Posters

When you register for the HORIZONS event, you will need to choose how you will present your work: as a poster or as an oral presentation. If you choose a poster, please review the following:

• Who Can Participate?

  If you completed a research or creative project during the academic year 2023-2024, you are encouraged to share your work at HORIZONS. Note: students who received Richter Memorial grant funding are required to participate.

• What is a Research Poster?

  Posters are widely used in the academic community, and most conferences include poster sessions.  Research posters summarize research concisely and attractively to help publicize it and generate discussion. At a conference (and HORIZONS), the researcher stands by the poster display while attendees come and view the presentation and interact with the author.

• What Makes a Poster "Good"?

  A good poster conveys your important information in a concise and visually appealing way. Ideally, your poster should be readable from about 10 feet away. Here are some other things to consider:

  • Title is short and draws interest
  • Word count of about 300 to 800 words
  • Text is clear and to the point, with a consistent and clean layout throughout
  • Use of bullets, numbering, and headlines make it easy to read
  • Effective use of graphics, color, and fonts
  • Includes acknowledgments (to the Richter Memorial Fund, for example), your name and Knox College affiliation (with a Knox logo)

• What Size Should My Poster Be?

  All HORIZONS posters must be sized at 24x36 inches. Feel free to use the below 24x36 templates rather than searching elsewhere on the web:

  • Template 1
  • Template 2
  • Template 3
  • Template 4
  • Template 5
  • Template 6

  If you wish to use your own template from Powerpoint or Google Slides, make sure it’s sized at 24x36 inches or we won’t be able to print it for you!

  Save your poster as a PDF after it’s complete.

• Where Do I Begin in Designing My Poster?

  Start by answering these three questions:

  1. What is the most important/interesting/astounding finding from my research or creative project?
  2. How can I best visually share my research with HORIZONS attendees? Should I use charts, graphs, photos, images? What will be most appealing?
  3. What kind of information should I convey during my brief talk (2-5 minutes, when attendees stop by your poster) that will complement my poster?
• How Do I Lay Out My Content (And Make It Look Awesome)?

  Think about the visual appeal of your poster before you start designing. Check out this helpful 2-page guide on how to create a high-quality poster (Hope College). Learn about the elements of a successful poster (Dr. Colin Purrington), and poster design tips (University of Buffalo). Finally, learn how to change your poster template’s colors.

• How Will My Poster Be Printed?

  The Vovis Center will print your poster before the event, assuming that:

  - Your poster is sized correctly (24x36) -- see "What size should my poster be?" above
  - The file is named correctly: as a combination of HORIZONS, your username and size e.g. horizons2023-rmdavis-24x36
  - The poster was submitted via this HORIZONS Submission Form by due April 28
  
  Your poster will be hanging in the Alumni Hall Trustees Room or nearby on the third floor of Alumni Hall on Friday May 17, ready for you!
  
  If you wish to print the poster yourself (at your own expense), you must still submit the Project Submission Form by April 28and indicate that you will print on your own. Bring your printed copy of the poster to the Vovis Center by May 13 at 5:00pm.

• What Should I Say When Folks Stop By My Poster?

  Be prepared to give a brief 2-4 minute overview of your project when attendees come to see your poster. Focus on the key points: research question, methods, findings, and further questions or opportunities for future research. Also be prepared for questions you might receive - what might those questions be and how would you answer them?