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Draper Application Resources: Create a Poster

Spring 2021

The following guide was prepared for a Government class at Smith. It includes a number of useful links for anyone working on a presentation poster.

Although the 2021 Draper competition will feature online presentations instead of physical posters, you may find useful tips here.

A good poster...

  • Summarizes your work.
  • Conveys a message visually.
  • Is readable from about four feet away.
  • Has a clearly discernible organization.
  • Uses columns, sections, headings, and blocks of text to organize your content.
  • Selectively incorporates charts, graphs, photographs, and other supporting graphics.
  • Uses only as much text as necessary. Posters are visual communication.

thanks to University of Nevada - Reno librarians

Getting Started

Goal: Summarize your research by creating a poster to present to the class

How-to Guides

Five rules of design

  1. Create your poster at actual size --scaling at the end will make you cry.
  2. Title font should be ~80-90pt. This should be the largest font on the page
  3. Corollary: don’t hide your name/contact info! 50+ pt
  4. Use headers and blocks to visually break up space and move the eye along
  5. Avoid excessive text. Be concise. Use visual elements when you can. No excess words.
  6. Plan your poster

thanks to University of Nevada - Reno librarians

Poster examples