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Criteria for Excellent Posters

Clarity of Poster Presentation

  • Consider ease of readability and ease of understanding as a new reader of the subject.
  • Provide clear labeling and consider clarity of presented data/information.

Attractiveness of Poster Presentation

  • Consider visual attractiveness (colors, font sizes, consistency of font and formatting).
  • Effectively balance images and text (images provide visual interest as well as clear-cut explanations.
  • Text provides information that images alone cannot.
  • Posters should not be too text heavy.

Clarity of Purpose: Goals and Objectives

  • For projects that represent Innovations in Medical Education:
    • Is the purpose for the innovation stated clearly?
    • Are the accomplishments (or what the project seeks to accomplish) clear?
  • For projects that are Research Studies:
    • Is there a clear statement of the purpose of the study?
    • Are the accomplishments/results (or hoped for results) stated clearly?

Background/Theoretical Framework

  • Is the study/innovation/teaching approach grounded in a clear educational need and, if applicable, in the medical education literature and/or theory.
  • Do you state what is known about the topic prior to the innovation or study?

Design/Methods

  • For Innovation in Medical Education Projects:
    • Are methods clearly described?
    • Are materials used or intended to be used described?
  • For Research Studies:
    • Are the data collection and analysis methods described? If appropriate, do you address reliability and validity as they relate to methods, or, for qualitative studies, credibility and applicability of methods?
    • Are the data collection and analysis methods appropriate to address the research question/purpose?

Results/Reflection

  • For Innovation in Medical Education Projects:
    • Do you provide reflections on strengths, limitations, and future directions?
  • For Research Studies:
    • Do you discuss significance of the results; soundness of conclusions; correctly stated limitations of the study; future directions?

Importance/Originality of the Topic and Interest Potential

  • Consider the timeliness of the study/innovation/teaching approach to medical education (is it a currently important topic?).
  • For Innovation in Medical Education Projects:
    • Consider originality.
  • For Research Studies:
    • Consider what the findings add to the field.