JYU: Writing Module for Faculty, Graduate & Post-doctoral Students, Conference Posters
Instructor: Mr. Marlen Elliot Harrison, PhD, MA
Office: Oppio 107
Contact: marlen.harrison at jyu.fi, 046 588 0325 (text and phone)
Classrooms: (see Korppi for schedule)
Professional conferences offer a variety of presentation formats. Opportunities for poster presentations are generally less competitive, and thus a great way to participate in conferences and build one’s professional vitae. In this module we will examine effective examples of conference posters. Participants will then have the opportunity to create and present a poster based on their current research.
ASSESSMENT
Assessment will be based on attendance, active participation, and successful completion of assignments. Assessment is pass/fail.
Required Coursework:
- Poster Presentation – This is the verbal discussion part of your poster presentation.
- Poster & Description – This is the actual visual representation of your work or work-in-progress as well as a handout that includes a written abstract.
- Reflective Letter – This is a short letter to your instructor that includes plans for expansion or development and a review of your learning in this course.
- Participation – Please be a part of the conversation: question-asking, idea-sharing, chatting are all encouraged! Lets make our time together a place of respect and enjoyment.
Rationale for Coursework: In order for you to gain experience creating visual representations of research as well as being able to discuss such work in English, you will choose a topic (hopefully something you are passionate about in your field, either completed or in progress) and develop a professional-quality poster presentation. You will be challenged to consider the visual rhetoric of your poster, flow of information and ease of viewing as well as to practice short-length conversations about specific aspects of your work. Your instructor will provide more information about required coursework during the course.
OUTCOMES
By the end of the course you can
- understand the professional significance of conference poster presentations
- plan a poster presentation for a professional conference in your fleld
- present information clearly and persuasively to others
- visually represent ideas and data from your research
- practice creating handouts and abstracts for poster presentations
- discuss in English, in depth, the primary apsects of your research
- reflect on your experience to help you plan future projects
T 3/13 Introductions, Review of Syllabus, Goal-setting, Planning
In class we will…
- review the schedule
- get to know each other
- look at examples of posters
- brainstorm ideas for our own posters
- start planning our posters
Homework:
- READING: An Effective Poster (please review all pages on the site); Posteripohja (JYU)
- WATCHING: Find and watch at least one video online that you feel offers good advice on creating or presenting poster presentations.
- WRITING: In 2-3 paragraphs, discuss your goals and plans for your poster presentation. How will you meet these goals? Why are these goals important? What do you already know you want to do for this project? What are you still unsure about? Do you have some days or times in mind that you know you can dedicate to this project?
- CREATING: Make your poster! Be prepared to present your poster to fellow participants on the 27th. You should include: a) a visual representation in poster form, b) a printed handout that includes an abstract and c) a 2-3 minute verbal overview of your work.
- SAMPLE HANDOUT (click me)
T 3/27 Discussions, Presentations, Reflections
In class we will…
- discuss our processes creating our poster presentations
- present our posters to fellow participants in simulated “poster session”
- reflect on our learning in the course
Homework:
- WRITING: After you complete your poster, write a reflective letter to your instructor discussing your experience in the course. Please also include at least one paragraph that discusses how and why you might expand upon your present work. This should not be an essay, but rather an actual “letter” that addresses any or all of the following:
* What grade (0-5) do you think you deserve and why?
* What were your expectations of a) your own performance and b) the course overall and a) how did you meet or not meet your own expectations and b) how did the course meet or not meet your expectations?
* What was the most useful activity or assignment in terms of advancing your knowledge of Conference Poster Presentations? Why?
* What would you have done differently or taking the course a second time? What recommendations can you make to your instructor to improve this course for future students?
* What was your greatest challenge in this course and how did you successfully or unsuccessfully meet this challenge?
* How will this course be useful to you in the future?
Note: You are not limited to the above questions; feel free to write about anything you want your instructor to know. - WRITING: Complete your abstract and handouts, reflection, and take a digital image of your poster. Email all four of these things to Marlen at marlen.harrison@jyu.fi in order to receive credit for this module.
