changes.

Outlines

00:00

📐 Setting Poster Size and Layout

The first step in creating an academic poster in PowerPoint is to determine its size and orientation according to the conference's requirements. The presenter must visit the conference website for size specifications and choose between landscape or portrait. After opening a new presentation and customizing the slide size to the required dimensions, the presenter should proceed to select content and layout. This includes using the submitted poster title and abstract as a starting point, adjusting font sizes, and organizing the content into sub-sections using bullet points. The layout for portrait posters typically consists of two sections, while landscape posters may have three or four. It's important to ensure a logical order from top to bottom and left to right.

05:02

🏷️ Incorporating Logos, Photos, and Acknowledgements

After establishing the content and layout, the next step is to add extra content such as logos, a personal photo, co-author information, and an acknowledgement section. Logos from the university, conference, and funding organizations should be obtained in vector format (EPS, SVG, PDF) or high-resolution raster format (JPG, PNG, BMP, TIFF) and placed at the bottom of the poster. A professional headshot with the presenter's name and contact information should be included, along with a list of co-authors with their affiliations indicated by superscript numbers. The acknowledgement section recognizes minor contributors and funders, and should be concisely stated at the bottom of the poster.

10:02

📚 Adding References and Choosing Images

The poster should include a references section with in-text citations as superscript numbers and a list of references at the bottom, formatted with the first author's name, publication year, journal name, and DOI. Images should be added following the same guidelines as logos, using vector or high-resolution raster images from personal research, journal articles, or free online resources. Attribution should be given for any images not owned by the presenter. Image quality should be checked by zooming in to ensure clarity and avoid pixelation.

🎨 Selecting Fonts and Colors

Choosing the right fonts and colors is crucial for readability and visual appeal. It's recommended to use no more than two or three fonts, with non-serif fonts for titles and subheadings and serif fonts for the main text. Font sizes should be guided by a diagram for optimal readability, and text formatting should include sentence case for titles, 1.5 line spacing, and bold for headings. Colors should be chosen from the same theme, with a light background and darker text or vice versa for emphasis. Bullet points and borders can be colored to add visual interest, and PowerPoint's color schemes can be used for inspiration.

🔍 Lining Up and Finalizing the Poster

To ensure a polished and professional look, all elements on the poster must be aligned correctly. Text boxes should be resized to a uniform width and aligned using gridlines and guides, which can be adjusted for precision. These alignment tools will not appear in the final printed version. Once everything is in place, the final step is to convert the PowerPoint presentation to a PDF to preserve the formatting across different software versions. This is done through the 'Print' function, selecting 'Microsoft Print to PDF,' and then saving the poster as a PDF file.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Academic Poster

An academic poster is a visual representation of research findings or concepts, typically presented at conferences. It is designed to convey complex information in a concise and visually appealing manner. In the video, the main theme revolves around the creation of an academic poster using PowerPoint, highlighting the steps to choose the right size, layout, and content.

💡Conference

A conference is a formal event where professionals, academics, or enthusiasts gather to discuss and share knowledge in a particular field. The script mentions checking the conference website for poster size requirements, indicating the importance of adhering to specific guidelines for presenting at such events.

💡Landscape and Portrait

These terms refer to the orientation of a poster or document. Landscape is wider than it is tall, while portrait is taller than it is wide. The script specifies that for the presenter's case, a portrait orientation was required, which is a critical decision in the poster design process.

💡Custom Slide Size

In PowerPoint, 'Custom Slide Size' is an option that allows users to set specific dimensions for their slides, beyond the standard sizes offered. The script describes using this feature to set the dimensions for the academic poster based on conference requirements.

💡Poster Abstract

A poster abstract is a brief summary of the research that will be presented on the poster. It is usually submitted in advance to the conference organizers. The script emphasizes using the abstract as a starting point for the poster content, which sets the stage for the detailed information to follow.

💡Subsections

Subsections are smaller divisions within the main sections of a poster. They help organize the content into digestible parts. The script mentions that posters need lots of subsections, written in short sentences and bullet points, which is a key aspect of effectively communicating information on a poster.

💡Logos

Logos in the context of an academic poster represent the institutions or organizations associated with the research, such as the university or conference logos. The script advises including these at the bottom of the poster, using vector images for clarity and consistency.

💡Vector Image

A vector image is a type of graphic that uses mathematical formulas to represent images in terms of points, lines, and shapes. The script recommends using vector images for logos because they maintain quality at any size, which is essential for print materials like posters.

💡Raster Image

A raster image, also known as a bitmap, is made up of pixels arranged in a grid. The script mentions using raster images when vector images are not available, emphasizing the importance of choosing high-resolution files to avoid blurriness.

💡Co-authors

Co-authors are individuals who have made significant contributions to the research presented on the poster. The script describes listing co-authors at the top of the poster, with superscript numbers linking to their respective institutions, which is a standard practice for acknowledging contributions.

💡Acknowledgement Section

The acknowledgement section is a part of the poster where minor contributors and funding sources are recognized. The script specifies that this section should be at the bottom of the poster and should include phrases like 'this work was funded by,' followed by the relevant entities.

💡References

References are citations of the literature or sources used in the research. The script details formatting in-text references as superscript numbers and provides guidance on how to list full references at the bottom of the poster, including the DOI for digital identification.

💡Font

The choice of font is crucial for readability and aesthetic appeal in a poster. The script advises using no more than two or three fonts, with non-serif fonts for titles and headings, and serif fonts for the main body text, to ensure clarity and visual hierarchy.

💡Color Scheme

A color scheme is a set of colors that work well together and are used consistently throughout a design. The script suggests using a light background with darker text for readability and offers tips on choosing colors that match, including using the same theme for graphs and diagrams.

💡Gridlines and Guides

Gridlines and guides are visual aids in PowerPoint that help align and position elements on a slide. The script mentions using these features to ensure that all text boxes and images are lined up correctly, contributing to the overall professionalism of the poster design.

💡PDF Conversion

Converting a PowerPoint presentation to a PDF ensures that the final product will look the same across different viewing platforms and software versions. The script describes the process of printing to a PDF to preserve the poster's formatting, which is essential for sharing and printing purposes.

Highlights

Choose the size of your poster based on conference requirements, either landscape or portrait.

Open a blank PowerPoint presentation and adjust slide size to meet specific poster dimensions.

Use the conference's poster title and abstract as a starting point for your presentation.

Structure your poster with sub-sections, using short sentences and bullet points for clarity.

Ensure the layout of your poster follows a logical order, from top to bottom and left to right.

Include logos of the University, conference, and funding organizations in your poster design.

Choose vector images for logos when possible, or high-resolution raster images as alternatives.

Add a professional head and shoulders photo of yourself with your name and contact information.

List co-authors of the research with their affiliations indicated by superscript numbers.

Create an acknowledgement section to recognize contributions and funding sources.

Include a concise references section with superscript in-text citations and DOI numbers.

Select high-quality images and charts that complement your research and poster design.

Ensure images are properly attributed with a small URL if they are not your own.

Choose 2-3 fonts, favoring non-serif for titles and headings, and serif for body text.

Use sentence case for titles and headings, and 1.5 line spacing for readability.

Select a color scheme that contrasts well, with a light background and darker text.

Align text boxes and elements using gridlines and guides for a polished layout.

Convert the final poster presentation to a PDF to preserve formatting across platforms.

Transcripts

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