Poster Production: Layout,Text and Color

Layout Guidelines

• Use headings to help readers find key sections. Include Title, Author’s Name and Affiliation, Introduction, Objective or Abstract, Methods, Data, Results, Conclusions, References, Disclosure, as needed.
• Balance the placement of text and graphics.
• Use white space creatively to define flow of information.
• Don't fight "reader gravity" that pulls eye from top to bottom, left to right.
• Good column formatting makes posters easier to read in a crowd.
• For tri-fold posters:  Generally text and graphics do not look good when they are in a fold, so try to adjust your text boxes and graphics accordingly.

Text Guidelines

• Use phrases rather than full sentences.
• Use an active voice.
• Avoid jargon (depends somewhat on your audience).

Fonts and Sizing

Use easy to read fonts for all text: (Arial, Calibri, Garamond, Geneva, Lucida, Palatino, Tahoma, Times Roman). Stay away from Word Art or Script Type fonts.

Guidelines for font size:

• Titles: 48 point or larger.
• Section Titles: 24 to 36 point.
• General Text: 12 to 24 point.
• Graphic Labels: 10 to 14 point.
• Text in figures should also be large.
• Title can be up to two inches tall.

(NOTE: These are guidelines! Not Absolutes. The final font size depends on the size of your poster.)

Color Guidelines

• Use colors that relate to and enhance your message.
• Use light text on dark backgrounds.
• Use dark text on light backgrounds.
• Stick to a theme of 2-3 colors, if possible.
• Overly bright colors will attract attention, but wear out readers' eyes.
• Beware of complimentary colors such as red & green. These are often very hard to read if used side by side.

Additional Resource

The following video, from American Journal Experts, provides a good overview of how to lay out a research poster: