Communicating Research: Poster Design

Posters are a visual mode of communication. Therefore, you should add a variety of graphical content (images, charts, icons, figures, etc.) that support your story.

If you are using images and graphical content that were created by others (aka 3rd party content), please ensure that you have received permission to use them. For images, consider using those that are licensed under Creative Commons (CC) or are in the public domain.

For CC content, permissions have already been granted by the copyright owners and they may be used as per the licenses. Note that you will be required to provide appropriate attributions when using CC-BY images.

Where to find images

Sites with images that do not require attributions

• Pexels
• Pixabay
• Unsplash

You can also search for CC images, or images in the public domain at https://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/openimagecollections/. 

Icons with CC / site-specific licenses

• Flat Icon
• The Noun Project
• Freepik
• Iconfinder

Decide how many and which graphs / charts / figures to include in the poster. As space is limited, you need to prioritise and rank what should be included.

• Figures should be easy to understand and should not require further verbal explanation. Label all figures, axes and make sure they are legible.
• Avoid 3D graphs - They are difficult to read, can distract from your data or gives false impressions. Do not use them unless you are displaying 3D data.

Data-Ink Ratio

The Data-Ink ratio is defined as the amount of data-ink divided by the total ink required to print a graphic.

Following the principles of Data-Ink ratio, here are some practical considerations:

1. Aim to reduce ink & clutter
2. Remove background and reduce the number of intervals and grid lines
3. If grid lines are necessary, make them subtle so as to not distract the audience

Watch this video for a more detailed explanation of the concept, and for a visual representation of how to improve your visualisations.

This concept was introduced by Edward Tufte in his book “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information".

How to Choose the Right Graph