WLAC Poster Guidelines

A poster is used to communicate clearly and concisely the information you would like to share. Each submission must be self-explanatory, allowing judges to view it without a live presentation, that means your project (be a poster, slideshow, or video) must stand on its own.

Planning

First spend time of identifying the key points you would like to communicate.
- What is your main message?
- What does your viewer need to know? What are the most important/interesting facts?
- Do not burden your audience with superfluous information, keep it focus on the vital elements.

Then decide how to communicate this information.
- Remember that “a picture is worth a thousand words”.
- How, through images, charts, graphs, lists, or short paragraphs, can your poster communicate the essential points that you want to convey?

Designing

Your poster should be well organized, with clear headings and subheadings. The structure depends on the information you are presenting. For example, do you report a research or an experimental project?

Structure

Possible Poster Structures
If you report a project, your structure could be:	I you present an experimental project, your structure could be:
Title	Title
Introduction (Background)	Introduction (Background)
Definition of problem	Materials and Methods
Possible solutions	Results
Implementation	Conclusion
Evaluation

Layout

Here are a few tips to think of when creating your poster:
- Think simple. Emphasize your key points.
  - But do not oversimplify (too little useful information) or overcomplicate (too much information).
  - Less is more, limit the density of text.
- Text:
  - Choose fonts that are easy to read, not too small, and with a good contrast with the background.
- Graphics:
  - You’ll need at least 3 visuals (pictures, graphs, or charts).
  - Each visual needs a caption, including your source (at a minimum—you may want to include more information in the caption).

Finishing touches

Check for spelling and/or grammar errors.

Producing

Consider your artistic, design, and software skills

These are the acceptable Programs and Formats that you could use:
- Posters: Prezi.com, Powerpoint, or Infographics
- Slide Shows: Must auto-run, or somehow be viewed without an operator
- Video: Youtube or Vimeo - with or without audio

Remember that your project must stand on its own. Each submission must be self-explanatory, allowing judges to view it without a live presentation.

The run-time of videos and presentations must be no longer than five minutes.

Please do not include your name(s) or professor’s name on the You will include this information on the application and submission forms.

Checklist

Use this checklist to make sure your poster qualifies for the Showcase. Make sure you can check every box, or your poster will not be considered for a prize.

Checklist
Check	Criteria
	Your poster has at least three visuals (pictures, charts, graphs, illustrations).
	Your poster’s title is clearly displayed.
	You have identified the sources of all information, including visuals.
	The name(s) of the poster creator(s) and their professors are not displayed.
	The format of your poster is on the approved list above.
	The run-time of videos and presentations is no longer than five minutes

Remember early submissions are encouraged!

Judging

West faculty and classified staff judges will evaluate posters, using the following criteria:

Clarity of idea (poster makes sense; communicates your research well)
Depth of research (poster demonstrates that you did significant research. You must identify all your sources, both primary and secondary.)
Aesthetic appeal (poster is eye-catching; clearly conveys your intentions)

In addition, the Student Learning Outcomes Committee will be assessing selected posters for Institutional Student Learning Outcomes (ISLOs), which are mapped to courses. If you are uncertain which ISLOs apply to your course, ask your professor.

Helpful Hints

Ask colleagues to review a draft with the above criteria in mind and make revisions based on their feedback.
If you are completing your poster two fulfill course requirements or for extra credit, be sure to follow any additional guidelines your professor provides.

Submission

Complete an application online as soon as possible at the link provided on the Poster Showcase website under the title application. You will then receive a link to submit your poster.

Early submissions are encouraged!