PHYS 404 Feb. 8, 2012
Outline 1 2 3
Purpose of a poster Share your results with others in the field Get feedback on your work Get suggestions for improvement Open up collaborations with other researchers Win money!
Purpose of a poster Share your results with others in the field Get feedback on your work Get suggestions for improvement Open up collaborations with other researchers Win money! Get a good grade!
Who is your audience?
Who is your audience? Are they the general public? Keep the science simple Focus on importance of results
Who is your audience? Are they the general public? Keep the science simple Focus on importance of results Are they a general scientific audience? Can use basic scientific terms (superconductivity) Limit specific jargon (Fermi level, paramagnon, etc.)
Who is your audience? Are they the general public? Keep the science simple Focus on importance of results Are they a general scientific audience? Can use basic scientific terms (superconductivity) Limit specific jargon (Fermi level, paramagnon, etc.) Are they experts in your field? Likely most interested in analysis and results How do your results affect that specific field?
What is your focus? Focus on what you have accomplished Emphasize the big picture Why is the goal/result important to the field? Why is the field important? Keep focused - leave out unnecessary details
What to include Title/Authors Introduction/ Motivation Materials/ Methods Conclusion Research Goals Results/ Discussion Acknowledgments
Typical sections Title Very important, needs to grab attention
Typical sections Title Very important, needs to grab attention Wordy, bland Synchrotron studies of dilute magnetic semiconductors for spintronics applications
Typical sections Title Very important, needs to grab attention Wordy, bland Synchrotron studies of dilute magnetic semiconductors for spintronics applications Concise, catchy Chasing down high-speed computing
Typical sections Title Very important, needs to grab attention Wordy, bland Correlations between paramagnon excitations and T c of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 measured with resonant inelastic x-ray scattering Concise, catchy Pairing mechanism for cuprate superconductivity discovered
Typical sections Title Very important, needs to grab attention Wordy, bland Time averaged laser interferometry noise provides evidence for discrete spacetime Concise, catchy Experimental evidence of discrete spacetime
Typical sections Introduction/Motivation Provide some relevant background about the topic Explain why your research is needed Example Spintronics research Motivated by imminent roadblock in electronics industry A way to increase computer speeds (big impact!) Currently problems with understanding magnetism
Typical sections Research Goals Cleary state what you hoped to accomplish Should be in accordance with introduction section Needs to tie in well with conclusion Example: Spintronics Why are some doped semiconductors ferromagnetic?
Typical sections Materials/Methods Describe what you did to get your results What experiments did you do, what theories did you implement, etc. Focus on parts that are specific and unique to your work
Typical sections Results/Discussion What did you find, and what does it mean? Use images rather than bulky text Artistic graphics, but not too complicated or cluttered In te n s ity (a rb. u n its ) E x c ita tio n E n e rg y (e V ) 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 5 3 8 5 3 6 5 3 4 2 E 1 7 3 E 1 6 7 E 1 5 E n e rg y (e V ) 5 2 0 5 2 5 5 3 0 5 3 5 5 4 0 5 4 5 Q u a rtz X E S X A S 5 3 8 R X E S 2 E 1 7 5 3 6 5 3 4 5 3 8 3 E 1 6 5 3 6 5 3 4 5 3 8 7 E 1 5 5 3 6 5 3 4 5 2 0 5 2 5 5 3 0 E m is s io n E n e rg y (e V ) Q u a rtz
Typical sections E n e rg y (e V ) 5 2 0 5 3 0 5 4 0 2.5 E n e rg y (e V ) 5 2 0 5 2 5 5 3 0 5 3 5 5 4 0 5 4 5 In te n s ity (a rb. u n its ) E x c ita tio n E n e rg y (e V ) 2 1 2 E 1 7 3 E 1 6 7 E 1 5 Q u a rtz 0 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 8 5 3 4 X E S X A S 5 3 8 2 E 1 7 R X E S 5 3 8 3 E 1 6 5 3 8 7 E 1 5 5 2 0 5 2 5 5 3 0 E m is s io n E n e rg y (e V ) Q u a rtz In te n s ity (a rb. u n its ) E x c ita tio n E n e rg y (e V ) 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 5 3 8 5 3 6 5 3 4 2 E 1 7 3 E 1 6 7 E 1 5 Q u a rtz X E S X A S 5 3 8 R X E S 2 E 1 7 5 3 6 5 3 4 5 3 8 3 E 1 6 5 3 6 5 3 4 5 3 8 7 E 1 5 5 3 6 5 3 4 5 2 0 5 2 5 5 3 0 E m is s io n E n e rg y (e V ) Q u a rtz
Typical sections Conclusion Summarize results in broader terms Do these results accomplish your research goals? Interpret results, tie back into motivation, big picture Example: Results showed magnetism via iron-vacancy-iron structures Material is intrinsically ferromagnetic Good material for spintronics Future work can look at improving magnetic properties
Typical sections Acknowledgments Gives recognition to entities that helped Funding agencies, lab facilities Helpful discussions with individuals
Take size constraints into account Usual approach is top bottom, left right Can add numbers, arrows, or similar items for guidance Block off sections, use headings to enhance readability Balance text, figures, whitespace and use symmetry Title/Authors Title/Authors Title/Authors Title/Authors
PowerPoint, Keynote, Pages Easiest to use Can be issues with image handling (i.e..eps in PowerPoint)
PowerPoint, Keynote, Pages Easiest to use Can be issues with image handling (i.e..eps in PowerPoint) Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop, Inkscape, GIMP Great for handling images, best artistic tools Bigger learning curve
PowerPoint, Keynote, Pages Easiest to use Can be issues with image handling (i.e..eps in PowerPoint) Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop, Inkscape, GIMP Great for handling images, best artistic tools Bigger learning curve L A TEX Also good with images, well structured Biggest learning curve
Direct everything toward your concise message More focus on results than methods (usually) Balance between too much and too little text Be careful with raster/vector images and resolution Get a friend to check it over Make sure you get it printed on time! Avoid glossy finish
Judging criteria - Example Appearance 1. Display attracts viewer's attention. 1 2 3 4 5 2. Words are easy to read from an appropriate distance (3-5 feet). 1 2 3 4 5 3. Poster is well organized and easy to follow. 1 2 3 4 5 4. Graphics and other visuals enhance presentation. 1 2 3 4 5 5. The poster is neat and appealing to look at. 1 2 3 4 5 Content 6. Content is clear and easy to understand. 1 2 3 4 5 7. Purpose of model (question being addressed) is stated clearly. 1 2 3 4 5 8. I understand why someone might be interested in the model results. 1 2 3 4 5 9. Key simplifying assumptions are identified. 1 2 3 4 5 10. There is enough detail about methods (e.g., deriving rate equations and parameter values) 1 2 3 4 5 for me to understand the model and results. 11. The approach taken is appropriate for the problem and technically sound. 1 2 3 4 5 12. Poster is free of unnecessary detail. 1 2 3 4 5 13. Conclusions are stated clearly. 1 2 3 4 5 14. Conclusions are supported by model results. 1 2 3 4 5 Presentation 15. Presenter's response to questions demonstrated knowledge of subject matter and project. 1 2 3 4 5 16. Overall, this was a really good poster presentation. 1 2 3 4 5
Presentation Practice your 3-5 minute verbal explanation Don t memorize a script Don t just read your poster to viewers Use the graphics while you present Consider handouts
Presentation Try to gauge viewer s knowledge on topic
Presentation Try to gauge viewer s knowledge on topic Don t explain special relativity to Albert Einstein
Presentation Try to gauge viewer s knowledge on topic Don t explain special relativity to Albert Einstein Don t assume your grandpa knows the Dirac equation
I 1 Hess, G.R., K. Tosney, and L. Liegel. 2010. Creating Effective Poster Presentations. http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters/, visited Feb. 5, 2012. 2 Spin transistor image. http://www.iht.uni-stuttgart.de/forschung/spinplasm.html, retrieved Feb. 6, 2012. 3 Poster symmetry images. http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters/, replicated Feb. 6, 2012. 4 Poster judging criteria. http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters/newsite/resources.html, retrieved Feb. 6, 2012.
II 5 Poster presenter image. http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters/newsite/ PresentPosterAlternatives.html, retrieved Feb. 8, 2012. 6 Albert Einstein image. http://media.photobucket.com/image/einstein% 20duh/WayneinWAState/einstein-duh.jpg, retrieved Feb. 6, 2012. 7 George Bush image. http://dublintech.blogspot.com/2011/10/are-you-confusedby-this-javascript.html, retrieved Feb. 6, 2012. 8 http://colinpurrington.com/tips/academic/posterdesign, accessed Feb. 6, 2012.
III 9 http://www.cns.cornell.edu/ documents/scientificposters.pdf, accessed Feb. 6, 2012. 10 http://www.writing.engr.psu.edu/posters.html, accessed Feb. 6, 2012. 11 http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint-help/adviceon-designing-scientific-posters-ha010030848.aspx, accessed Feb. 6, 2012.