Tuesday, April 3, 2012

tools for scientific posters, braindump

[Edit 16 May 2012: Please see my other post for a writeup and example, with svg source file, about an Inkscape template I found online by arlich]

[updated 3 May 2012]
We had to create an A0 template for Android HASS class . Since this is a common problem I searched online for templates to use.

"scientific poster a0 scribus template"
Latek template: http://www.myoutsourcedbrain.com/2008/12/latex-poster-template.htmlhttp://andreas.welcomes-you.com/projects/a0poster/ (A0)

scribus tutorial: http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/undergraduate/biology-computer-resource-center/documentation/making-a-poster-with-scribus

scribus example outputs: http://nashi.altmuehlnet.de/pipermail/scribus/2007-December/026787.html

inkscape: http://inkscape-forum.andreas-s.net/topic/146897

moar general tips


http://www.ii.uib.no/~anya/design/ Some oss (gimp, inkscape, scribus) results


2005 http://web.pdx.edu/~clarksk/poster.html (good links list / overview different software tools, some dead links, tips)

2.671

Shamelessly ripped from 2.671 materials, because I care more about there being fewer crappy posters in the world:
https://wikis.mit.edu/confluence/display/2DOT671/Posters

Differences between Posters and Oral Presentations 
1. The poster should present a self-contained story
A reader should be able to understand your poster without need for explanation from you
You may be busy with another attendee, or have stepped away from your poster briefly
Any uncommon acronyms, abbreviations, or jargon should be clearly defined on the poster. As in a paper, all symbols used in equations must be defined
2. Unlike an oral presentation, complete sentences can be used, although bulleted or numbered lists can also be helpful.
3. A complete Abstract should be included, in large enough font to easily read from a distance of 1-2 m
4. As with an Oral Presentation, graphics and photographs are helpful, but there must be sufficient explanation in words of each graphic

How Do I DEVELOP a Poster? 
  • First: Pick out graphs, pictures you want to include.
  • Then: Develop the Results/Discussion and Conclusion section. Lay out the text and graphics.
  • Next: What do my visitors need to understand the Results/Discussion and Conclusion sections? That will determine how much of the Introduction, Background, and Method you need.
  • Your Introduction is minimal but must show motivation: Why is this project interesting?
  • Background is also minimal - make it concise. Use equations if necessary.
  • Methods: Minimal - focus on Diagram/graph with labels.
  • Be sure to include references, acknowledgments.

There are no hard and fast rules about how to do the posters.It's mostly a question of:
  • Develop visuals and text so that the poster is understandable without intervention of the speaker.
  • Make sure the visual elements are effective, pulling the visitor in and clearly making the point(s) you want to make.
  • Focus on the Results and Discussion section and make sure it's clear - then organize the rest of the material around it.
  • Keep text minimal, concise. No large blocks of text, except in the abstract. See if you can bullet the text to make it easy to understand at a glance.

Keep in mind:
  • You can't assume your visitors know the material on your poster.
  • Ask yourself: Is there visual coherence, visual emphasis among the figures and graphs in the poster? A picture shouldn't just be included arbitrarily - it needs to make sense. You don't need to include a figure number unless it's referred to in the text.
  • Most importantly: The visitor's eye is drawn to the Results and Discussion section. A scientist wants the Results section to be clear. 
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[Update: 3 May 2012] another research braindump. prolly end up making a template myself...

General tips / visio (vsd)
http://www.huttenhower.org/content/welcome-and-creating-scientific-poster

Inkscape svg math poster (unusual circular format):
http://blog.felixbreuer.net/2010/10/24/poster.html
Inkscape links list
http://inkscape.13.n6.nabble.com/Making-a-poster-with-Inkscape-td2880305.html
Inkscape poster 2
http://twak.blogspot.jp/2009/05/inkscape-pdf-and-posters.html



explanation of posters (also yay openbio):
http://openwetware.org/wiki/Making_scientific_posters

link list to lots of poster examples:
http://robynhall.ca/adventures-in-poster-making/ esp.
http://f1000.com/posters/browse?docTypeSearch=Poster

yay stackoverflow-esque site
Question: Bioinformatics Posters collection
links to:
Visualizing Biological Data VIZBI
Open Repository for Posters and Slides



Poster Design and Presentation Tutorial
Scientific Poster Design
simplistic Example Poster Design Tutorial – using Inkscape

Inkscape svg+scientific poster (has source!) 2009
http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3622
his complaints (I think TeX built into inkscape now, so outdated complaints)
http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3654&p=16812&hilit=scientific+poster#p16812


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 Pimp my Poster flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/368476@N21/pool/

** wow. this is beautiful: http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverocliffe/5488592752/in/pool-368476@N21/
nice as well http://www.flickr.com/photos/tobin/5338569676/in/pool-368476@N21/
like the header but too much text http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrismartin76/5369229954/in/pool-368476@N21/
haha, delicious styling. also a lot of text but looks good http://www.flickr.com/photos/eddequincey/5240461187/in/pool-368476@N21/
easy to read, not sure about aesthetics http://www.flickr.com/photos/34948765@N00/5126736546/in/pool-368476@N21/
nice design, confusing layout; http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcoutas/4996881007/in/pool-368476@N21/
nice aesthetic, interesting: http://www.flickr.com/photos/imdreaminggreen/4776755245/in/pool-368476@N21/
okay aesthetic, interesting: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25255755@N05/4685215850/in/pool-368476@N21/
std 3 col layout done well http://www.flickr.com/photos/v-kay/4469625063/in/pool-368476@N21/
clean http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmahr/4177582588/in/pool-368476@N21/
meh design but interesting layout http://www.flickr.com/photos/ali-can/3921130544/in/pool-368476@N21/lightbox/
good flow, vertical (use of arrows) ; http://www.flickr.com/photos/itkovian/3725384578/in/pool-368476@N21/
little text, clean http://www.flickr.com/photos/itkovian/3725384048/in/pool-368476@N21/
lots of text, well done http://www.flickr.com/photos/itkovian/3724558409/in/pool-368476@N21/
well designed:" http://www.flickr.com/photos/14710798@N07/3424050767/in/pool-368476@N21/
** 3 cols http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpurrote/3293887814/in/pool-368476@N21/
good flow (greyed out middle column) http://www.flickr.com/photos/iamacameraonline/2412531261/in/pool-688685@N24/
** color clash but good layout http://www.flickr.com/photos/9862762@N05/3535273690/in/pool-688685@N24/
again with the color clash. unique numbered design vertical http://www.flickr.com/photos/egphotos/3337839241/in/pool-688685@N24/
** good use of background colors http://www.flickr.com/photos/32269400@N04/3301451632/in/pool-688685@N24/
unique horz + circle design http://www.flickr.com/photos/cilass/2606703359/in/pool-688685@N24/
excellent graphcis, clear though design could be improved http://www.flickr.com/photos/19076760@N00/2969643536/in/pool-688685@N24/
excellent vertical use of background colors, flow, design http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaunis/2965549619/in/pool-688685@N24/
good square design, min. text http://www.flickr.com/photos/wesleynitsckie/2855920986/in/pool-688685@N24/
simple text-based design, horz http://www.flickr.com/photos/notbrucelee/2426997468/in/pool-688685@N24/

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f100  ones I liked:
horz interesting blue demarcation lines http://cdn.f1000.com/posters/docs/249262961
dark bkgd vert good flow http://cdn.f1000.com/posters/docs/249263856

2 comments:

  1. The central idea in graphic design, is the communication of ideas. Ideas that are organized through the use of images, in which it seeks to combine art with typographical aspects. See more creating an academic poster

    ReplyDelete
  2. The central idea in graphic design, is the communication of ideas. Ideas that are organized through the use of images, in which it seeks to combine art with typographical aspects. See more creating an academic poster

    ReplyDelete