Poster Sessions:
An Alternative to Formal Oral Presentations
R.C. Severson, L.P. Gough, and J.M. McNeal | U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO 80225
L.H. Ropes | Graphics for Technical Communications, Inc., Lakewood, CO 80226
Poster sessions are rapidly becoming an integral part of the meetings of many professional organizations. They can be very effective in communicating certain types of information. Poster session organizers should consider the subject matter that is best presented as a poster and the conditions that make poster sessions successful. Authors should carefully plan poster design and construction so as to obtain the most efficient and effective presentation.
Introduction
Each year an increasing number of professional societies are incorporating poster sessions into their meeting programs, although this concept is relatively new in the United States. Among the first to use them (1974) were the American Society of Biological Chemists and the Biophysical Society in a joint meeting and the Geological Society of America. As more societies discovered the potential of poster sessions, they rapidly became an integral part of many meetings. The percentage of papers presented as poster sessions is highly variable among societies but is increasing -- the Geological Society of America reported a growth from 12 percent in 1974 to 20 percent in 1977.
We present some observations that may be informative to persons who are either organizing the physical setup of a poster session or who anticipate individual participation in one. These observations were gathered mainly through our own involvement in planning and presenting several poster sessions, as well as through conversations with other participants in poster sessions.
Some Advantages of Posters
Initially, some societies considered the poster session merely as a means of relieving pressure on the generally crowded schedule of oral presentations. Now, however, most have come to realize that certain types of information can be presented more effectively and efficiently by using this alternative means of communication. In fact, some societies, such as the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, suggest topics that may be included in their poster sessions.
For authors, the opportunity for individual contact and extended dialogue is rewarding. Many authors and discussants feel more comfortable in a leisurely discussion than in a condensed formal oral presentation.
Posters allow considerable variety in graphic displays such as maps, charts, photographs, and computer output and may also include carefully worded statements, claims, conclusions and principles. Viewers may evaluate this information at their own pace; thus they have time to contemplate, discuss, and return to review posters of interest.
Physical Setting
The selection of a display area for posters will depend on available space, number of posters, number of attendees, and other circumstances. The location should be easily accessible, have good lighting, and have an uncrowded setting. Hallways, meeting rooms, foyers, or exhibit areas are reasonable choices for displays.
At recent Geological Society of America meetings the posters were arranged around the perimeter of the exhibit area. This coordination between posters and exhibits was very effective because it attracted participants to a central viewing area. The American Society of Agronomy provided a separate meeting room for posters at its 1977 meeting in Los Angeles. This arrangement was also satisfactory because the meeting room was in an easily accessible location near where many of the oral presentations were being held.
Some thought must be given to the physical display of posters. Tack-board (4ft. x 4ft. or 4ft. x 8ft.) is a convenient material on which to attach and display posters. Movable dividers, available at many convention halls, provide adequate support for most posters and also separate adjacent posters. Adequate lighting of the displays may be a problem in some locations. Refreshments in or adjacent to the poster area may be useful in attracting viewers and in creating a casual atmosphere. Finally, maps of numbered display areas and printed sheets with titles and locations of the posters are helpful to both the author and the audience.
Coordination
Posters are most often viewed informally at the convenience of the attendee. However, posters are generally displayed concurrently with the program of oral presentations.
Authors should be present for at least two consecutive hours. The author's working address, phone number, and convention address should be included on the poster. Author accessibility permits interested viewers to discuss specific points either in the poster area during the scheduled time or at other times and locations that are mutually convenient.
Poster Organization and Construction
Thoughtfully organized posters should provide an ordered, logical path along which the viewer is led. This can be easily accomplished by the use of arrows and colors and by the general organization of the poster. The main points of the poster should be clear, and the flow of the discussion should be readily apparent to the viewer. Convention suggests that the line of thought should proceed from upper left to lower right. As in any presentation, it is best to choose a representative example of the principles being considered and follow it through from beginning to end so that the viewer may readily understand how the data support the conclusions.
In order to attract attention, the title, purpose and conclusions should be emphasized by color, print size, location on the poster, or by combinations of these factors. A poster, like an oral presentation, should avoid excessive detail; therefore, discussion, graphs and tables should be simple. The more important material should be emphasized by size or highlighted with color, while minor details should be subordinated or omitted. A handout can be made available to present more detail if desirable.
Durability, cost of production, assembly, and ease of transport of posters must be considered by authors in the planning stages. Posters can be assembled at the meeting by attaching page-size material to the boards provided. Posters can also be assembled in advance on panels of convenient size. Such preassembled posters can be transported on airlines either as carry-on luggage or as cargo. It would be prudent to check with the airline prior to poster construction to determine the dimensions of large rigid items that can be accommodated in the cabin.
Efficient art production and poster durability can be enhanced by working first with small, paste-up artwork. Large photos or other prints of the small-scale assembled material can easily be attached to light-weight panels of foam-core board. Color can then be added as needed. In case of disastrous loss, this method provides the author with some means of recovery through the use of the original art work. This type of poster construction is often done by a professional graphics designer. However, a poster that is not professionally prepared can be just as effective. In fact, author-prepared posters are more common than professionally prepared posters. The use of large-type typewriters, lettering tools, typeset printing, and even careful hand-lettering have all been successful. In any case, lettering should be sufficiently large for most of the messages to be legible at a distance of 4ft. - 6ft.
Other Considerations
Second-class status should not be ascribed to a poster session either by the organization or by the participants. Poster presentations should receive equal billing with oral presentations. Our experience indicates that as much planning and work are needed for a poster presentation as for an oral presentation. Poster abstracts, locations, and viewing times should be published in the general program along with information on invited or volunteered oral presentations.
Those who have organized poster sessions can benefit from the participants' and the viewers' comments. Evaluation sheets and, perhaps, a suggestion box in the poster area, make it convenient for viewers to comment.
Poster sessions provide a unique opportunity at meetings for participants who wish to have close contact with both a general cross section of attendees and with specialists in their particular field. Poster sessions are beneficial to others as well as to the organization. They are well worth the substantial effort required.