A scientific poster is notan enlarged version of a report. A poster summarizes your research project and follows a standard format for reporting research results.

• Use the suggested format provided by the teacher

• Craft your poster to tell a single story. Often, your thesis is that single story. In other cases, your conclusion is that story.

• The story has to be obvious and should be clear to the reader. Eliminate jargon.

• Don’t attempt to tell the entire research history of your project. Present only enough data to support your conclusions and show the originality of the work.

• Provide photos, illustrations, and graphs where needed to clarify the story. All illustrations need captions and must be referred to in the narrative. If you’re borrowing the image be sure to cite the source.

• Use full sentences and your very best English, and be succinct.

• It’s important to make the print large enough to read easily from 3 feet away. Title lettering should be about 2” to 3” tall (5 to 7.5 cm). Subheading lettering should be 1/2” to 1” tall (1.25 to 2.5 cm). Body text lettering should be approximately 24 points tall (1/4” or 0.625 cm).

• Use the minimum amount of details in the Methods section. You will be there to fill in the details.

• Always be generous with acknowledgments.

• Make sure artwork is not distracting. Don’t be too fancy!

• Proofread and get suggestions from others, especially your advisor.

• Copy your poster onto a flash drive to create a backup copy of your poster.

Digital Poster Rubric

Advanced 4 / Proficient 3 / Sufficient 2 / Beginning 1
Content / - Content is made relevant to audience through connections to real world.
- Multiple, reliable resources are used to support and lend credibility to the topic.
- Concepts surrounding topic are fully and properly explained. / - Title and sections of poster help outline and make it clear to reader the intentions of the poster.
- Provides accurate, factual information and/or data that helps explain the topic.
-Successfully orients reader to the topic and its importance using relevant, cited literature.
- Content is comprehensive but consists of relevant and essential information only. / - Demonstrates some of the practices in the proficient category.
- Needsrevision to meet proficiency standards. / - Demonstrates one or none of the practices in the proficient category.
- Needs considerable revision/help to move forward with the work.
Design & Layout / - Creativity and overall design is engaging, visually stimulating, and promotes discussion.
- Finished product looks professional and interest, motivation, effort and time are obvious. / - Use of white space is creative, engaging, and holds ones attention.
- Color and font choices, formatting, and design reveal overall effort and time spent.
- Elements chosen for the design are clear, easy to follow and relate to topic.
- A balance of written and visual aspects is present and flow nicely to assist reader without help. / - Demonstrates some of the practices in the proficient category.
- Needsrevision to meet proficiency standards.
- Some of procedure may confuse a reader as to how to carry out the investigation. / - Demonstrates one or none of the practices in the proficient category.
- Needs considerable revision/help to move forward with the work.
Images, Charts, & Graphs / - Excellent mix of text and graphics that are relevant and support topic.
- Strong evidence of thought in selection of graphics is obvious.
- Graphics are of high quality – in focus and easily viewed. / - Organizes and displays information and/or data using multiple modes.
- Tables, graphs, and images are accompanied by narrative text describing and calling attention to important details.
- Graphics are titled, labeled, and captioned properly. / - Demonstrates some of the practices in the proficient category.
- Needsrevision to meet proficiency standards. / - Demonstrates one or none of the practices in the proficient category.
-Needs considerable revision/help to move forward with the work.
Mechanics and Grammar / - No evidence of spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors.
- Written components are done above grade level and flows well. / - Minimal spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors.
- Written components are done at grade level.
- Written work is complete and understandable. / - Demonstrates some of the practices in the proficient category.
- Needsrevision to meet proficiency standards. / - Demonstrates one or none of the practices in the proficient category.
- Needs considerable revision/help to move forward with the work.
Citations / - Multiple outside resources are used to effectively communicate and enrich understanding of the concepts of the research. / - All information and images are cited in a clearly labeled section.
- Citations are done using a consistent reputable format
- Reliable and relevant resources were used to support the research and properly referenced. / - Demonstrates some of the practices in the proficient category.
- Needs revision to meet the proficiency standards. / - Demonstrates one or none of the practices in the proficient category.
-Needs considerable revision/help to move forward with the work.
Oral Presentation / -Clear and confident voice with excellent eye contact
- Very well organized and rehearsed.
- Provides thorough and insightful answers to questions. / - Clear and confident voice with appropriate eye contact.
- Presentation is organized and rehearsed.
- Appropriate scientificterminology is used to explain knowledge or ideas.
- Provides adequate answers to questions. / - Demonstrates some of the practices in the proficient category.
- Needs revision to meet the proficiency standards. / - Demonstrates one or none of the practices in the proficient category.
- Needs considerable help to move forward with the work.