Minnesota Undergraduate
Psychology Conference '98

Augsburg College, Minneapolis
Saturday, May 9, 1998

• The deadline for receipt of the Proposal Form and Summary is Friday, April 10, 1998.
• Students who plan to give poster presentations should submit a completed Proposal/Abstract Form, including a long abstract (300 word maximum) and a short abstract (40 word maximum; will be included verbatim in the conference program).
• Poster sessions are 1 hour in length. Presenters should stand or sit next to their posters during the entire session. (We will provide chairs.)
• Posters should be mounted on stiff poster board and will be displayed on easels. (We will provide easels.) Posters should be approximately 110 cm wide x 75 cm tall.
• The title, author's name, institution, and faculty sponsor name should appear at the top of the poster. The title states the independent and dependent variables OR states the predictor and criterion variables.
• The title line(s) should be readable from at least 2 meters away; lettering should be at least 2.5 cm high.
• The text of the print should be at least .75 cm high and readable from 1 meter away. Use an appropriately sized font.

Poster Guidelines Checklist*
(advisory, rather than mandatory)

A. Visual Appearance--Characteristics of the Layout

The poster is a visual presentation of information. Rely sparingly on verbal print, rely a lot on graphs, charts, tables and pictures to communicate information. What verbal text you use should focus on the main points of your design, rationale, etc. Your poster should NOT be a copy of your written paper glued onto poster board. Save descriptions of complex analyses, etc. for your complete paper (see C below).

1. Use colors to attract attention
2. Use graphs/tables to convey information
3. Use pictures where appropriate
4. Symmetrical in appearance, i.e, right/left and top/bottom halves balanced
5. Focus selectively on major findings (presents the details in the printed manuscript available as handouts)
6. Include major sections: Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, References (smaller font okay for references)
7. Sections are labeled and appear in a clear order.
8. Limit the text pages

B. Interacting with the Audience

Posters don't stand alone. Your availability and interaction style will also influence the number of people who read your poster and talk with you about it. Stand by your poster at all times during your session. Use inviting behaviors to initiate conversation. Viewers appreciate having important information pointed out to them.

• Do you display a professional appearance and demeanor?
• Are you responsive to questions about your research?
• Are you willing to approach people who appear interested in your poster?
• Are you able to talk about your study with different audiences?
• Do you know how your research fits into various fields of study?
• Are you enthusiastic about your research? Can you convey this to others?

C. Your Paper Paper

• Bring 25 copies of your complete paper for distribution to interested persons. This paper provides details not given in your poster.
• Single-space and copy on both sides, saving paper.
• Have a set of blank mailing labels with you for readers to fill out if you run out of copies.

*Adapted from Mitchell, J., Prevost, S. & Stoddart, R.M. (1995). And the survey says: An empirical study of effective poster presentations. Chicago: Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference.

• Guidelines for Poster Submission and Presentation. This web page contains poster guidelines for undergraduates membrs of Phi Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and Sigma Xi who were giving presentations at the 1998 Annual Research Day at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
• Guidelines for Scientific Poster Design. National Center for Marine Biotechnology Research and Education, Baltimore. Initial preparations, developing an idea, putting it all together.

FINAL NOTE: This is a professional presention, perhaps your first. It is evidence that you are moving from being a recipient of knowledge to one who creates it. Congratulations! List the event in your vita or resume. Send a notice to the campus newspaper and to your hometown newspaper.