Check the specifications of the poster. A poster's typical size is four feet tall by six feet wide with a one-inch margin on each side. The banner heading spans the width of the poster and then the information is divided into three vertical columns to allow easy reading. Popular fonts include Times, Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica. Except for on the banner, the recommended font size is 16 to 18 point. The poster should briefly summarize each part of your research and be visually appealing so that it attracts attention from attendees in the conference hall.
Design the top part of the poster, known as the banner. Its dimensions should be 10 to 12 inches tall and four feet wide. The content should include the title of the poster, the name or names of the researchers and the name of the sponsoring institution. The logo of the sponsoring institution is typically placed on the left-hand side of the banner. The title of the banner should be interesting and readable as attendees walk past; a font size between 24 - 32 point is appropriate.
Add the abstract you used in the paper, summarizing the research question, methods, results and conclusions. It should be placed in 16- to 18-point font and located at the top of the first column on the left-hand side.
Compose the introduction, sometimes referred to as the background and objectives section. This section should include answers as to why the study is important and what additional knowledge it will add to the body of literature. You should place it underneath the abstract in the first column of the research poster. Use the same font size as you did for the abstract and make it consistent throughout the poster.
Compile the data and methods section. If your paper is a statistical analysis, you should include where, when, with whom and how the data was collected and analyzed. Work of a qualitative nature should include the same detail and the how the research was conducted. Consider who your audience will consist of and explain any technical terms if there may be participants who are not familiar with your type of research design. This section should be located in the middle column.
Write the results section. You can place this in the middle and last column of your research poster. Include any statistical data in tables or that help assist in understanding your results. Don't try to include a huge amount of information; only use the salient points. The most effective posters leave a sufficient amount of room to avoid overload and succinct delivery the material.
Write the conclusion and locate it in the last column. The conclusion should be a summary of how you've answered your research question throughout the paper. It should also state how your findings can assist with future policy or programs.