Principles and Aims
Posters offer a valuable opportunity for presenters to share their work—not only with conference attendees, but, when a poster abstract is included in the proceedings, with the wider academic community as well.
The following principles and aims should be considered by both organisers and presenters when preparing a poster for one of our conferences:
- Feedback
Posters are an ideal format for gathering feedback on work-in-progress. Presenters should critically assess whether their work is at a stage where feedback would be meaningful and actionable. If there is limited scope for refinement based on feedback, another format, such as a research paper, may be more appropriate. - Early-Stage Work
Posters are especially well-suited for presenting early-stage research, emerging ideas, or speculative concepts. They can spark discussion, ignite new perspectives, and attract constructive critique from peers in the field. - Focus
A strong poster is focused on a few key points—or even a single core idea. Given the constraints of time, space, and attention, posters must communicate their message quickly and clearly. If the core idea cannot be conveyed efficiently, the format may not serve the work well.
Chair Responsibilities
TWO Poster Chairs are required to manage and oversee the poster track. The Poster Chair role is particularly well-suited to early-career researchers looking to gain experience in academic event organisation.
Review and Confirm the Call for Participation (CfP)
The CfP for posters is standardised and provided by the Programme and General Chairs. Poster Chairs must review and confirm the CfP with the Programme and General Chairs. If updates are necessary, these should be discussed collaboratively with the Programme and General Chairs.
Review and Confirm the Timeline
Programme Chairs will propose a timeline for posters, including the review timeline. Poster Chairs must review these dates and the timeline carefully and raise any concerns before the timeline is published as part of the CfP.
Review and Confirm Poster Abstract Guidance
Poster presenters submit one-page abstracts for consideration, not the actual posters. The Programme and General Chairs will provide guidance on submissions. Poster Chairs must review the provided guidelines to ensure clarity and alignment with the review process. If they have concerns or suggestions for alterations, these must be discussed with the Programme and General Chairs in advance of the CfP being published.
Confirm Abstract Archival Status
Poster Chairs must clarify whether poster abstracts will be included in the official conference proceedings. This decision is made by the Programme and General Chairs, but Poster Chairs are responsible for communicating the outcome clearly to presenters.
Confirm Review Process
All poster abstracts must be reviewed. If they are to be archived, the review process must follow the same standards as other submissions—though the timeline may be shorter and the reviews more concise.
Manage and Execute the Review Process
Poster Chairs are responsible for the overall Poster Review Process (PRP). They must either:
- Assemble a dedicated review panel, with at least three members, which can include the Poster Chairs.
- Recruit sufficient reviewers from the Programme Committee (PC), ensuring no conflicts of interest (CoI) exist. Poster Chairs may also review abstracts.
The review process is typically more compressed than other review timelines. Consequently, the Poster Chairs must consider the turnaround time for reviews as well as the notification period for the presenters.
Poster presenters typically have limited time to refine and alter their submitted abstract. Consequently, Poster Chairs will want to desk-reject submissions—that is, reject without review—those submissions that are out of scope for the conference or incomplete. For submissions that represent a Conflict of Interest (CoI), the Poster Chair should communicate this to the Programme Chair, who may decide to pass the submission to the Proxy Chair.
The Poster Chair should consider all reviews prior to them being communicated to the submitting authors. If there is concern about the quality of a review, in terms of either what is communicated or how thoroughly it is communicated, then the Poster Chair should request another review. The Programme Chair will have allocated time within the timeline to request emergency reviews. The Poster Chair should communicate their decision to the Programme Chair and advise them of their concerns. The Poster Chair is not expected to contact reviewers directly about the quality of or concerns regarding reviews.
For submissions not accepted, communicate the outcome of the decision and completed reviews effectively to the submitting authors.
For accepted submissions, communicate to the authors as soon as possible the requirements for accepted submissions to be presented and archived at the conference. This typically includes advising them of the deadlines for submitting the final or camera-ready version of the submission and the deadline for conference registration.
The Programme and General Chairs will have provided a ‘buffer’ between the deadline for camera-ready submissions and the final validation of the proceedings. The buffer will likely be no more than 7 days and provides an opportunity for the Poster Chairs to confirm every aspect of each camera-ready submission. If the Poster Chair identifies an issue with the camera-ready version—most likely a typographic error—they may want to extend an opportunity to the submitting author to correct or fix the issue within the buffer period. If the final camera-ready version is not ready in time for the validation of the conference proceedings, then the poster abstract will not be included.
The Poster Chairs are responsible for ensuring effective communication to all authors submitting a poster abstract. The Poster Chair can escalate any dispute from a poster abstract author to the Programme Chairs.
In Advance of the Conference
The Poster Chairs must confirm with the Programme and General Chairs the specific poster presentation times and the resources available. Posters can be cumbersome and problematic to transport, so Poster Chairs will want to confirm whether any local poster print services are available that presenters can use. Poster Chairs should recommend facilities and provide any deadlines that support presenters in collecting printed posters.
If poster printing facilities are not available, Poster Chairs may want to advise presenters of services they can use to print their posters in advance and bring them to the conference.
Posters are typically presented during conference breaks and provide an opportunity for delegates to mingle and discuss work. Poster Chairs will want to ensure that the space where posters are presented is designed to facilitate sufficient flow between posters and gatherings at presentation points. Poster Chairs may also want to recommend presenters have takeaway resources available for delegates, such as web links to additional resources or business cards.
On the Day of the Conference
Support the poster presenters, manage setup and scheduling, and ensure the poster session runs smoothly.
Poster Chairs may want to consider providing some communication or training on how to interact effectively with delegates. Posters offer a great way to meet a large part of the community in a short period of time.
Poster Chairs may want to focus on how to communicate the core idea of the poster effectively, as well as how to ensure smooth movement among delegates gathering around the poster.
After the Conference
Gather feedback, thank reviewers and presenters, and provide a brief report to the organising committee if required.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a poster abstract?
A poster abstract is a one-page summary of the content of the poster. It may be included in the official conference proceedings. The actual poster itself is not included.
Can a poster be presented at the conference without being included in the proceedings?
Yes. A poster may be accepted for presentation even if the abstract is not suitable for inclusion in the proceedings.
Are actual posters included in the conference proceedings?
No. Only the one-page abstract may be published in the proceedings, not the poster itself. Full details are outlined in the Call for Participation.
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