Preparation

Poster and Abstract Preparation Guidelines

Presenter Instructions
Abstract Preparation
Poster Preparation Guidelines
Judging Criteria
Web Resources

Poster Presentations and Award Ceremony
April 1, 2008 - 10:00 -- The Rose Theatre

Online Application Deadline
Online applications must be received on or before 4:30 p.m., March 13, 2008. Applications received after this date will not be accepted.

Presenter Instructions
Posters MUST BE set up between 9:30 and 10 a.m. IT IS UP TO THE STUDENT TO PROVIDE AND INSTALL THE TRI-FOLD POSTER BEFORE THE FORUM (dimensions, 36 x 48 inches flat, 36 x 24 inches folded). These may be purchased from the University Bookstore, while supplies last.

When you arrive, register, pick up your name tag and packet, look for the sign with your classification (graduate or undergraduate) and category (ex: Business), and set up your TRIFOLD POSTER at the appropriate table. Judging begins at 10 a.m. Please be present for the judges to talk with you. Students who participate in poster presentations will be sent additional information after March 25, 2008.


Abstract Preparation The abstract page provides a brief summary of the proposed presentation. Abstracts are printed in the forum program. The abstract should be carefully prepared and proofread. Abstracts should be informative and include: 1. Title of Presentation: must be 15 words or less (lower and upper case). 2. Presenter: This is the first author and should be the first name on the presenter line. Indicate the name and the department. 3. Co-Presenter(s): Indicate the name. 4. Abstract: 75-100 words in a single paragraph using either Arial 10-point font or Times New Roman 12-point font. Only students’ names should appear as presenters or co-presenters. Submit the abstract on the online application form and as a Microsoft Word attachment in an email to kenelson@memphis.edu. In the "Subject" line of your email, type SRF and your name. Include your presentation title, your name and your academic department in the body of your message. Each copy MUST contain all of the information as described in the preparation guidelines. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.


Poster Preparation Guidelines
The temptation to overload the poster should be resisted. More material may mean less communication. The poster itself provides the highlights of the story, including graphs and diagrams, while the presenter verbally fills in the details and explains the story to the audience. The text should be in a “normal” font such as Times or Palatino. Do not use all capitals because this is too hard to read. The sections of your poster should line up and be arranged in a clear flow pattern reflecting the framework of your story. The text of the different sections needs to be readable from different distances: title - 15 feet, authors names & affiliations - 10 feet, figure titles - 6 to 8 feet, figure captions - 3 to 4 feet, text (introduction, etc.) - 3 to 4 feet,and text on figures - 3 to 4 feet.
The poster should contain: 1. Title: A one-sentence, actively descriptive, title describing the main message and the authors’ names and department (ex: a poster title such as “Caffeine Consumption is Positively Correlated with Sleeplessness in College Students” is a better title than “The Effect of Caffeine on College Students.”) 2. Introduction: 2 – 4 paragraphs 3. Methods: 1 – 2 paragraphs/technique 4. Results: Figures including titles, a figure number, and descriptive captions ("figure legends"). A brief section describing the tests you ran and linking them to the Figures. The ordering of the figures in the results section should provide the framework of your research “story.” 5. Discussion: Describes your results and conclusions. Conclusions may be in paragraph form or a bulleted or numbered list. The other option is to have a combined Results/Discussion/Conclusion section. 6. References: A list of the references used in your poster, in APA format.
Judging Criteria Each presentation will be evaluated by at least two judges on a scale of 100 points. (30 Points) Conception and Execution Is this project well conceived and executed? Is the research question clearly presented in the context of past research or literature? Does the research design or mode of inquiry follow from the research question? (30 Points) Content Does the project result in defensible conclusions or interpretations that are clearly explained and meaningfully related? (30 Points) Command of Scholarship Judging from the student’s presentation and responses to questions, is there a fundamental grounding in the subject matter? Does the student understand the larger context of the inquiry and the relationship between his/her work and the scholarly tradition of which it is part? (10 Points) Visual Presentation Considering the topic, how well did the student summarize and display key points?
Web Resources To get help with designing your poster, check out the following websites. Designing Effective Posters How to make a great poster Mortal Sins in Poster Presentation: How to Give the Poster No One Remembers
Presenter Instructions Abstract Preparation Poster Preparation Guidelines Judging Criteria Web Resources