You've designed the poster but now you need to talk about the poster! It's the part most of us forget about until someone asks us a question on the floor. Poster sessions are still presentations and you should prepare similarly.
The experience of presenting a poster can be a overwhelming, especially if you have never been to a poster session before. They are typically buzzing with energy, full of people, and quite warm (or cold). Typically, poster sessions are presented standing in a ballroom or other hard floored room in a conference center. People mill about about visit various posters.
Here are some ideas on how to best prepare for the poster session. We hope that this advice will mean you end up having a good time whilst presenting your research.
Do your best to sleep well the night before your session. There is a lot of standing and talking! It can be mentally and physically tiring.
Wear shoes you can stand in, on hard ground, for a long time.
Dress in comfortable but "professional" clothes in good repair. Consider wearing layers like a jacket or sweater you can put on or take off to best adapt to the temperature.
"Professional" means something different to everyone. Often it will be "business casual" or "smart casual."
Keep water handy for the presentation portion. You will talk a lot at a poster session.
If you get overwhelmed in loud spaces, consider some sound dampening ear plugs that mute but don't eliminate sound. You should still be able to converse easily.
Bring your energy and enthusiasm for your research.
Consider doing a vocal warm up or practicing your sidewalk talk before the poster session starts. It helps you feel more confident and keeps you from straining your voice.
Have a snack and some lozenges or candies packed for afterwards. Talking is hard work!
Break the ice with your audience. If you notice someone pausing at your poster or glancing at it as they stroll by, take the lead with something like "Hi! Can I tell you about my research?" or "Hi! Would you like to hear about my findings?" You can practice drawing your audience in with your peers, family, or librarian
Ask what the audience would like: a short version or a detailed version? Sometimes they will start you off with a question instead.
Prepare three versions of your poster talk that vary based on who your audience is. Preparing in advance allows you to easily talk about different aspects of your work. Prepared versions include:
A 5 minute sidewalk talk that highlights what you did, how you did it, and what you found
A methods heavy version that includes the research from start to finish
A findings heavy version highlighting your results, their applications, and your future research ideas based on your findings