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Research poster: lead with one result, then add the detail

A research poster is a one-sheet summary of a study that the presenter stands beside during a conference session, so a passing viewer can grasp the question, the method and the main result in a few minutes. The key judgement is which single result the poster leads with, because every section and figure has to support it. Longer detail can sit on a companion web page, but the printed board still has to work on its own in the session.

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Format notes

Order the board for a viewer who has one minute

Lead with one result

Choose the finding a passing viewer should remember and place it in the top band, at the largest size on the board. Background and methods still matter, but they come after the result that gives them a point.

Make each figure carry its own message

Use a numbered figure with a caption that states what it shows in a full sentence. Label the axes and units, and remove any series that does not support the message. If a figure needs a paragraph to decode, simplify it or move it to the companion page.

Check the conference's board rules first

Sessions set their own board size, orientation and attachment rules. Read the call for posters before you design, because a layout built for a web page is usually the wrong shape for a board.

Treat the web page as a companion

Content Creator produces one self-contained HTML page. It does not export a print file, so the board itself still has to be made in your conference template or your own design tool. Use the page for full methods, the data table and the links a viewer would otherwise ask you to repeat.

Weak and strong wording

Turn topic labels into findings

Weak: This study looks at sleep and attention in students.

Strong: Participants who [condition] scored [higher or lower] than those who [comparison] on [measure] ([your effect size and sample size]).

The stronger line states the direction of the finding and the measure. Fill the brackets only with numbers from your own analysis.

Weak: Future work is needed.

Strong: Next, we will test whether the pattern holds for evening-programme students, using the same attention task.

A next step names the group and the measure, so a reader knows what a follow-up would settle.

Weak: Thanks to everyone who helped.

Strong: Thanks to the lab technicians who ran the sessions and to the participants who agreed to the recordings.

Acknowledgements name the contribution. Naming the consent also shows that the study followed its own rules.

Weak: More details are available online.

Strong: Full methods and the raw data table are on the companion page linked under the title.

A viewer can act on a specific place. A vague pointer sends them back to ask you in person.

Quality checklist

Check the board before the session

The title, authors and affiliations match the study and the institutions you are allowed to show.
One sentence states the main result, and every figure supports that sentence.
Each figure has a numbered caption that states its finding, and its axes and units are labelled.
Methods are short enough to read in about a minute, with the detail moved to the companion page.
Any logo, photo or image has permission for this use, and people in photos have agreed to appear.
Contact details are your own, and the address on the board is one you want strangers to use.
Preliminary results are labelled preliminary, not presented as settled.

Share the finished page

Decide who sees the poster and when

Team link

Share the companion page with co-authors and your supervisor before the session, so they can correct names, affiliations and figures. Only members of your workspace can open a team link, so co-authors and your supervisor need to be members to see it.

Public link

Publish a public link when the result is ready for anyone to read. Check the conference rules and any journal policy first, because some venues limit what can be posted before a paper is accepted.

HTML download

Download the HTML file of the version you showed, and name it with the session and the date. A downloaded copy does not change when you edit the page, which makes it a useful record of what was presented.

Mistakes to avoid

Common ways a poster loses its viewer

Printing the paper on the board

A board that reads like a paper gives a passer-by nothing to hold on to. Move the detail to the companion page and keep the board to one question, one method summary and one result.

Figures without a sentence of meaning

A chart with a title and no conclusion asks the viewer to do the analysis for you. Write one sentence under each figure that says what it shows.

Presenting a preliminary result as settled

Label preliminary findings as preliminary on both the board and the page. Once a link has been shared, a reader may repeat what they saw, so the status has to be clear from the start.

Leaving the contact line vague

A board with no name or working address leaves viewers nowhere to go. Add an address you check, and say what kind of follow-up you welcome.

Frequently asked questions

Can I download a research poster as a PDF?

No. Content Creator makes one self-contained HTML page, and you can download that HTML file. It does not export a PDF or a print-ready board, so make the printed poster in your conference template or your own design tool.

What sections does a research poster need?

Many boards follow one order: a title block with authors and affiliations, the question or background, methods, results with figures, a conclusion and contact details. Some conferences add a references line. Follow the order your session asks for, and keep each section short enough to read while standing.

How much text should a research poster have?

Only what a viewer needs to understand each figure. Short sentences and clear headings work better than paragraphs. Full methods, long tables and reference lists belong on the companion page, where a reader can take their time.

Can I link a research poster to a web page with a QR code?

Content Creator does not make QR codes, so create the code with a separate tool and point it at the companion page's link. Test the link on a phone before the session, and check that it still opens after you update the page.

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How to build it

Follow the eight-step wizard: type, assets and description, images, branding, contact and call to action, Atty Suggestions, blueprint, and generate. Atty generates one HTML page in the background. Review it, then publish and share the page link or download the HTML file.