7/23/2018

Techniques of Technical writing-Publishing

&
Oral communication for scientists and
researchers

Dr Amrtha Bhide
Assistant Professor, Department of Physics
NIT-Puducherry
Email: abhide.nitpy@gmail.com

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Objectives of Sci. writing

 Effectively create standard formats in order to

construct meaningful documents.
 Communicating any complex idea to the layman
in simple and concrete manner.
 Act ethically in any communication situation.
 Ease of processing technical documents, like
planning, drafting, editing and publish it right
place, appropriate citation of sources.

Technical writing can be :

1. Communication about technical or specialized topics,
such as computer applications, scientific findings,
medical procedures, or environmental regulations,
proposals etc.

2. Communication through technology, such as

web-pages, help files, journal article or social media.

3. Providing instructions about how to do something,

regardless of the task's technical nature.

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Technical Document

Pedagogical Professional Theoretical

orientation orientation orientation

Scientific Technical Business

writing reporting Communication

Business communication
 Resume
 Cover letters
 Customer relations letter
 HR letters
 Trip reports
 Administrative communications

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Technical reporting
 Progress report
 Feasibility studies
 Specifications
 Proposals
 Manuals- Procedures
 Planning documents
 Safety analysis
 Bug reports

Scientific writing
 Books
 Journals
 Magazines
 Conference proceedings
 News letters/Websites/blogs

Scientific writing includes research and associated

documentation, as well as scholarly publications
that emerge from the work.

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Scientific Document
 A precise document, which conveys an
information as concisely and correctly as
possible.
 Free from any intent to evoke an emotional
response from the reader.

Persuasion of opinions, conveying neutral

but correct and concise technical
information , which brings education in
an unemotional and nonthreatening way.

BOOKS
• Books are very wide and archival sources for
distribution of knowledge and ideas.
• Long time to write, edit and to publish.
• Books need limited review.
JOURNALS
• Journals are the preferred venue for publication
of important scientific ideas and technical
breakthroughs.
• Articles focused more on theory/models than
applications.
• Prior to publication the articles undergo reviewed
by experts to check the quality.
• Take months to years to publish one article in
certain journals.

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MAGAZINES
• Published within a community for sharing
professional, political, relational aspects.

• These will be conservative is appearance,

complete with graphics, resemblance with other
magazines, editorials and advertisements.

• Magazine need not be refereed one.

• One may use this to publish the ideas quickly, as

this venue has gain some amount of prestige.

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
• Conferences are meetings where researchers
present scientific findings often in preliminary
stage.
• Article published in proceedings may be in the
form of abstract, or a consolidated paper of
already published articles.
• Conference abstracts are peer-reviewed and the
articles will be published within few months of
the conclusions of the conference.
• There is wide range of practices and quality of
conference proceedings publications.

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NEWSLETTERS- WEBSITES-BLOGS
• News letters are informal publications produced
by some community of interest. Ex: a special
interest group and some professional society etc.
• It takes only few days to expose an idea for rapid
consideration, and discussions.
• They do not have prestige of journals, magazines
or conferences.
• Websites and blogs are of instantaneous
publications, the accuracy of the content may be
sometimes questionable.

Authority and speed of publication

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Basics of technical writing

 Structuring the writing.

 Positioning the writing.
 Choosing the right words
 Avoiding the traps
 Making the Tech. writing interesting.
 5Cs of writing.
 Referencing.

1. Structuring the writing

Decomposition of the content in organized manner in
order to convey ideas from high level to low-level., i.e.
from abstract to concrete.
Chapters-sections-subsections- sub-subsections
Introduction- Methods- Results- And -Discussion (IMRAD)

First level heading (1.XYZ)

Second level heading (1.1. ABC)
Third level heading (1.1.1. Pqr)
Fourth level heading (1.1.1.1. Abcd)

Assign the titles short, crisp and self explanatory

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2. Positioning the writing

 Know your audience.

Customer- vendor, technical- nontechnical, govt./

funding agency- others etc.

 Reports to funding agency/ auditor - with

clarity and clinical tone.
 User manual/ marketing copy etc with lighter
tone.
 Multiple audience -formal tone

Positioning the writing

 Who and whom your are talking.
 Usage of First person:
Generally in autobiographies, novels. In technical
writing it can be use, only when the author is
involved.
For ex: Technical business communication.
 Usage of Second person:
Addressing the directly, may be in manuals,
installation steps/ user guide etc.

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 Usage of Third person:

Places the author impartial and keen observe
in incident reports, tests, investigations etc.
Disclosure of research findings is almost
always written in 3rd person.

Whenever we choose the person,

consistency is need to be maintained
throughout the document

Positioning the writing

 Voice:
Generally it is better to use active voice.
Exceptionally, sometimes it is not possible to
change the voice

Ex: Petri dishes are made of plastic.

Ex2: Streptomycin, the first effective cure for TB,
was discovered by Selman Waksman

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Positioning the writing

 Tense
In scientific writing, normally past and present are
used. Occasionally future( proposal) may used.
No scope for perfect tense. However,

Ex: Researchers have used this procedure….

Researchers had used this procedure….
Past tense saves the words,

Ex: It was found v/s it has been found.

Tense- rule of thumb

 Established knowledge( previously published
results) should be in present tense.
BCC structure is tightly bound.
 Description of methods and results in your
manuscript should be in past tense.
Morphology of sample was resembling….
 Presentation( Table/ Figure etc) given in present
tense. ( Figure 1 shows that…)
 Attribution is given in past tense. ( XY et al.,
showed that….)

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3. Choosing the write words

Conciseness:
 No unnecessary words
 No unnecessary sentences
 For drawing no unnecessary lines/ parts
Precision:
 Quantify the entity in numbers.
 Reduce the words
 Merge two words into singleton word
 Universal and existential Quantification
 Check for negation terms

Illustration
Original version Reworked word
The mechanism needs The mechanism needs substantial
substantial amount of redesign redesign
There are many replacement There are many replacement parts
parts out there available.
The possible reasons of the The possible reasons of the system
system failure are many fold failure are numerous.
A really strong odour was A powerful odour was noticeable
noticeable
starting off the procedure is not Beginning the procedure possible
impossible
A repair kit must go along with A repair kit must accompany with
the unit the unit

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Choosing the right words

Universal and existential Quantification
Imprecise A few Some Many Most All

Precise - 1/100 1/20 1/2 90/100 100/100

Fraction
Number < 10 10-20 21-50 50-99 100

Imprecise Always Frequent often Sometimes Rarely Never

In ratio 100 99-75 75-50 50-25 25-1 0

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4. Avoiding the traps

(i) Cliches
A phrase or expression that is overused , that is
no more original and interesting.
Ex:
At a speed of light- very quickly
Don’t mice the words-be precise
Ins and outs: details
Only time will tell: eventually
Think outside the box: overcome

Avoiding the traps

(ii)Anthropomorphic
Projecting the human feeling , behaviours or
characteristics upon animals, inanimate objects
or systems:

Ex: This system is miserable: The system is failed.

The internet is evil: Users of internet can be evil

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Avoiding the traps

(iii) Malapropisms
A word that sounds /spells similar to an
intended word but it is logically wrong.

Intended Faulty
beet beat
costumers Costumers
Object -orientated Object oriented
density destiny
Phosphorus phosphorous

Avoiding the traps

(iv) Opinion v/s Fact
 Opinion is the lowest form of argument (but
this itself is just a opinion).
 Facts are essential in technical writing , but
there is a place for opinion. Write the content
in the balanced way, such that the referee
doesn’t raise unnecessary questions! Which
delay the publication.

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Avoiding the traps

(v) Acronym-Domain specific words- Jargon
Do not assume that readers are familiar with
all Acronyms and domain specific words.
 Define the term- phrase- word commonly
not found in the dictionary.
 State the context, in case a word has
meaning other than mentioned in the
dictionary.
 Expand the acronyms at least once.
 Present a short glossary in the form of
table.

Acronym-Domain specific words- Jargon

 Abbreviation: To make briefer to reduce to a
shorter form intended to stand for the
whole.
 An acronym is an abbreviation of special
type that abounds in technical and scientific
writing.
 A acronym is formed from the initial letter or
letters of each successive parts or major
parts of compound term, which can be
pronounceable . For ex DNA is not acronym,
it is abbreviation. RADAR is Acronym

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What to abbreviate? And common rules

 Check whether the standard abbreviation
readily available? Some journals of standard
abbreviation to be used without
introduction.
 If the word is used frequently use
abbreviation.
 If an Abbreviation is not standard one need
to be introduced in the introduction and not
used again until discussion.
 Before introducing an abbreviation check
will it cost any confusion with existing one.

What to abbreviate? And common rules

 Abbreviation is introduced at first use in the text.
 Abbreviation is introduced within parenthesis
immediately after the spelled out word.
 Abbreviation is given in CAPITAL letters without
space.
Illustrations:
 “….after that 4 ml of distilled water was
added.”,
o few ml of acid is added
o 10 ml of reagent is added.
 dilute HCl is used ,
o normal H2O is added !

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5. Writing the document interesting

 By virtue of definition, there is no scope
for emotional response neither from
author nor from reviewer. However, some
sense of humour can be added.

Category Allowed Not allowed

Technical Manuals, Specifications
writing Procedures, Proposals, Facilities,
bug reports Safety and failure
reports, experimental
outcomes

6. 5C s of Technical writing
Correctness
It means that the information in the article is
grammatically and technically correct.

Ex: The cable length shall be no greater than

2000 mm. The cable shall measure such that
it shall not be longer than 200m.

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5C s of Technical writing
Clarity:
A document must be unambiguous. Group of
sentences, related sections of the written
document can have only one interpretation.
Ex: For this experiment the measured parameter
is found to be 20m/s, which occurs when certain
exceptional conditions occur. This conditions
include poor grading in the scale, calibration and
improper tool. According to the user manual
cause of the problem is relatively minor.

5C s of Technical writing
Complete:
• A technical document must be complete- if
there is no missing ‘relevant’ or important
information.
• Completeness is a difficult quality to prove
any writing.

 The above task is done only when many

persons read the article.
 Addition of missing information in
subsequent version of manuscript.

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5C s of Technical writing
Consistency:
 Internal consistency: That means one
part of the document should not
contradict another part.
 External consistency :The document
is in agreement with all other
applicable documents and standards.
Consistency can be checked through reviews
and can be repaired in subsequent versions of
the documents.

5C s of Technical writing
Changeable.
A document is said to be changeable , if the
structure of the document will readily yield the
modification.
 The document and sections are numbered,
and stored in compatible electronic format,
and compatible with common document
processing and configuring tools.
 Reduces Burdon of modification.
 Readily edited for reviews/ conference and
journal manuscripts etc.

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Types of scientific articles:

● Journals
● Conference Paper
● Analytical Paper
● Survey Paper
● Review Paper

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Journals
● Published in issue of a journal
● Scholarly periodicals-aimed at specialist and
researchers
● Written by experts contain original research
and conclusion based on data
● Footnote, endnote, abstract and bibliography
● Generous page limit
● Takes minimum 6 months to publish(in reputed
journals)

Conference Paper

● Written in goal of being accepted to a conference

● A conference is where you actually turn up to hear
a paper presented as a talk.
● The paper is later printed in the proceedings.
● Fixed page limit

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Analytical Paper
● focus on facts instead of opinions.
● Research, conclusions, and other findings
completed by researchers are highlighted in the
paper.
● study different viewpoints presented on a set topic
or subject without forming an opinion.

Survey Paper

● It summarises and organizes recent research

● Goal-provide a view of existing work
● Develops a perspective on the area and evaluate
trends
● Review Paper

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Review Paper

● It review recent progress in a particular topic

● Summarises the current state of knowledge of
the topic
● Create understanding of the topic of for the
reader by discussing the findings presented in
research paper.

What is abstract?:
•An abstract is a self-contained, short, and powerful
statement that describes a larger work.

•An abstract of a social science or scientific work may

contain the scope, purpose, results, and contents of the
work.

Types of Abstracts
•Descriptive
•Informative

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Types of abstracts:
Descriptive abstract
● Provides a description about the report’s main
topic
● You don’t summarize any facts or conclusion
● Short - usually less than 100 words.
 Purpose of the work
 Method used
 Scope of the work
 Doesn’t include: – results, conclusions

Example:
This study investigated the role of "signalling" in helping good readers
comprehend expository text. As the existing literature on signalling,
reviewed in the last issue of the Journal, pointed to deficiencies in
previous studies' methodologies, one goal of this study was to refine
prose research methods. Two passages were designed in one of eight
signalled versions each. The design was constructed to assess the
individual and combined effect of headings, previews, and logical
connectives. The study also assessed the effect of passage length,
familiarity and difficulty. The results showed that signals do improve a
reader's comprehension, particularly comprehension two weeks after the
reading of a passage and comprehension of subordinate and super
ordinate inferential information. This study supports the hypothesis that
signals can influence retention of text-based information, particularly
with long, unfamiliar, or difficult passages.

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Informative abstract
● It provides key facts and conclusions
● Usually about 10% of the length of the full report
● Fairly short - from 200 words to a page or more.

 Purpose of the work (objectives)

 Method used
 Scope of the work
 Results –conclusions

Example:
The opportunity to design and deliver short programs on
referencing and avoiding plagiarism for transnational Uni
SA students has confirmed the necessity of combating
both the ‘all-plagiarism-is-cheating’ reaction and the
‘just-give-them-a-referencing-guide’ response. The notion
of referencing is but the tip of a particularly large and
intricate iceberg. Consequently, teaching referencing is
not adequate in educating students to avoid plagiarism. In
this presentation, I will use the transnational teaching
experience to highlight what educating to avoid
plagiarism entails.

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Tool for writing:

Word processor
 LaTex
 Math-type
 Equation editor
 Graphic/ plotting tools

Referencing:

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Referencing:
 Always ask permission before listing someone as
reference.
 List the references who can discuss your abilities
and experiences.
 List at least one reference of someone who
works or has worked for you (if you are supervisor).
 Try to list at least one reference for each job that you
ascertain the article.
 Don’t list unnecessarily friends/ relatives and other
whom you know personally.

Referencing style:
 Modern Language Association.
 American Institute of Physics
 The Institute of Electrical and Electronics
 Taylor and Francis
 American Chemical society
 Oxford
Reference compilers:
Endnote, Mendeley, Zotero

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Referencing style:

Citation:
A “citation” is the way you tell your readers that certain
material in your work came from another source. It
also gives your readers the information necessary to
find that source again, including:
Information about the author
The title of the work
The name and location of the company that
published your copy of the source
The date your copy was published
DOI: Digital Object identifier if the paper is not
assigned with page/ volume details
The page numbers of the material you are borrowing

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Paraphrasing:
 Paraphrasing is using your own words to
express the ideas or thoughts contained in a
passage that you have read.

The paraphrase must be in your own words.

If you paraphrase, you still must provide a

citation to the source of the material that you
are paraphrasing.

Quoting:
Taking the exact words from an original source is
called quoting.
When you quote someone else's words, you must
put those words in quotation marks.
When you quote, you must use the exact words
that are in the quotation, in exact sequence.
It is ok to quote part of a sentence as an element in
a longer sentence of your own

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Quoting: Rules
Rule 1: Commas and periods always go inside the
closing quote marks.

Rule 2: Colons and semicolons always go outside

quote marks.

Rule 3: Question mark and exclamation points go

either inside or outside the quote marks, subject
to the author or quoted person

Summarizing:
Summarizing means that you are explain ideas
or facts that you found in someone else's work ,
but you are explaining them in your own words,
using your own word order.

When you summarize information from

someone else, you still must provide a citation to
the source of your information.

It is ok to mix summary with quotations, but

you must always put quoted words in quotation
marks.

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Plagiarism
 The word plagiarize actually comes from
the Latin plagiar-to kidnap.

 Plagiarism means taking the words and

thoughts of others (their ideas, concepts,
images, sentences, and so forth).

 using them as if they were your own,

without crediting the author or citing the
source.

Types ?

Clone
Ctrl-C Recycle
Copy-Replace Hybrid
Remix Mashup
Beware ! Never be victim of it.

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CLONE
An act of submitting another’s work, word-for-word,
as one’s own.
Ctrl-C
Contains Significant portions of text from a single
source without alterations.

Find-Replace
Changing key words and phrases but retaining the
essential content of the source.
Remix
Paraphrases from multiple sources, made to fit
together.

Recycle
Borrows generously from the writer’s previous work
without citation.

Mashup
Mixes copied material from multiple sources.

Hybrid
Combines perfectly cited sources with copied passages
without citation.

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Self Plagiarism
Copying material you have previously produced and
passing it off as a new production.

Unintentional Plagiarism
 Paraphrasing poorly
changing a few words without changing the sentence
structure of the original, or changing the sentence
structure but not the words.
 Quoting poorly-
Not putting proper quotation marks
 Citing poorly- citing inaccurately

Intentional Plagiarism
• Passing off as one’s own pre-written papers from
the Internet or other sources.
• Copying an essay or article from the Internet, on-
line source, or electronic database without
quoting or giving credit.
• Cutting and pasting from more than one source
to create a paper without quoting or giving
credit.
• Borrowing words or ideas from other students or
sources without giving credit.

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Preventing Plagiarism
In a research paper, you have to come up with your
own original ideas while at the same time making
reference to work that’s already been done by others.
Consult with your instructor
Plan your paper
Take Effective Notes
When in doubt, cite sources
Make it clear who said what
Know how to Paraphrase
Evaluate Your Sources

Process of publishing
Brainstorming Drafting Revising
20% 40% 25%

Publishing
Editing 10%
5%

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Communication during publication

 To the editor- along with the manuscript

 To the reviewer- with clarification
 To the editor and referee: as letter of
discussions with clarification.
 Argumentative: To make the article
published

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Oral communication

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Objectives
• To Inform
• To Educate
• To Convince
• To Persuade
• To Lead to Action

Evaluation aspects of Presentation

What do you present? Why do you present?

How do you
Who is your audience?
Present?

How Long do you present? Where do you present?

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Know your Audience- how much to deliver

I Introduction
–

B - Body : Experimental details,

Results, Literature survey
T- Technicalities: Analysis, Discussion, New Theories etc.
General audience : School Kids (90 I + 10 B)
General technical audience:
Entire Materials Department (40 I+ 40 B + 20 T)
Conference audience:
Short technical Seminars (20 I +40 B + 40 T)
Very Focused audience:
Long technical seminars (10 I + 40 B+ 50 T)

How to make it best?

• Overcoming Speech Anxiety
• Openings and Closings of
Presentation
• Presentation Organization
• Visual Assistance
• Presentation Delivery

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Planning:
Opening : grab attention
Introduction “this topic?”
Body –” bulk of the presentation’
Remember that for every important point that
you make, support can be taken in the form of
Statistics, analogies, testimony, illustrations, or
specific examples.
Conclusion – summarize briefly points
Close – last strong sentences that leave the audience
with something to remember

• Symptoms of Speech Anxiety:

 Nervous when asked to give a speech?
Before speech your heart is racing?
Are you fearful that you will begin to shake?
Are you fearful that your words will somehow be
lost?

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Overcome Speech Anxiety

• Skills Training
Do memorize your first and last few sentences
Do divert your nervous energy into helpful
gestures and movements, do not repress your
nervousness
Don’t pace
Don’t fumble with a pencil, watch, or ring while
you speak
Don’t speak too rapidly

Presentations – Opening and Closings

• Each presentation have an

Introduction (tell them what you are
going to tell them)
Body (tell them)
Conclusion (tell them what you just
told them)

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Openings
 Grab audience’s attention so that they will want to hear
what you have to say

 Should be a “grabber” or “attention seeker”

 Not only arouse interest, but also suggest theme of

speech

 Openings can be dramatic, emotional, humorous or

rhetorical

 Opening does not have to have words, you can use

gestures, demonstration, silence – related to the topic

Poor Openings
• Long or slow-moving quotation
• Self introduction
• Apologetic statement
• Story, joke or anecdote which does not
connect to the theme
• Stale remark
• Statement of your objective

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Body Presentation Strategy

(Deductive Strategy)
• Decide on what sort of message you will be delivering

– Speaker immediately presents the main idea, provides

the supporting detail, then recaps her main idea.

– Usually used to present good news or routine

statements
• Example:
– Main Idea: My grant proposal was funded
– Detail: This means more money for research …
– Recap: Hard work is rewarded.

Body Presentation Strategy

•
(Inductive Strategy)
Speaker begins only by hinting at the main idea, then
presents details leading to the main idea
– usually from most easily acceptable details to more
“controversial” details
• After details the main idea is communicated
• Speaker concludes with recap
• Example:
Hint: We compliment your research efforts and would
like to explain some recent events – XYZ funding was
cut, strategic direction was changed, ..
Main Idea: Although it was a good effort, we must pull
the funding from this line of research.
– Recap: You will need to switch directions of research.

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Visual Assistance- Why?

• Studies show that people store and access
information in three primary ways:
– Visually, auditorially, kinesthetically
• Adults absorb, retain and learn:
– 10% what they read
– 20% what they hear
– 30% what they read and hear
– 50% what they hear and see
– 90% what they do

Color
Avoid red-green combinations because a large fraction
of the human population is red-green colorblind.

Lots of people can’t read this –

and even if they could, it makes your eyes hurt.

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Color

View your slides in grayscale to ensure that there is

adequate color contrast in each slide.

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Visual Medium-How?
• Visuals support the speech, they are NOT the
primary message
• Visuals are only used to dramatize and clarify the
message
• Practice your main points of the presentation
without relying on the visuals
• Visuals should assist you in controlling
– Pace of the presentation
– Flow of the information
• Important! – When you transition from one visual to
the next, introduce the topic area of the next visual
before it is revealed.

Creating the Visuals

• 14 lines per visual (max)
– Do not put too much information within a single
visual
• A title for each visual
– Title must be meaningful
• Simple readable labels
– Labels on charts or graphs should be specific and
precise (balance with simplicity)
– Labels must be meaningful yet simple
• Readable from the rear
– Print size at least 20 points
• No more than 3-5 major points
– Each point must be easily identifiable
– Use highlights, colors, bullets, different text size
• Consistency is a must

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Creating the Visuals

• Use colors appropriately
 Never use the color Yellow for your main text, title
or labels, red color is difficult to read from
distance
 Use red as a highlight color, indicating problem
area
 Use navy blue as a highlight color
 Two of the most common and readable colors are
blue and black
 Blue color (especially light blue) is the most
soothing color on an eye.
 Select the right color : H H H H H H H H
• Visuals Must be organized
 Your visuals must have introduction, body and
closing

Presentation Delivery

• Body language
– Contributes 55% toward message impact
• Tone of voice
– Contributes 38% toward message impact
• Actual words
– Contributes 7% toward message impact
• Time control
– Contributes 90 % toward message impact

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Time Control
• Prepare SEVERAL versions:
– 5 minute presentation of your research (on the
way to the train station or in the elevator)
– 15 minute presentation of your research (in
conference)
– 45-50 minute presentation of your research (in job
talk, invited talk, keynote)
– 55-100 minute presentation of your research (in
classroom)
• Be in control of time
– You may loose audience otherwise

Closing of Presentation
Accent your speech objectives
Leave the audience with something to remember
Closing is the “whip-cracker”, the “clincher”,
ultimately the “result getter”.
Closing can be dramatic, emotional, humorous
Closing does not have to have words; you can use
props, gestures, a demonstration or silence
Closing must tie with your opening and your
theme
Poor closing can seriously detract from an
otherwise excellent presentation

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Good Closings
• Call or an appeal for definite action
• Appropriate short quotation or illustration
• Exhibit – an object, article, picture
• Personal challenge
Poor Closings
• Commonplace statement delivered in a
commonplace way
• Apologetic statement
• Stale remark
• Solicitation of questions

Extra tips !
Items per slide = f (time per slide)
3 slides for 5 mins talk, 50 slides for 60 min.
A picture = A 1000 words
You have to be the master of what you are talking
about.
Don’t have anything on your slide that you don’t
intend to talk about.
A slide is only an aid to the presentation. It is not
for reading
Present it to colleague for critical review….and
prepare the slides well in advance 

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Tips for the audience

• It’s OK to question
• It’s OK to comment and
• It’s OK to disagree with the speaker…(Politely)
• Not to make fun of the speaker
• Not to show your superiority...(This is
uncivilized).
• Ask a question only to understand the
speaker better!

How to make a Poster

Presentation in PowerPoint

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Objectives

• Understand the techniques and aesthetics

behind an effective poster presentation.

• Learn how to create a poster using a Power

Point slide.

Goals
• A visual presentation of your research.
• Showcase Concise and focused outcomes.
• Explains your research using schematics,
graphs, and other visual strategies, with a
minimum of supporting text.
• Uses various strategies to attract viewers and
stimulate conversation.

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Features of an attractive poster

• Background- Plain
• Organization- High degree
• Text- Minimum
• Pictures- Optimal
• Graphs/Tables- Large
• Balance- Perfect

Further details….

Key aspects of Background

• Photographs as backgrounds lose resolution when
blown up (pixilation).

• Dark backgrounds are easier on the eye but use

more dye.
– Colored is preferred compared to Black and white

• Use background/foreground contrasts.

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Key aspects of Organization

• Introduction/Summary:
Minimum background information.
Write about your motivation and main breakthroughs.
• Methods and techniques used :
Mention unique feature of your work. For other details,
provide references.
Flow charts, Photos, work well.
• Results:
Biggest section of the poster, with lots of graphs, figures.
Arrange in a logical order so conclusions naturally follow.

• Discussion: Usually more of a conclusion than a discussion.

May use bulleted lists. Link the results to the hypotheses.

• Acknowledgements: collaborators and grant support.

• References: Keep to a minimum. Only cite critical references

to your project.
• Contact details: with E-mail, Phone number OR Affiliation of
the research group at the bottom/ or top of the poster,
optimal space utilization.
• How to reach a large crowd: leave behind your photo,
visiting card and poster content in A4 size paper

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Text
• Should be able to read anything from 4’- 6’ away.
• Establish a hierarchy of importance using the font size:
– Title: 80-100 pts
– Subheadings: 40-60 pts
– Body text: 24-30 pts
• AVOID USING ALL CAPS (has the effect of yelling)
• Double-space all text, unless font size is large enough to
read comfortably single-spaced.
• Use shorter sentences.

Editing..
• Use left justification (easier to read).
• Use
– Times New Roman
– Arial
– Calibri
• Be consistent in font type and size
• Use bold, italics, or underline to emphasize words.
– Don’t change fonts to emphasize a word.
– Don’t use all three. Overkill!
• Check your spelling.

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Pictures/Images
• JPEG, bitmap, or TIFF formats are easiest to use.
• Stay within 250-300 dpi resolution.
• Use light backgrounds with dark photos and vice
versa.
• Neutral/gray backgrounds enhance color photos
while white backgrounds reduce their impact.
• 4”x5” photos are a good minimum size.
• Fluorescent lighting can change the color.

Graphs/Charts
• Make sure that the text on axes and legends
adhere to the minimum font size.
• Few lines on a graph - label directly.
• Multiple lines on a graph - use a legend.
• Try to make all graphs and figures the same size
for consistency.
• Make lines in the graphs thick enough to see from
4’- 6’ away.
• Use different colors for different groups, and
maintain same color groups throughout poster.

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Balance
• Easiest layout involves boxes in 3-5 columns/
rows, are any other geometric shape optimizing
the space and aesthetic features.
• Is one side text- or graph-heavy?
• Use of contrasting or complementary colors.
• Even margins and spaces between boxes?
• General rule of thumb: 20% text, 40% graphics,
and 40% empty space.
• Where does the eye go? Does the poster have
flow?
• Would this poster make you want to stop and
read it?

• Before you start…

– Find out maximum allowable poster
dimensions for the symposium/conference
– Take a look around at other posters and get an
idea of what grabs you.
– Decide on your poster dimensions (max. 36”
height is typical for plotters in press).
– Type text into Word and create graphs in Excel/
Origin.
– Plan layout on paper before using PowerPoint.

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Poster on preparation….
• Choose a “blank” slide presentation. Open Power-
point and click on “File, New…”
• Go to “File, Page setup…”
– choose custom layout
– choose orientation (usually landscape)
– choose dimensions in inches (36” height maximum)
• Scaling
– May scale poster down by 33% or 50% (change
dimensions accordingly). Then print by doubling or
tripling scale in the print job.
– Actual size (easiest). Everything at 100%. Fonts actual
size on screen. See effect of pixelation on photos.

• The Easy Way: Set up margins by adding a box of

known dimensions and center it on the slide.
• Double-click on the box to get to properties.
– Color tab: remove fill color.
– Size tab: insert poster dimensions minus the margin space.
– Position tab: insert margin space from top and side, and
choose “top left corner” for alignment.
• Use box to line up additions.
• Remove when finished/ increase the line-width/ color
to highlight the important content.

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• Decide on the number of columns

• Do the math to come up with the width of boxes, minus
the margin spaces (around and between boxes).
• After adding text or graphic boxes, use the properties to
adjust the width.
• Nest a text box within a graphic box, so text will be
outlined as well.
• Height of boxes may be variable, so try to leave same
space between boxes vertically using properties.
– In other words, the math has to be done for each box.
• May remove graphic boxes after alignment, but boxes
around text are a must.

• Draw a text box on the slide.

– Cut/paste text from Word into text box.
– Change the font size after transfer.
– Always check spelling before pasting text!
• May also cut/paste graphs from Excel in same
manner.
– If not using Excel, then try cut/pasting object as an
image into Word.
– If succeeds, then may transfer to PowerPoint.
– Resolution problem as an image.

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• Review poster by looking at issues of balance.

• Review layout tips given earlier in this seminar.
• Check for spelling and other errors.
• Print slide to 8.5”x11” paper (scaled to fit) for final
proofing.
• May create a PDF version.
– What you see is what you get.
– May be easier to send to the printer/plotter.
• May print several proofs to hand out at the symposium.

TITLE OF THE PAPER

Authors1 609609
Institute Affiliation

SUB TITLE

Background:

Acknowledgements:

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References
• PhD comics.com
• “Scientists must speak”- 2nd Edn D. Eric Walters and Gale C
Waleters,
CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group
• “Technical writing- A practical guide for Engineers and
Scientists”, Philipp A laplante, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis
Group
• Research methodology- methods and Techniques- 3rd Edn C R
Kothari and Gaurv Garg, New Age International Publishers,

• MLA Handbook of writers of Research papers- 7th Edn,

• “ Scientific English” Robert A Day, 2nd Edn, ORYX Publication.

Practice,
Get Feedback,
Get Better
Work on flow and transition
Success is yours!

Thank you very much……

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