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HIST 4635 - Senior Seminar: Tools for Creating a Poster

This guide provides library and web-based information appropriate for students enrolled in HIST 4635: Senior Seminar course.

Poster Creation Tools

The following tools can be used to create posters. The common research poster size is 48in (width) by 36in (length) with a landscape orientation. Be sure to follow any sizing guidelines required by your advisor or CURIO. 

IMPORTANT: You must change the size of your slide before you start working on your poster. This will ensure that your images and text do not become pixilated when the poster is printed. 

Image

Image Credit: https://photos.georgiasouthern.edu/

Color Scheme Choices

Adhering to a color scheme can help your poster look professional. Consistent use of color can help your viewer understand how information is organized on your poster. 

REMEMBER check that your text is accessible on background colors using WebAIM's free contrast checker.

If printing your poster, it's a good idea to do a small-scale test print of your poster before getting it printed. Colors often appear brighter and more vibrant on a screen than when printed. There still might be some variation in color depending on the color scale the printer uses, but it will be a closer match on paper than what you see on screen.

Design Software Tools

PowerPoint is offered through the Microsoft Office suite. While the program is commonly used for presentation design, you can create graphics as well. Georgia Southern students can download and use PowerPoint and other Microsoft tools through MyDownloads, which is accessed using the “Download Software” link in the “Technology Resources” tile in your MyGeorgiaSouthern portal.

How to correctly size your poster in PowerPoint:

  1. Select the "Design" tab
  2. Click "Slide Size"
  3. Select "Page Setup"
  4. Under the "Slides sized for:" dropdown menu, select "Custom"
  5. Set the "Width" and "Height" to what is needed for your poster
  6. Click "OK" 

Adobe InDesign can be used to create dynamic graphics for your poster. If you are not familiar with the Adobe suite, you may be interested in another visualization option. Adobe Creative Cloud can be accessed by faculty and staff at Henderson Library (2nd Floor iMacs, 2nd Floor Main Computers (Near Student Helpdesk, 2204); Lane Library (All); and Learning Commons (All).

How to correctly size your poster in Adobe InDesign:

When a new document is created in Adobe InDesign, a dialogue box prompts you to enter dimensions:

CanvaCanva Logo PNG Vector (SVG) Free Download is an online platform that allows you to create flyers, infographics, and other visual media including graphs and charts. Canva offers a free version, but some needed features may require a Canva subscription.

GoogleSlides is offered through the Google Suite which can be accessed directly via MyGeorgiaSouthern

How to correctly size your poster in PowerPoint:

  1. Open up a new presentation on Google Slides.
  2. Go to File > Page Setup.
  3. Click the drop down and then select Custom.
  4. Change to the dimensions of your poster (usually 48 x 36)

Subjects: History