Comparative Study of Scientific Research Poster Design Favors Complete Assertion Headings and No Abstracts Over Other Formats

Joanna Wolfe Carnegie Mellon University ; Juliann Reineke Case Western Reserve University ; Jennifer Lott The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital

Abstract

<bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Background:</b> Millions of scientific research posters are presented at conferences every year, yet little research exists to guide poster design. <bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Literature review:</b> There is widespread dissatisfaction with the state of scientific research posters. Research from technical and professional communication suggests that the typical research poster could be improved with complete sentence assertion headings. <bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Research question:</b> How does poster format affect audience comprehension and reader preference? <bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Research methodology:</b> In Study 1, undergraduates read posters in two different formats—Complete Assertion Headings and short, Topical Phrase Headings—and answered questions about comprehension and preference. In Studies 2a (engineering educators) and 2b (engineering faculty), participants answered questions about their perceptions of three different poster formats: Complete Assertion Headings, traditional IMRD headings + Abstract, and the popular #betterposter billboard style template. In a short teaching case study, students used these research results to develop their own posters and adapted the templates that we presented. <bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Results:</b> Study 1 found that Complete Assertion Headings, compared to topical headings, improved student recall, and students preferred the complete assertion format. Study 2a found that engineering educators preferred nontraditional poster formats (both the Complete Assertion Heading and the #betterposter format) to the traditional IMRD + Abstract format. Study 2b found that mechanical engineering faculty preferred the Complete Assertion Heading to other formats. <bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Conclusion:</b> We recommend that practitioners consider using Complete Assertion Headings on their posters, and we provide examples of exemplary student posters.

Journal
IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Published
2025-06-01
DOI
10.1109/tpc.2025.3529094
CompPile
Open Access
Closed
Topics
Export

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

References (46) · 8 in this index

  1. 10.1007/978-3-319-61280-5
  2. 10.1007/s40670-022-01657-z
  3. 10.3389/fbinf.2023.1216139
  4. 10.1016/j.rcsop.2024.100423
  5. Communicate Science Papers, Presentations, and Posters Effectively
Show all 46 →
  1. 10.3389/fcomm.2023.1063345
  2. 10.5688/ajpe8010162
  3. 10.1109/ipcc.2012.6408627
  4. Beyond the lab report: The place of student-designed research and visual communication in…
  5. Technical Communication Quarterly
  6. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  7. 10.1002/bmb.21034
  8. A call for new courses to train scientists as effective communicators in contemporary gov…
    Tech. Commun.
  9. Communication training for scientists and engineers: A framework for highlighting princip…
  10. Learning how to teach visual communication design skills to scientists and engineers
  11. 10.1002/2327-6924.12478
  12. How to create a better research poster in less time (betterposter Generation 2)
  13. 10.53061/DVQK4625
  14. 10.1111/tct.12584
  15. Academic posters across disciplines: A preliminary study
    Lang. Studies Work. Papers
  16. 10.1016/j.cptl.2018.11.011
  17. 10.1075/idj.25.1.08sta
  18. 10.1371/journal.pone.0140029
  19. 10.1016/j.hpe.2018.03.005
  20. betterposter
  21. To save the science poster, researchers want to kill it and start over
  22. 10.1007/978-1-4419-8279-7
  23. 10.1002/9781118796139
  24. 10.1007/bf01320076
  25. 10.1002/tl.47
  26. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  27. 10.18260/1-2--17510
  28. 10.1109/fie.2006.322455
  29. How the design of presentation slides affects audience comprehension: A case for the asse…
    Int. J. Eng. Educ.
  30. How the design of headlines in presentation slides affects audience retention
    Tech. Commun.
  31. 10.1111/j.1365-2923.2011.03988.x
  32. 10.1177/0098628311421333
  33. 10.4324/9781315538747
  34. 10.6061/clinics/2012(05)17
  35. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  36. The scientific poster: Guidelines for effective visual communication
    Tech. Commun.
  37. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  38. 10.1016/j.edurev.2017.11.001
  39. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  40. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  41. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication