How to Make an Academic Poster: A Step-by-Step Guide

Quick answer: To make an academic conference poster, check the conference’s size rules (usually A0 portrait), pick one key message, and lay it out in clear sections: title, authors, introduction, methods, results, conclusion and references. Keep it to roughly 300 to 800 words, use a title of 72 to 100pt and body text of at least 24pt, put images in at 300dpi at full size, and save the final file as a PDF.

A good poster is not a paper stuck to a board. People walking around a poster session decide in a few seconds whether to stop. This step-by-step guide shows you how to plan, design and print an academic poster that gets read, whether it is your first conference or your fifth.

Step 1: Check the conference poster rules

Before you open any software, find the poster guidelines on the conference website. Look for:

• Size and orientation: most UK and European conferences ask for A0 portrait (841 × 1189 mm). Some ask for A1 or landscape.
• Required content: some events want a poster number, logo or abstract ID in a set place.
• Deadlines: when posters must be up, and whether you need to bring your own.

If you are not sure which size you need, our poster size guide compares every A-size.

Step 2: Decide on one main message

Write down the single thing you want people to remember. It might be a key finding, a new method or a question your work answers. Everything on the poster should support that message. If something does not, cut it. A strong poster usually has one clear finding, not five.

Step 3: Plan the layout

Most academic posters use three or four columns in portrait, read from top left to bottom right. A common structure is:

1. Title: short and specific, ideally under 15 words. It can state the main finding.
2. Authors and affiliations: names, university or department, and logos.
3. Introduction or background: two or three sentences on why the work matters.
4. Aims or research question.
5. Methods: a short summary, or a flow diagram instead of text.
6. Results: the biggest section, led by graphs, charts and images.
7. Conclusion: the main message again, in plain words.
8. References and acknowledgements: in a smaller font at the bottom.

Sketch the layout on paper first. Give the results the most space and put the conclusion where people can find it quickly, often at the top right or bottom right.

Step 4: Write less than you think

Aim for roughly 300 to 800 words in total. Use short paragraphs and bullet points, and replace text with figures wherever you can. Read every sentence and ask whether a visitor needs it. You will be standing next to the poster to explain the detail, so the poster only needs to start the conversation.

Step 5: Choose readable fonts and sizes

Posters are read from a distance, so text size matters. For an A0 poster we recommend:

For an A1 poster, scale these down by about a third. Use a clean font such as Arial, Calibri, Helvetica or Open Sans, avoid thin or light weights, and use no more than two fonts.

Step 6: Use colour and images with care

• Use dark text on a light background for the main text. It is the easiest to read.
• Pick two or three colours and use them consistently, for example one colour for headings.
• Make graphs bigger and simpler than you would in a paper, with large axis labels.
• Check that colours work for people with colour blindness. Avoid relying only on red and green.
• Leave white space between sections so the poster does not look crowded.

Step 7: Set up the file correctly for printing

Most poster problems come from the file, not the printer. Before you upload:

• Page size: set the document to the exact final size, for example 841 × 1189 mm for A0.
• Image resolution: 300dpi at the printed size. Images below 150dpi can look blurry.
• Safe zone: keep text and logos at least 10mm from the edge.
• Colour mode: CMYK gives the closest match between screen and print.
• File format: save as a PDF so fonts and layout stay exactly as you designed them.

Our artwork guide has the full checklist.

Step 8: Software you can use

You do not need expensive software. PowerPoint is the most common choice: set the slide size to your poster size and design on one slide. Canva, Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer, Inkscape and LaTeX (with a poster template) all work too. Whatever you use, export a high-quality PDF.

Step 9: Proofread, then print

Print a small A4 or A3 copy to check spelling, numbers, names and figure labels. Ask a colleague to read it in 60 seconds and tell you the main message. If they cannot, simplify.

Then order your print in good time. We print research posters, scientific posters and medical posters from A4 to A0. Free standard UK delivery takes 2 to 3 working days, and Next Day delivery is £9.99. Order Before 12PM for Next Day delivery. Not sure about the paper? Read matte vs satin poster paper.

Step 10: Presenting at the poster session

• Prepare a 30-second and a 2-minute explanation of your work.
• Bring pins or Velcro tabs in case they are not provided.
• Add a QR code linking to your paper, data or contact details.
• Bring a few A4 copies or business cards for people who want to follow up.