Presentation Guidelines

Judges shall evaluate oral and poster presentations for each division based on the following criteria.

1. Presentation adequately discussed points covered in the submitted abstract.
2. The presenter appeared knowledgeable and informed.
3. Presenter was engaging and enthusiastic.
4. The material was presented in an organized, coherent fashion.
   For Posters—visual appeal, organization & flow.
5. Student was articulate, focused, and maintained good eye contact with audience.
6. Where appropriate, technology was used effectively during presentation. Presenter responded knowledgeably to audience questions.

Judges will not necessarily be professors from the presenter's department.

The graphics you use to support the spoken word should help clarify ideas, emphasize key points, show relationships, and provide the visual information your audience needs to understand your message. Please see the recommendations below:

• Keep visuals clear and simple. Abbreviate your message.
• Avoid the overuse of too many colors, patterns, and graphics.
• Powerpoint – Use a minimum of words for text and title frames. Five to eight lines per frame and five to seven words per line are the maximum—less is more
• Title case lettering is more legible than all uppercase letters.
• Vary the size of lettering to emphasize headings and subheadings, but avoid using more than three font sizes per frame.
• Use easy-to-read font styles such as Helvetica.
• Try to maintain the same or similar type font size from frame to frame. Even if some frames have less copy than others, avoid the “lonely” word on a screen.
• Contrasting colors work best. Use a light background color with darker colors for text and graphics.
• Highlight your main point or heading with a dominant color (example: red heading, black body copy on light background).
• Avoid intensely bright colors that compete with the text or don’t show up well on background (example, yellow text on white background.
• Keep color scheme consistent throughout your presentation. Changing colorings and type styles can be confusing and will distract from your message.
• In addition to the use of graphics, photographs can provide an excellent means for communication. Combined with simple straightforward graphics, illustrations, cartoons and artwork, the photographs will bring another dimension to your presentation.

Posters have become an increasingly popular method for presentation of research at scientific meetings, as they promote greater interaction between the researcher and other scientists. A properly constructed poster can be used repeatedly, and become part of a long-term display.

• Limit the size of your poster to 4’ high x 8’ wide.
• Include the abstract title, author name[s], and the institution where the work was completed in large letters centered at the top of the poster. Place your address, phone, and email address in the upper right-hand corner.
• Place a reproduction of the abstract in the upper left side of the poster, and use the headings introduction, methods, results, and conclusions to identify your poster layout.
• Posters should stimulate discussion. Therefore, keep text to a minimum.
  Emphasize graphics and assure that every item included is necessary.
• Distribute handouts to supplement your poster.
• As a rule of thumb, use a font size of at least 14 point and double space. Materials must be easily read at a distance of 4 feet. Ordinary type or carelessly prepared handwritten copy is unacceptable.
• Place related materials (e.g. photo with accompanying text) close together, and highlight it by framing with blank space.
• Space your information proportionally: divide your poster either horizontally or vertically into three or four sections, and place your materials within those spaces.
• When choosing a background, remember that light, neutral or gray colors will be easier on the eyes than bright colors. In addition, color photos look best when mounted on gray or white.

Bring pushpins, thumbtacks or Velcro to mount your poster. These items will not be provided to you at the forum.

Presenters must be at the assigned space during the designated time to discuss the work presented.

Symposium Finalists wishing to have their posters printed in-house by the College of Arts and Sciences:

• Maximum poster size: 40" x 96".
• Your file page size must be set to the actual size to be printed. The Graphic Studio will not resize files.
• Students must deliver press-ready files to the Graphic Studio by Wednesday April 14, 2010. Posters will be printed on a first-come, first-served basis. We cannot guarantee that a poster will be printed if it is dropped off late.
• Please contact Miriam Ahmed if you have questions about how to make your file press-ready and to schedule a file drop-off.
• There is no charge for this service.

Graphic Studio
Locke Hall, Room B-19 (Duplicating Center)
Contact: Miriam Ahmed
Office: (202) 806-6714 (if no answer, call cell or email)
Cell: (202) 203-8010
Email: mahmed@howard.edu