Scholars Day poster session event

Goal: An abstract should provide a short but clear statement of your research project. In one to three sentences, it tells the reader the purpose of the paper, the methodology used, the results, and the importance of the results.

Best Practices: A well-crafted abstract will touch on four main elements of the project, as described below. You’ll want to think through each element carefully, even though you may just touch on it in the abstract. Remember, an abstract is SHORT!!!

• Purpose:  Explain the purpose of your paper. State the primary objectives and scope of the paper. What is the rationale for your research? Why did you choose the topic of research? Is the topic you are researching an ignored or newly discovered one? Why is it significant? What is your thesis statement?

• Methods:  Clearly state the methodology (techniques or approaches) used in your paper. What is the method or “lens” you are using for analysis? What is the larger organizational structure?

• Results:  Describe your results so far. What have you learned or revealed in your research? Give special priority to new findings that contradict previous theories. (In other words, have there been any surprises?)

• Conclusion:  Describe the implications of the results. Why are the results of your research important to your field? This is a time to emphasize the “so what” factor.

• Length: The abstract should be no more than 75 words.

Example of a completed abstract:

This interpretive study analyzes the journals of middle-school girls who attend an urban public school to determine how they use journal writing to negotiate the joys and difficulties of adolescence. Comparing the journals with statements gained through interviews, the study shows that writing is used as an outlet for positive but not negative emotions and therefore challenges previous research on the topic. (word count: 62)

(Sources: www.honors.umass.edu/abstract-guidelines)

A tri-fold poster board is recommended. Mount each standard-sized piece of paper individually on a colored board of its own of slightly larger dimensions. This frame each poster segment with a nicer border and makes for a versatile poster that can be put up anywhere, yet knocks down easily to fit into your backpack for transport.

Make title large enough to read easily from a considerable distance (20-25 feet). Titles in all capital letters are harder to read. Keep it to one line. Put all the authors and institutional affiliations just below to your title. Use smaller font than title.

Use a type size that can be read at a distance of about four feet or better. For text, recommend to use 20-point size. 14-point type is suitable only for fine print. If not enough room, shorten your text.

Font types are easy to read: Times Roman, Baskerville, Century Schoolbook, Palatino. Do not get too creative.

Break up poster into sections, like the sections in a scientific article. Label all the sections with titles and lay the poster segments in a logical order:

• Introduction/background

• Hypothesis/research question

• Methods

• Results

• Discussion/conclusion

It is best to set up in a columnar format, so the readers proceeds vertically first, from top to bottom, then left to right.

People spend about three to five minutes at each poster so get to the heart of the matter and keep it simple. Keep in mind the purpose of your poster is to explain:

• The question

• Significance (Why should we care?)

• Methods (What did you do?)

• Results (What did you find?)

• Conclusion (What does it all mean?)

• Limitations/future studies

Avoid jargon, write plainly, can be less formal than paper.

Make sure to include “acknowledgement” at the bottom of the poster. Who provided the funding for this study or who made the study possible?

Don’t block your poster. Do not stand in front of your poster. Stand to the side.

Don’t badger people. Give them space but be around to answer questions.