On Saturday morning, October 23, a poster presentation will be scheduled from 9:15 AM- 11:00 AM. During this presentation, classroom teachers, teachers of the gifted, administrators, parents, students (both graduate and undergraduate), and anyone with an interest in gifted education is invited to exhibit a poster describing an effective teaching practice, instructional program, advocacy program, gifted service, parenting information, research results that pertain to any topic on the gifted. You can check the “Call for Proposals” link on this web site for some topic suggestions.

Poster Preparation

In preparing your poster, please place the title of your paper prominently at the top of the poster board to allow viewers to identify your poster easily. Highlight the name(s) of the presenter(s) and contact information, in case the viewer is interested in contacting him/her for more information. In general, since posters will be displayed on a table, it is probably best to prepare the poster using a trifold arrangement.

These are available at local school and office supply stores. Prepare all information neatly and legibly beforehand, in a size sufficient to be read at a 3’-6’ distance. The type should be at least 24”-36” font size. Use creativity by using different font sizes and styles, perhaps even color and double-space all text. For example, use different colors or textures for each line or bars contained in your graph or chart. Organize the paper on the trifold board so that it is clear, orderly, and self- explanatory.

Creating an effective poster

• Headings help attendees find key sections – learning objectives, summary, main points, and recommendations.
• Balance the placement of text and graphics.
• Use white space creatively to define flow of information.
• Don't fight "reader gravity" that pulls eye from top to bottom, left to right.
• Column format makes a poster easier to read in a crowd.
• Prioritize your information. Decide what the most important element of your poster is and provide this first or make it stand out.
• Consider what information your audience needs before they read each section of your presentation, e.g. begin your presentation by summarizing the aim of your poster and then provide a brief background.

Graphics

Graphs should be simple and clean.
Stick to simple 2-D line graphs, bar charts, and pie charts if reporting data.
Avoid 3-D graphs unless you're displaying 3-D data.
Use photos that help deliver your message.
Use art to attract attention.

Color

Use a light color background and dark letters for contrast.
Avoid dark background with light letters – sometimes very tiring to read.
Stick to a theme of 3-4 colors, no more.
Overly bright colors will attract attention, but may wear out readers' eyes.

Finally, interaction between the poster session leader and the convention attendees is vital, as convention attendees might have questions about the research or findings being presented. Therefore, we ask all poster presenters to be present when their poster is being displayed.

If you plan to submit a poster, please provide the following information:

Title of Poster
Name(s) of Presenters
All contact information for presenters (affiliations, if possible)
Brief Abstract of the Poster (no more than 150- 200 words)

Please e-mail this information to:
karen.nespoli@liu.edu

Presenters will be notified by with more details in early September, 2009.