Content area
Full Text
This paper is the third in a series of four on developing skills in writing and self-presentation. It explores the art of producing and displaying a poster for a study day or a conference.
Your abstract has been accepted as a poster presentation. While this might sound fine initially, what does it actually mean? A poster presentation allows for interaction with your audience, on an individual basis or as part of a small group. It is a storyboard of information. Some conferences have a scheduled time allocated for posters to be staffed, during which groups of delegates listen to a presentation of the poster, while at others it is expected that the presenter will be available to answer questions during the refreshment breaks.
Most conference or study day organisers provide guidelines for poster presentations, and it is imperative to read these, as they will give you some indication of space for and size of your poster. Consider the resources that may be available. Do you, for example, have access to a medical illustrations department whose staff may help you in the
poster production?
As with any other form of presentation there are some fundamental questions that you will need to have answered, so that you can present your poster professionally:
Are you presenting a contemporary topic or research led practice? How can you display your subject succinctly but give access to the main thrust of your topic?
You will need to consider who your viewers are. Are they all nurses or a mixture of disciplines?
What is their knowledge level?
Can you assume some prior knowledge or do you need to clarify areas in your poster.
What is the space available for your poster? Where is the space located?
Are you going to attract passing `traffic' to your spot, or will you need to work hard to encourage viewing?
Is the display area simply wall space or do you have poster boards to present your work. These things will make a difference in...