Effective poster and
oral presentations
Purpose of poster
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To show work and excite comment
To generate advice for future work
To obtain feedback for writing up
To make a mark and solicit collaboration
Horses for courses
• Different layout and content needed for
– Fully attended poster
– Poster discussion symposium
– Unsupported poster
• Consider providing paper copies
• Have the organisers arranged for
electronic/CD collection of posters?
Key components
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Abstract
Title
Context/ Introduction
Figures
Summary
Discussion points
Abstract
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Advertisement of work
Basis of selection for display
Attracts viewers
May be citable and attract interest after
meeting
Title
• Also attracts viewers
• Must be legible from distance
• Clear message
Context/Introduction
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Explains why study was done
Limited amount of background
Include hypothesis being tested
Avoid excessive amounts of text
Methods
• Use photographs where possible
• Essential detail only (unless purpose of
poster is to show a new method)
• Use large font
• Use space
Local Allergen Challenge
baseline
10 minutes
Results
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Just key results
Figures preferable to tables
Supply full legends
Logical sequence of experiments/data
Consider summary with linking lines
Logical layout, using board space to
best effect
Title Authors Institution
Abstract
Funding
Intro/
Context
Method
Results
1
Results
3
Legend
Legend
Results
2
Results
4
Legend
Legend
Summary
Disc’n
Points
Title Authors Institution
Abstract
Funding
Intro/
Context
Method
Results
1
Results
3
Legend
Legend
Results
2
Results
4
Legend
Legend
Summary
Disc’n
Points
Summary
• Cogent summary
• Fair & accurate conclusions
• Discussion points
– to excite comments and interest
– to help with further experiments
– to help with writing up paper
Role of presenter
• To engage with passers-by
• To answer queries
• To receive feedback
• Aim is to use time for discussion, not to
explain methods repeatedly!
What makes a good poster?
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Clarity of purpose
Appropriate use of figures and legends
Small amount of legible text
Enthusiastic presenter
Purpose of oral presentation
• To show work and obtain feedback for
writing up
• To make a mark
• OPs are less useful than posters for:
– getting comments and feedback
– getting advice for future work
– getting future collaborations
• Few questions, and usually simple ones
Before starting
• How long have I got?
• How much time is allocated for
discussion?
• Who is the audience?
• What are the main results/points?
– (one sentence summary)
How many slides?
• Aim for one slide per minute
– More is possible but may appear rushed
– Two per minute will always be too many
• Audience need time to orient themselves
• You will usually remember some extra
things that you want to say
• Allow time for changeover and thanks to
organisers etc
Key components of
an oral presentation
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•
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Context/ Introduction
Method
Results
Summary
Discussion points
Context/Introduction
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One slide to explain why study was done
Include hypothesis being tested
Avoid excessive amounts of text
Avoid long explanation of “iconic” cartoon
Consider highlighting the area of interest
EGFR
pro-ligand
eg TGFa
Autocrine
ligand
DEP
EGFR
MMP
membrane
P
P
cell
cytoplasm
TGFa
heparin-binding-EGF
amphiregulin
MAPK
NF-kB
IL-8
nucleus
Mucins
Methods
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How much do you really need to show?
Use photographs if appropriate
Essential detail only
(unless primary purpose of
presentation is to show a new method)
Which works better?
Methods
• Diesel exhaust was generated from an
idling Volvo engine (built 1993), diluted
with filtered ambient air and pumped
into an exposure chamber in the next
room.
• On control days the engine was left
running but only filtered air was supplied
to the chamber
• Particulate and gas concentrations were
measured on a continuous basis
OR …...
Diesel engine testbed (National Inst of Working Life, Umeå)
Diesel exposure chamber (National Inst of Working Life, Umeå)
Results
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Identify key results and stick to them
Avoid data tables
Avoid figures from papers
Prepare figures to show key points
Results -common faults
• This is a very busy slide, but if you look
over here in the corner you can see…..
• As you can clearly see…..
• I’m sorry. I made this slide for another
meeting, but if you ignore this part of the
graph……
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Some of you at the back may not be able to read this
Laser Pointers/Highlights
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Use laser pointer sparingly
Support your wrist
Don’t “hosepipe”
Consider using powerpoint features to
draw audience to your key points: e.g.
– ring highlights
– building up graphs
Cytokine mRNA in BAL cells before
and 24h after Ag challenge
Pre
24h
Post
Allergy & Farming
Riedler et al Lancet 2001;358:1129-33
% of children
40
35
30
Neither
Milk <1
Byre <1
Both <1
Either >1
25
20
15
10
5
0
Asthma
Hay Fever
Atopy
Try explaining …...
T-cell
(via APC)
Ag
IL-4
B-cell
IgE
IL-4
Mast
cell
IgE
IL-5
Tryptase
leukotrienes
Chemotaxis
Migration
Activation
Recruitment
Epithelial
damage
OR …...
Ag
IgE
Mast
cell
IgE
Tryptase
leukotrienes
Epithelial
damage
Ag
IgE
Mast
cell
IgE
Tryptase
leukotrienes
Chemotaxis
Migration
Activation
Recruitment
Epithelial
damage
Ag
B-cell
IgE
Mast
cell
IgE
Tryptase
leukotrienes
Chemotaxis
Migration
Activation
Recruitment
Epithelial
damage
T-cell
(via APC)
Ag
IL-4
B-cell
IgE
Mast
cell
IgE
Tryptase
leukotrienes
Chemotaxis
Migration
Activation
Recruitment
Epithelial
damage
T-cell
(via APC)
Ag
IL-4
B-cell
IgE
IL-4
Mast
cell
IgE
IL-5
Tryptase
leukotrienes
Chemotaxis
Migration
Activation
Recruitment
Epithelial
damage
For complex built-up
figures, make whole
figure, then make copies
and delete parts
Summary
• Bullet points only
• Discussion points
– to acknowledge weaknesses
– to compare with previous knowledge
– to excite comments and interest
– to help with writing up paper
Acknowledgements
• Can take a long time
• Often excessive
• Often uses up a large proportion of
discussion time
– especially if your presentation or the whole
session is running late
• Consider giving acknowledgements at
beginning (as part of title slide)
Oral presentation
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Plan to use your time wisely
Leave time for discussion
Prepare clear figures to show results
Use powerpoint features,
– but don’t overdo it
• Speak slowly - “Less is more”
• Give audience some ideas for discussion
• Rehearse with an honest friend