Student Scholars Day Poster Presentation Information
Poster presentations provide a common way to present information at classrooms, conferences, and workshops. Designing an effective poster is an art, and this guide offers resources to make the process easier. A good poster isn’t just a miniaturized version of a scholarly article—it’s an engaging, well-designed display that communicates key research findings clearly. The goal is to highlight the significance and originality of the work, showcasing the contributions of the presenter(s).
"It takes intelligence, even brilliance, to condense and focus information into a clear, simple presentation that will be read and remembered." Mary Helen Briscoe
Research Poster Format
There are several different ways to prepare a poster presentation. Each academic discipline will have its own set of standards that you should follow. Contact your faculty mentor to ensure that you are following the correct format.
- Use figures and pictures to tell your story
- Minimize the amount of text and use a large enough font for viewers to read your poster from 6 feet away. Ideally you should use less than 800 words and avoid large blocks of text
- Organize material in a logical progression
- Clearly state your working hypothesis and include important data and conclusions
- Start early and revise your poster often. Work with your faculty member through several rough drafts before finalizing your poster
- For a more in-depth guide on designing your poster, check out this resource from the University of Minnesota Library: https://libguides.umn.edu/posters/home.
HOW TO CONSTRUCT A RESEARCH POSTER (IN YOUR DISCIPLINE)
The OURS Student Ambassadors have each made a video about how they construct a research poster in their discipline. You can select the most relevant discipline to you and watch the video to help you with creating your research poster for Student Scholars Day!
Biochemistry - Mary Fergus
Mary majored in biochemistry with the goal to earn her PhD in biochemistry. She was a recipient of the Student Summer Scholars Program and recognized as an Ott-Stiner Scholar. During the 2022 summer, Mary was immersed in a research project investigating novel boronic acids as cross-class inhibitors for β-lactamases to overcome antibiotic resistance.
Finance & Economics - Owen Laverty
Owen studied Finance and Economics with a certificate in Applied Data Analytics. He plans on working in real estate or corporate finance for a few years before returning to school to earn a Master's degree (either an MBA or MS in Economics). Owen received the S3 award during the summer of 2022 and looked into the effects that Right-to-Work laws have on creativity.
French & Statistics - Ian Curtis
Ian majored in Statistics and French with minors in Mathematics and Psychology with the ultimate goal of becoming a Data Scientist. A Library Summer Scholars in 2020, he learned about the many services libraries offer while also creating his own research product: a website holding information on various scholarly sources about the Encyclopédie. In Summer 2021, Ian participated in the S3 program, this time conducting his own original research on the Encyclopédie, focusing on the alleged plagiarism of the supplemental images to the Encyclopédie.
Computer Science & Math - Seth Ockerman
Seth majored in Computer Science with minors in Writing, Cybersecurity, and Math. He is hoping to attend graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. in computer systems and machine learning. Seth was a 2020 S3 recipient and worked on a project analyzing mask usage trends on social media using machine learning, and also worked as an SROP Research intern at The Ohio State's ICICLE Lab.
Poster Guidelines
- Posters must be 4 feet wide by 3 feet in height (48” x 36”).
- Every presentation has been assigned a QR code to facilitate feedback for the presenters. We encourage you to download this QR code and add it to your presentation. This will allow attendees to point out strength within presentation and suggest improvements for the future.
- To download the QR code, go to the SSD registration system. Log in. On the upper right, you can select “Presentations”. Click on “View this presentation” and then scroll to the bottom.
- For presentations involving Human Subjects and/or Animal Research, include this statement on your poster: This project has been approved by Grand Valley State University’s {HRRC or IACUC}, {approval number}, {expiration date}
- Easels, backboards, pushpins or clips will be provided to affix your poster on the day of the event.
- Poster must be set up by 8:45 a.m. on the day of the event and must be taken down beginning at 5:00 p.m.
Any posters left up after we complete tear-down beginning at 5:00 p.m. will be taken to 230 LIB and held for one week before disposal
Here is a template with the proper dimensions and basic formatting to assist you in preparing your poster presentation. Poster Presentation Example
Printing
Students can print their posters using the plotter in the Copy Center located in the basement of the Marketplace. The cost of one print is $25. This cost must be paid by each presenter or faculty mentor (or the department).
Please visit the Copy Center website, contact the Copy Center Service Desk at (616) 331-3407 or copycenter@gvsu.edu for more information on printing requirements or with any questions.
You may also be interested in the Digital Print Shop at GVSU for a fee.
Affiliates with OURS Programs
If you are affiliated with OURS programs, we can print your poster for you. Poster print requests require a five-day turnaround time. You will select a date and a 15-minute interval to pick up your poster from the OURS office on the second floor of the library in LIB 230. Posters must be sent in PDF format to print.
Tips for Printing
- Check formatting before submitting. Ensure your poster prints without issues before sending it to the printer. To do that, print a test version using the “Scale to fit” option in a regular printer. If everything looks correct, proceed with sending the PDF version of your full-size poster to the poster printing location.
- Don’t wait until the last minute to print. Ensure you leave enough time for your poster to be printed at the Copy Center and for you to pick it up. They require at least 5 business days in advance for printing.
- Check the weather before SSD. If weather is bad, get a sleeve for your poster or rent out a poster tube from the OURS office at 230 LIB.