2006 Undergraduate Poster Session
Call for Proposals

Session Coordinated by the AAFCS Higher Education Unit

Funding and Other Support Provided by the AAFCS Higher Education Unit, the Coordinating Council of Honor Societies, and the Council of Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences

American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences Annual Meeting
Charlotte, North Carolina
June 22-25

Please help us identify undergraduate students who will be ready to present their research efforts in the form of a poster during the Higher Education Unit and Coordinating Council of Honor Societies co-sponsored session next summer in Charlotte, NC. The session is titled Undergraduate Student Poster Session. HEU Executive Committee Members and representatives from the Coordinating Council of Honor Societies will review abstracts. The Higher Education Unit has dedicated funding to present stipends to selected participants who are able to attend the meeting. If determined on time, names of participants will be placed in the AAFCS Meeting & Exposition program.

Send a one-page abstract of the student's
research by March 1, 2006 to:

Stephen R. Jorgensen, Dean
College of Human Environmental Sciences
University of Missouri - Columbia
Columbia, MO 65211
jorgensens@missouri.edu

Include the following information:

• Title of Research Project
• Name of Student (include member number if an AAFCS member)
• Name and Title of Research Advisor(s)
• Institution
• Preferred Mailing Address
• E-Mail addresses of all authors
• Office, home, and fax numbers
• Abstract of Research Project (1-2 page maximum)

For additional information, contact Stephen R. Jorgensen (573) 882-6227 or e-mail address above

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POSTER PRESENTATION INSTRUCTIONS

Authors should place their poster on the pre-assigned easel prior to the session as scheduled and should remain in place during the entire time as designated.

The poster should be attended during the entire designated poster session at which time you can answer questions and expand on the material for interested visitors.

Focus
The poster display should focus on:

• Objectives or Hypotheses
• Methods
• Results and Discussion
• Summary or Conclusions

Poster Boards
Presentation materials will be mounted on boards that will be provided by AAFCS at the meeting. Individual presentations should be no larger than 3' high and 4' wide.

Illustrations
Keep illustrative material simple. Illustrations must be readable from distances of about 2 feet. Charts, drawings, and illustrations should be similar to those you would use in making slides. The title should include the authors and institutions as they appear in the submitted abstract.

Other Preparation
This is an opportunity for informal discussion concerning your research. You may choose to provide a handout for distribution but this is not a requirement.

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Tips for Poster Presentations

Adapted from "Western Psychological Association Convention Instructions for Delivering Presentations." Eye on Psi Chi. Winter, 1998. 35,42.
Reprinted with permission of Psi Chi Honor Society.

Poster presentations provide the opportunity for the presenter and the audience to talk with one another. A physical arrangement similar to an exhibit area is used for this interaction. Each presenter is provided with a space for display of the poster. During the designated period, the audience moves through the poster displays, stopping to interact with those who are presenting research that is of special interest to them. Thus, the interaction between the presenters and the audience is likely to be more meaningful than is typically the case in paper sessions. Therefore, when constructing your poster, remember to utilize the opportunities provided by this method of presentation.

Poster presentation recommendations:

1. Construct the poster to include the title, the author/s, affiliations/s, and a description of the research, highlighting the major elements that are covered in the abstract.
2. Minimize detail and try to use simple, jargon-free statements.
3. Remember that pictures, tables, and figures are amenable to poster display.
4. If you can, use color in your visuals.
5. Make sure lettering is neatly done and is large enough to be read from a distance, i.e., do not simply pin up a set of type pages-reserve these for your handout.
6. Consider using a flow chart or some other method of providing the viewer with a guide to inspecting your display.
7. Don't overwhelm the viewer with excessive amounts of information; rather, construct a poster display that enhances conversation.
8. Be ready to pin up and take down your poster at specified times.
9. Be sure to bring thumbtacks with you.

Prepare for distribution, copies of a printed version of your paper (about 25) with the details of the research and/or a sign-up sheet on which interested people can request the paper. Be sure to indicate on the paper your identification, the conference source reference, and whether or not it may be quoted.

It is an honor to have the opportunity to present at a research conference. You have an obligation to prepare a neat, well-organized display and to be present at your display for the entire poster session period. With a little thought and creativity, you can make your presentation a very pleasing one for both you and your audience.

www.kon.org/tips_poster.html