As a postdoctoral fellow, or the "ignored class" as the creator of the PHD comics Jorge Cham referred to us, I have many things to complain about. Like how how I have a hard time telling my family that I am not "studying" anymore, rather I am now working, with a limited contract, of two years. How I am on the wrong side of 30 and have by biological clock ticking away.
But all is not bad. I had the fortune of donning one of the roles that made me feel a little more important - I was asked to be a poster session judge. That's right, I had to "judge" PhD students.
This made me realize that all these years of being a PhD student, I had no idea on what aspects I was judged on while presenting a poster. All I knew that the judges had some secret coding for marking on sheets- which I just had to wildly figure out whether it was worth staying for the prize distribution ceremony or not. Now that I am on the other side of "judgment", I wanted to prepare a list of points to keep in mind while preparing for the poster.
1. Abstract. That's right, your abstract is also part of your point system. Make your abstract with a clear introduction, aim and conclusion. They need not be subheadings for the same. But structure your abstract so. Most importantly, stick to the word limit. If there is none, then try not to exceed 250-300 words. Long abstracts can be a put off.
2. Structure of the poster.
Don't overcrowd your poster. Let the figures do the talking. Minimize words in legends. Don't include all results. Again, have an introduction, aim and conclusion in your poster, such that a person just going through the poster can understand it quickly without getting a presentation. It is always good to include future prospects of your project.
Don't overcrowd your poster. Let the figures do the talking. Minimize words in legends. Don't include all results. Again, have an introduction, aim and conclusion in your poster, such that a person just going through the poster can understand it quickly without getting a presentation. It is always good to include future prospects of your project.
3. Time your presentation.
It's a very crucial aspect that many overlook. Stick to the time provided to you. Else you may be asked to stop abruptly and you will end up not able to explain your poster completely.
It's a very crucial aspect that many overlook. Stick to the time provided to you. Else you may be asked to stop abruptly and you will end up not able to explain your poster completely.
4. Speak clearly and be audible.
No matter how good your English is, remember that the English accent varies greatly across the world and judges may have a hard time grasping your accent. So speak at a medium pace. You will never be judged for the accent you have or how fluent your English is. But if you can put your point across clearly, then you earn brownie points with the judges! And always remember, the poster area can get very noisy. So brace yourself to increase your voice decibels significantly!
5. Listen carefully to the judge.
You would be asked questions related to your poster or your field. Listen carefully to the question asked. Ask the person to repeat the question if you have not understood it clearly. If you don"t know the answer, let the person know that you will look up for the answer. Be open to criticism and suggestions. Your question-answer session is also part of the scoring system.
6. Don't lose heart if you don't win.
If you don't win anything for your poster, it is absolutely fine. That doesn't mean your work is worthless. If possible, go up to your judging panel member and ask them if there is any specific point you can improve on. You might get some amazing feedback and suggestions that you may never thought of!
7. Do not be in a hurry to remove your poster.
Removing your poster early, even after confirming from a management member can lead to confusion. This is from my personal experience. A student, whom me and my judging panel partner placed first, removed her poster as she was informed by an organizer that she may do so if her poster has not been marked for further round of evaluation. Unfortunately the judging of the first round was not over yet and she removed the poster before it could be marked. So just wait till you are absolutely sure that the posters are not being judged for further evaluation rounds.
Most importantly, always try to present a poster at any conference you are attending. It is a great opportunity to network, to build you communication and interpersonal skills and to discuss your work with people from across the country or even the globe.
These are some tips while preparing for a poster and presenting it. If you think I may have missed a point or two, do let me know!
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