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STEM Research Posters: Create

image of a poster session. Student discussing his poster.

This guide will help you design a clear, engaging, & professional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) research poster. In STEM we use posters to present our projects & research in class, a conference, or a science fair.

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  • Communicate your research quickly & clearly
  • Spark interest & conversation
  • Highlight your findings visually & concisely

Programs have a specific poster size & setup they will want you to use, you will want to take direction from faculty program leads or the rules of the institution or conference you plan on sharing your research with. Poster sessions typically only last for an hour or two, but your poster may be displayed for much longer than that. How do you engage & interact with your audience when you’re not there? A well-designed & informative poster that effectively communicates the key findings of your research is your primary goal.  Here are some things to consider when designing your poster:

  • Keep it concise: Use bullet points, short sentences, & active voice. Communicate your research quickly & clearly.
  • Tell a story: Part of your goal is to spark interest & conversation in your topic. Show the flow, what was the problem, what did you do, what did you find? Highlight your findings visually & concisely
  • Use visuals wisely: Graphs should be labeled & easy to interpret.
  • Know your audience: Avoid jargon unless you are sure your audience will understand it.
  • Common sizes: 48" x 36" or 56" x 42"
  • Check the event requirements
  • Speak with the person printing the poster

Sections in Order As Follows:

  1. Title
  2. Authors & Affiliations
  3. Abstract
  4. Introduction / Background
  5. Hypothesis / Research Question
  6. Methods
  7. Results
  8. Discussion / Conclusion
  9. Future Work
  10. References
  11. Acknowledgments
  • Short, catchy title
  • Communicate your research quickly & clearly. Spark interest & conversation.
  • Bullets, numbering, & headings that make it easy to read
  • Consistent & clean layout
  • Use columns & group related information. Viewers should follow your story from left to right, top to bottom.
  • Important information can be read from 10 feet away
  • Include citations for any sources used Avoid jargons & acronyms
  • Includes acknowledgments, your name, & institutional affiliation

Colors

Do: Use 2–3 colors max; use contrast for readability

Don't: Overuse bright colors or harsh backgrounds

Tip: Use certified tools to check color contrast, WebAim

Fonts

Do: Use sans-serif fonts (Arial, Calibri); keep it consistent

Don't: Use fancy or script fonts

Tip: Learn about font types, & readability, ADACompliance

Text Size

Do: Title: 85–100 pt; Headings: 40–60 pt; Body: 24–36 pt

Don't: Use small fonts that require close reading

Tip: Learn about font, spacing, & more Accessibility Checking

Whitespace

Do: Allow breathing room between elements

Don't: Cram everything into one block

Tip: Learn how you use whitespace in design, DocHipo

Graphics

Do: Use charts, diagrams, & images with captions

Don't: Avoid low-res or unclear visuals

Tip: Learn about sizing & standards Anthro Association

Consistency

Do: Align text, use same spacing & margins

Don't: Use random sizes, colors, or formats

Tip: Don't be messy, checkout FourWaves & learn more

Click an image to enlarge.

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Image of a research poster. Columns and rows of information about a topic with images.   Image of a poster example with bar, line, and other types of graphs.