Display your Work

Monday October 3 - Thursday October 6

Getting Creative

Physical works – art pieces, books, costumes

Combine a physical work with an explanatory poster (describing the process, the meaning, excerpts, etc.).
State on the display when and/or where the original work will be available for viewing (e.g., during the formal display session).
Be sure to request a table/stand on which to display your three-dimensional work

Performances – music, dance, theater

Prepare a display with photographs of the performance and some explanation of the piece, perhaps written documentation (sheet music, scripts)
During the formal display session, display the performance on AV equipment
Be sure to request the necessary AV equipment for the poster session

Posters

Points to Keep in Mind when Preparing a Display

The main goal of a display is to relate the main points of your paper with as little effort as possible on the part of the audience to read, interpret, and understand.
Your display should tell a coherent and engaging story.
Use a suitable font size (can be read from about four feet away).
Materials displayed should have explanatory labels.
Only present the main points in order not to overwhelm the audience.
Present as clearly as possible with as little text as you can get away with (used bulleted lists instead of paragraphs when you can).
Use graphics to explain sections when possible.
Don’t forget to include your contact information on the display!

Creating your display in Microsoft PowerPoint

Open a new presentation.
Create your display as a single slide.
You must format the slide as a custom size and indicate how large a print you want your final display to be. Common display sizes are 36” x 30” and 48” x 36”.
Talk to your print shop ahead of time to find out at what size they print displays.
Insert a text box in order to create the first section of your display. You will need to use a large font size, from about 30 pt. up to 112 pt. or larger.
Zoom in to work on each section; then zoom out to check overall format and placement.
Make use of color, shapes, and font formatting to make it easy to identify the different segments of the display.

A Word About Formatting

Many printers print from pdf format, so it is likely your poster will be converted form Microsoft Powerpoint to pdf. When this happens things can get lost or shifted in the translation:
You may want to do the conversion yourself (need Office for Mac or Adobe Writer).
Be sure to proof the pdf file carefully before it is printed.

Last Minute Displays

Alternatively, you can create a series of slides in PowerPoint, print each one, and paste them on a poster board.
Page-by-page print outs are also very portable, for airplane travel, etc!

Useful Websites on Poster Presentation

Flinn, C. 2000. Developing a Poster Presentation in the Social Sciences. <http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/resources/workshops/socscienceposter/sld001.htm>. Accessed 2/22/2009.

Hammarling, S and N. Higham. 2009. How to Prepare a Poster. <http://www.siam.org/meetings/guidelines/poster.php> Accessed 3/16/09.

Hess, G., K. Tosney, and L. Liegel. 2007. Creating effective poster presentations.<http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters/NewSite/index.html>. Accessed 2/22/2009.

Kiefer, K., M. Palmquist, L. Barnes, M. Levine, D. Zimmerman, and J. Robinson.2009. Poster Writing Guide from the Writing Center at Colorado State University. <http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/speaking/poster/>. Accessed 2/22/2009.

Purrington, C. 2007. Advice on designing scientific posters. <http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/cpurrin1/posteradvice.htm>. Accessed 2/22/2009.

Stoss, F. 2008. Designing Effective Poster Presentations by The University of Buffalo's Art and Sciences Libraries. <http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/bio/posters.html>. Accessed 2/22/2009.

Where to Get Your Display Printed?

Information current on 2/22/2009

CSU Stanislaus Reprographics MSR B-10D, 667-3013.
Services: Black and white or full color, several papers to choose from.
Time to print: Can be up to two weeks, but faster if you say you have a deadline.
Cost: $25 for a 48” x 36” full color; not much less for black and white

FedEx Kinkos www.kinkos.com
Turlock – 1451 Geer Rd, Turlock, CA - (800) 463-3339
Modesto – 2225 Plaza Pkwy # C11, Modesto, CA - (800) 463-3339
Services: Black and white or full color, several paper types, online print orders
Time to print: Approximately 15 minutes. Send your file by e-mail and it will be ready for pick up when you arrive.
Cost: As low as $5 for a black and white 30” x 36” on light-weight paper, up to $80 for full color printing.

Staples 1850 Countryside Dr, Turlock, CA - (209) 632-2209
Services: Black and white or full color, several paper types, online print orders and mail delivery
NOTE: Color posters LIMITED - up to 24” high x any length.
Time to print: 2-3 hours for color, black-and-white just a few minutes
Cost: Color 24” x 36” - $38.39; B&W 24” x 36” - $2.99; B&W 30” x 36” - $4.00

Generously Sponsored by