PowerPoint is the recommended program for poster creation at MCPHS, since it is a presentation-orientated application that is available to all faculty and students. (Note: If you prefer to use another application, like Adobe Illustrator or Quark, your work will need to be saved as a PDF for printing purposes.)
The first step after opening a blank presentation in PowerPoint is to make sure your slide is sized correctly for the type of poster you are creating. For all but the two largest sizes listed on the Poster Sizes tab, your slides should match the size of the poster you are trying to create. This can be done by clicking on the Design tab on the ribbon at the top, then clicking on the "Slide Size" dropdown menu (at the right of the window) and then selecting "Custom Slide Size..." This will bring up a dialog box. Click on the dropdown menu labeled "Slides Sized For:" and select the last option "Custom." Then enter the width and height of your poster, click OK , and select "Ensure Fit." Since PowerPoint slides cannot be wider than 56 inches, to create conference size posters, you will want make your slides exactly half of your desired size (21" x" 30" for 42"x60", and 21"x36" for 42"x72") and then design your poster at half-scale. Just make sure to specify what the final poster size will be when you submit the poster for printing. See the video below for a detailed demonstration of how to resize your PowerPoint file.
We will return to PowerPoint periodically as this guide continues on to cover other parts of the design process. For tips on getting started on a basic layout, please continue to the next section, Layout,Text and Color.
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