Creating your Large Format Poster

Supported Poster Large Format Printing

In support of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Center of Excellence for faculty and Undergraduate Student Research Collaboration, Learning and Technology Services (LTS) will provide large format poster printing services for documented student faculty collaborative research projects. Current funding will subsidize printing costs for one copy of each documented research project's poster presentation.

How do I get my poster printed?

The http://plot.uwec.edu site is where you will find several areas to assist with your poster creation. One of the more important areas is the "Submit a Plot Request". This is where you will begin the printing process. Remember you will need to place your PowerPoint file on W:\ lts\Plot\Incoming\ before filling out this online form.

What software should I use when preparing my poster?

For this class you will be using PowerPoint to create a large slide that you will have printed as you poster. The size of the slide will be 42 inches high and 46 inches wide. File/Page Setup/Custom. Design tab/Page Setup/Custom [2007].

PowerPoint Hints and Tips

• Holding down the Control (Ctrl) key and using the mouse will make a copy of the item that you are moving/pulling
• The Draw menu (Home tab/Arrange [2007]) will help you align/distribute multiple selected items
• Use the drawing guides to help you align poster elements (View/Grid and Guides.../Grid settings/Display drawing guides on screen [right mouse click outside of slide in Slide View and select Grid settings/Display drawing guides on screen ... 2007])
  • You can create more guides by using the Control key to "pull" out copies
• Use the View/Master/Slide Master [same in 2007 ... the top slide view is the editable master slide] area to change color scheme of the background of the template
• Double clicking the Format Painter will load the properties of the selected item and apply them to any newly selected "like" item

I don't know how to design a poster, what should I do?

Visit a web site on the topic of research poster preparation. Such as:

• http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters

Use a template (save the file to your H:drive) designed for this purpose.

Review a PowerPoint that deals with design concerns.

Are there any basic poster design guidelines?

• Sketch out your design on paper.
• Use sans serif fonts for titles. Arial or Helvetica work well.
  Use serif fonts for body copy. Times New Roman, Palatino, or Garamond work well.
• Suggested font sizes: Note: these are estimates and you may have to adjust for space concerns.
  • Title: Between 72 and 150 points
  • Subheads: ~60 points
  • Body text: ~24 points
• Colors: Use color to unify your poster. Keep contrast high between foreground elements and background. Do not overuse color.
• Determine a logical sequence to your material.
• Edit carefully. Make sure every word and design element adds to your communication.
• Proof carefully.

What elements to include on my research poster?

Header/Title may include:

• Full title of research project
• Student(s) name, faculty mentor's name(s)
• Department Name, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
• University Seal somewhere on the poster

The Research

• Include both text and visual information
• Be clear, concise, and consistent
• Align elements for visual clarity and to avoid distractions

Funding Sources

All posters should state any funding sources that supported their research and poster printing. Examples of these may include:

• Differential Tuition (the free printing of all posters is partially supported by this program … this should be indicated on ALL POSTERS)
• Faculty/Student Research Collaboration
• Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates
• Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
• Extramural Grants
• National Science Foundation

Where can I see sample research posters?

• On-screen examples with critiques.

What should I name my file?

The file name you choose MUST begin with your UW-Eau Claire username.