In May of this year, Research Retold held a workshop for postgraduate researchers at the University of Sheffield, helping them in creating engaging research posters for non-academic audiences.

Here are some photos from the event which displayed the posters created by the participants of the workshop.

The workshop was three hours long. However, in this blog I condensed the key principles and tips to consider when creating your research poster.

Before we delve into the principles of designing an engaging research poster, it’s helpful to look at the reasons behind creating one.

Why create a poster for your research project? 

Deciding why you want to create a research poster and what you hope to accomplish with it are necessary steps in creating an effective one.

Some researchers produce posters because they serve as an overview of their findings for their peers, enabling them to offer feedback and ask questions [1]. Posters, however, can be more than that. 

When used as a networking tool at conferences, a concise and easily readable poster can pique people’s interest in your work, compel them to strike up a conversation and give you an opportunity to provide more information about your research project. 

The content created for a poster can also be adapted to create a visual summary of your findings, that you may find helpful to take to in person meetings with stakeholders or at conferences.

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Principles for creating engaging research posters

Now let’s discuss some principles for how to create an engaging research poster.

Here is an example of a simple and clear poster layout by Mike Morrison designed to ensure that the key finding or take home message is featured in the centre [2].

2. View your poster from your audience’s perspective
   
   Imagine yourself as a participant at a conference, surrounded by keen researchers showcasing their unique research. As a participant, you would want to learn about as many projects as possible. 
   
   However, in a room full of posters, it’s common to feel overwhelmed by too much information, often presented in small, hard-to-read text (Tip 4 will help with this!). This can discourage interaction and make it difficult to retain key points [1]. 
   
   That’s why user-friendly design should be your priority. Focus on how you can make it easier for attendees, who are genuinely interested in your research, to quickly and clearly understand and retain the key message of your research.
   

3. Use your research’s theme creatively
   
   Once you’ve identified the key information for your poster, think about how to creatively showcase the theme of your research. 
   
   Consider innovative ways to visually communicate your message. For example, one participant in our workshop conducted her research on young people’s trust in news in the age of AI, and designed her poster in the layout of a newspaper [3]. This is creative and speaks directly to the theme of her research.

4. Less text and large font size
   
   Consider your research poster as your elevator pitch. You can only include the information which is absolutely necessary for a non-expert audience to understand your research in 5-10 minutes.
   
   Therefore, it is essential to keep the text concise (±250 words for one page). Use clear headings and bullet points to break up the content, making it easier to digest. Additionally, use large font sizes, ensuring that the body text does not drop below size 28 for an A0 poster, to guarantee readability for all viewers.
   
   By all means, if you want to include more detail, for fellow researchers, or to be covered in case someone asks something technical, you can always prepare a hand out. For example, a simple A4 document with more details about the methodology, findings or key graphs should be enough.

5. Find the right colour combination
   
   When it’s not compulsory to use your organisation or university’s branding, don’t hesitate to explore other colour combinations to make your poster more engaging.
   
   You can find inspiration from online resources [4 and 5], and remember to ensure that the contrast maintains readability. 
   
   Keep in mind that colours often appear differently on screen compared to in print. Therefore, it’s wise to print a test copy of your poster to check the colours before placing a professional order.

6. Use relevant images
   
   Consider using photos you’ve taken yourself, whether from your fieldwork or workshops you’ve facilitated for your research. Alternatively, you can also find free-to-use graphics from resources such as Unsplash and Wikimedia Commons. While sourcing relevant images can be enjoyable, be careful not to add too many, as this can make the poster cluttered and distract the audience  from your key message. Less is more.

7. Information to include at the end of your poster
   
   The structure of your poster will differ based on your creative approach to structuring your poster content. However, it is essential to include your contact information and a clear call to action. This can include directing people to your project’s website to learn more or encouraging them to fill out a form. You can do this by creating a QR code and including it at the end of your poster. Some people also choose to add their social media handles.

In conclusion

By applying the seven principles outlined in this blog, you can enhance the effectiveness of your research poster and create something engaging. Ultimately, a well-designed poster encourages meaningful interactions – it’s a conversation starter and a summary of your work. Certainly what matters most is that you feel confident next to your poster, look people in the eye and make genuine connections on the day :)

Need help in creating engaging research posters for your project? Let’s have a chat!

This article was written by Navya Khanna, Project Manager at Research Retold.

The article draws from the workshop facilitated by Mihaela Guria for postgraduate researchers of University of Sheffield on how to create engaging posters in May 2024.

This article also draws on the following sources:

1. Why make a poster? (2022), Southwestern University 
2. How to design an excellent scientific poster (2020), The John Innes Centre
3. Nabila Cruz, Trust in the news among young audiences in the age of AI [Online poster] (2024), University of Sheffield
4. 100 inspiring color combinations, Canva
5. Jeffrey Shaffer, 5 tips on designing colour-blind-friendly visualizations, Tableau blog