One of the main aims of a congress is the presentation of the results obtained from work and research in any discipline. The poster is one of the means of exhibition used in congresses for the exchange of information between attendees. The poster brings together the key and most important contributions of a field study that is exhibited at a scientific congress, often replacing the classical oral presentations. It is a type of communication with great potential since it enables the transmission of the information in a clear, concise and permanent way.
As an alternative to the traditional scientific poster presentation systems, there is a new system called electronic poster. ePosters are electronic presentations displayed on LED monitors, allowing interactive, more dynamic exchanges of information. They are not static sheets on a screen, but a more engaging and informative resource where you can use hyperlinks, audio, video or enlarged graphics to explain the results of your research project.
How do ePosters work?
There are different ways to create an ePoster. You can either project a previously-designed PowerPoint or PDF file onto a screen, or use special software tools to design and upload your ePoster. PosterSessionOnline is an innovative, integrated platform where you can create your scientific electronic posters from start to finish. With 15 years of experience –they have worked with more than 400 congresses since 2003, they are now a world reference both in electronic and printed posters service, and also a key research reference for the global medical community thanks to their constantly renewed Posters Database, which is the largest in the world.
In online platforms such as PosterSessionOnline, authors can submit their posters to the congresses very easily: first, they have to choose the congress they want to attend to; then, they enter their email information –and submission code previously provided to the autor, when given. Next, they have to confirm the submission form; and finally, they upload the poster. The service starts a few months before the congress, when the company send the communications with instructions on how to submit a poster. They give the delegates all the tools and assistance they need to create their posters, from pre-designed templates to editing and layout guidelines (recommended font sizes, etc). Once the poster is uploaded, they go through quality control points to avoid any mistakes at the moment of the presentation.
What are the advantages of using ePosters?
Eposters are a practical and agile system which helps authors to present their work in an easier, more convenient and more efficient manner. In addition, it is a more sustainable system that does not require the use of paper, so it is good for the environment. With ePosters, all the works are visible to all the congress participants during all the days of the congress. Thanks to a selective search system personalized for each congress, all the works presented are available in a few screens. Plus, with ePosters the delegates have access to all the posters even when the event has ended, since they are often stored in virtual galleries and databases. Thus, both the attendees and those who couldn’t go to the congress can see the poster and interact with it by contacting the author, downloadng the poster and even starting a discussion in the forum.
ePoster advantages for attendees
The most relevant factor ePoster is graphic communication, which greatly facilitates the understanding of the contents presented. This allows attendees to analyze the content in detail according to their abilities and interests, reaching the ultimate goal of all communication in a conference: that the author’s message reaches the attendees.
In addition, since the poster allows both visual communication and the possibility of dialogue with the author, it leads to facilitate the exchange of views within an orderly and calm discussion, something that hardly occurs in a session of oral communications. This also facilitates the consideration of other issues related to the contents of the poster, the exchange of experiences between professionals in a common field of work, contributions to reach better conclusions and solutions, participation in new knowledge, proposals for research and study, etc.
ePoster advantages for authors
Through the ePoster the author can show his results without having to be subjected to the pressure of oral presentations before an audience, especially if the content has to be presented in a language that the author does not master.
Thus, the poster is an ideal means of presentation as an alternative to oral communication within a congress, since it allows the presentation of results of studies, projects or experiences without time or travel limitations. Plus, when the subject matter of the research is directed to a very specific audience, the format of the ePoster is better adapted for the transmission of content.
