Positing Nuts and Bolts for an Impactful Poster

Abstract

A poster presentation is often the first step to learning the art of presenting research findings at academic conferences. A lack of training and emphasis on good poster presentations has created a vicious cycle leading to a systematic downgrading of poster presentations. This invariably affects young researchers who are seeking to build confidence through these presentations. This article presents the authors’ learnings at a workshop along with relevant literature.

Key take away: An effective poster presentation begins by taking a step back and finding the key message to be conveyed and not with a review of literature or a unique title. It requires simple consideration of layout and size of the poster, color, font size, representation of data, ease of navigation for the reader and positioning of the sub-headings to be impactful. It is prudent to cautiously explore and experiment with the guidelines and learnings listed here to suit the Early Career Psychiatrist (ECP) style. We believe that these gleanings can benefit other medical professionals with relevant modifications.