Office of Academic Enrichment
Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry

Write and Present Posters

Spring Undergraduate Research Festival

Writing a Research Abstract

While writing a research abstract, it is helpful to refer to the hourglass structure, meaning the abstract is quite general at the beginning, becoming more specific in the middle, and then becoming more general again at the end.

An abstract typically includes the following topics:

  • General background information
  • Facts about the topic
  • Statement of the problem
  • Statement of purpose
  • Methods/process
  • Results or anticipated results
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion/importance

Creating a Research Poster

Discuss with your research mentor the standards for research posters in your discipline. All posters should be reviewed by your research mentor before being presented publicly. Below are research poster templates available to be modified by all students:

Students can also receive poster design and printing support from the Medical Visuals team in the Health Sciences Library located in Prior Hall.

Presenting a Research Poster

Developing strong presentation skills will benefit you throughout your career and personal pursuits. Below are some tips to help you prepare for poster presentations, and be sure to check out our Workshops page for upcoming hands-on workshops for more information. 

  • Depending on your presentation venue, your audience will have different needs and expectations for your presentation. Always keep your audience's level of expertise in mind when preparing your presentation.
  • Don't just read your poster. Your oral presentation should highlight and summarize the main points of your poster. The poster is a support for your presentation, not necessarily a written version of your presentation.
  • Audience members will likely decide if they are interested in your presentation in the first 30 seconds. Craft an intriguing hook to start your presentation strong. Audience members also will be absorbing lots of information at an event; focus on two to three main takeaways of your work that your audience can remember without be overwhelmed.
  • Practice your presentation multiple times, but also be prepared to go "off-script" to answer questions and tailor your presentation to the person in front of you.

Printing a Research Poster

In addition to the Health Sciences Library's Medical Visuals poster printing service in Prior Hall, UniPrint offers a self-service 36 x 48 poster printing at Thompson Library on the first floor for $14.00. Please visit their Poster Printing Instructions webpage for additional steps.

Poster Printing Instructions (Print from PowerPoint Desktop App): ​​​

  1. Log into a library desktop computer (do not use a personal computer).
  2. Open the file you would like print - I personally suggest saving the PowerPoint to a PDF and saving the PDF to the desktop on the PC. Then proceed using the PDF File from the desktop.
  3. Open the “change the printer” dropdown menu, click “see more” and choose Thompson 160 Plotter.
  4. Click the printer properties link just below the printer dropdown menu.
  5. Use the dropdown menu to choose the size of your poster, by clicking the “see more” option. a. Arch B – 12 x 18 - $3.80 b. Arch C – 18 x 24 - $5.00 c. Arch D – 24 x 36 - $8.00 d. Arch E – 36 x 48 - $14.00 Do not select oversize arch and ensure option says “Arch _” not just B, C, D, or E.
  6. Click the layout/output tab and have settings at “landscape” and “rotation: 90 degrees.” Please note that your poster will be cut off if you skip this step.
  7. Click okay, then click print. Type your last name.#.
  8. Posters can be printed at the Plotter printers in Thompson 160 and Thompson 122. Swipe your BuckID or type in your last name.# to release the poster.
  9. For questions, please contact us at UniServiceCenter@osu.edu.