Poster session instructions

Poster papers will be presented in a Poster Session (TM1-A, June 12, 9:00-10:30).

The posters will be set up and removed according to the instructions below. Once set up, the posters will remain posted for the duration of the conference (Wednesday - Friday). During the Poster Session all papers will be discussed simultaneously. Each poster display must be attended during the Poster Session by one of the authors.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS

If a poster session is new to you, please study these guidelines carefully so as to prepare your presentation and materials to take maximum advantage of potential benefits of poster sessions. In particular, please note that poster sessions differ in these important ways from traditional sessions:

• Visual materials must be limited to those that can be displayed on a hard board and read at a distance of a 1.5 meters or so.
• Papers should be discussed, rather than simply read.
• Poster displays frequently require more planning and preparation and can have more complex figures.

It is also recommended that you have a handout of your full paper and a supply of business cards available.

POSTER PREPARATION

• SIZE:
  The maximum poster size is standard DIN/ISO A0: 84.1 cm (width) x 118.9 cm (height); the orientation is portrait.
• The size of the poster stand is 100 (width) x 250 (height) cm. Whitespace dimensions are 96.4 x 239.2 cm.

  
  Poster stand (all sizes in cm; 1cm = approx 0.4")
  
• ORGANIZATION:
  Focus on introduction, methods, results and discussion, summary, and references. Make a smallscale sketch of poster to ascertain that all points you want to stress as well as headlines, text, figures and tables, photos, etc., will fit into the dimensions allowed. The poster should start in the upper left hand corner and flow generally from left to right and from top to bottom. The title, author name(s) and affiliation must be at the top of the poster. If necessary, use letters, numbers, or arrows to indicate proper flow to the audience.
  
• CONTENT:
  Do not crowd too much information into the presentation; concentrate on two or three main points. Highlight trends and comparisons with simplified graphics and diagrams. Use text cautiously. Often it is better to use outlines and bullets than paragraphs. Avoid overwhelming the audience with too many numbers, words, or complicated graphs. Yet, as people will study the poster while you are away, make certain the message is clear and simple.
  
• LETTERING:
  All lettering must be easily read from a distance of 1.5 meters. Use a bold or semibold typeface for headings and labels. Lettering for subheads and figure captions should be larger than that of the main text but smaller than the main heading. Text in upper- and lower-case letters is more readable than all capitals, but capitals for headings and labels are acceptable. The title should have letters that are at least 2.5 cm high, with authors names and institutions at least 2 cm high. All other type should be a minimum of 1.5 cm high. Use sans serif type such as Arial or Lucida Sans for text. It is much easier to read than serif type such as Courier.
  
• MOUNTING:
  Posters may be fixed with double-sided tape.
  Posters CANNOT be pinned or nailed to the poster stand; otherwise the author(s) will be held responsible for the damage.

To summarize:
DO use large, easy-to-read sans-serif letters.
DO include clear figures and tables.
DO NOT paste-up typed pages from a paper.
DO NOT clutter the poster with details.
Posters should be understandable - even in the absence of the author(s)!

Remember that a Poster Session is more like an informal discussion. The discussion may begin with a question from an interested person. You may initiate a discussion by pointing out the particular figure that depicts the essential conclusions of your paper and allow questions and answers to flow from that point. Keep it conversational; do not lecture.

SETUP AND TEARDOWN INSTRUCTIONS

• Posters will be set up on Wednesday, June 11, 8:00-9:00.
• Posters must remain posted for the duration of the conference.
• Posters must be removed on Friday, June 13, 12:00-12:30. The organizers will not be responsible for materials left in the room after this time.