General Presentation Guidelines
In designing an effective poster or talk, first think about what you want viewers to learn from your presentation. What will they need to know in order to understand your work?
You will need to:
- Provide some context for your work. What is the problem or central question you are addressing, and why is it important? (Why should viewers care about your work?) What background information does a viewer need to know to understand your work?
- Explain what you did to get your results.
- State what you learned/created during your project. You project does not have to be complete – this is what you have learned so far.
- Consider the larger themes or implications of your work (e.g. what is the “big picture” take-home message from your presentation?). How does this relate to the problem or question you described in your background section? How does your work fit with what we already know about this topic?
Oral Presentation Guidelines
Live presentations (in person or via Zoom)
- You will have 10-12 minutes for your oral presentation, with an additional 2-3 minutes at the end to answer any questions the audience may have.
- All rooms are equipped with a computer and video projection system. We recommend using programs like PowerPoint or Prezi to create slide visuals to accompany your talk.
Online oral presentations
- Record a 5-10 minute video of yourself giving your oral presentation. View instructions for recording a PowerPoint using Zoom.
- Submit your video recording and completed faculty sponsor form signed by your faculty sponsor (project advisor).
Download the faculty sponsor form
If you are giving an online oral presentation, please submit your video recording and faculty sponsor form by 11:59 pm Wednesday April 3rd, using the link below. Presentation Submission will open on March 6, 2024.
Poster Presentation Guidelines
Dimensions
We strongly recommend using software like PowerPoint to create a single page poster, which can then be printed if you are presenting in person, or used for your online presentation (your poster will not need to be printed if you are recording your presentation).
The maximum poster size is 48 inches (horizontal dimension) by 36 inches (vertical dimension). To set the correct dimensions for your poster in PowerPoint, click on the design tab in PowerPoint, open the pull-down menu under slide size (at the right), choose "custom slide size", and set the dimensions of the slides to 48” x 36”. Make sure the orientation is set to "Landscape".
Download a PowerPoint template for your poster presentation:
Download a PennWest PowerPoint template.
Download a PennWest California PowerPoint template.
Choose the format that works best for you, or modify one of the templates provided to suit your needs.
Layout
- The title should be short, clear, informative and large (viewable from 8ft away, 80 pt or bigger). This should be followed by the names of the presenters (at least 60 pt).
- Split your poster up into a series of sections with clear headings.
- Make sure the flow of information is logical and easy to follow. The headings you use can help you to guide readers through your poster, and can help to convey your findings.
- Make sure your layout is consistent and neat.
- Don’t be afraid to leave some blank space, it helps to organize and define your sections.
- Create a balance between visuals and text: posters are a visual medium, so you don’t want to have too much text.
Text
- Text should be short and to the point. To minimize the amount of text you use, consider keeping any text elements to 50 words or less.
- Consider using bullets, instead of paragraphs.
- Make text large! All text should be at least 24 pt (at least 36 pt for headings).
- When you make a statement or include a statistic, cite the source, otherwise readers will lose confidence in you as a source of information.
Visuals
- Good graphics are the key to an effective poster.
- Use simple, relevant images and graphs to illustrate and enhance your poster. Make sure the images you choose are freely available to share (e.g. from creative commons).
- Photos help to illustrate your work and can help convey your message to viewers.
- Consider whether you can use an image or graph, instead of text, to communicate a concept/relationship/idea.
- Use graphics to attract attention.
- If you have only a few illustrations, make them big!
For more information on creating effective, easy-to-read posters, visit the CalU library website: https://library.calu.edu/posters/basics
Printing your poster
You can print your poster at University Printing Services. Make sure your poster is the correct size by checking the "slide size" under the design tab. Submit your completed poster as a pdf or PowerPoint file to printingservices-cal@pennwest.edu, and make sure to mention that you are a Strike a Spark conference participant in your email. Printing costs for one poster will be covered by the Center for Undergraduate Research.
Please submit your poster for printing by 11:59 pm Wednesday April 3rd at the latest, as there will likely be high demand.
Online poster presentations
- Record a 5-10 minute video of yourself giving your poster presentation. View instructions for recording a PowerPoint using Zoom.
- Submit your video recording and completed faculty sponsor form signed by your faculty sponsor (project advisor).
Download the faculty sponsor form
Please submit your presentation by 11:59 pm Wednesday April 3rd, using the link below. Presentation Submission will open on March 6, 2024.