Setting Up Large Format Posters for Electronic Distribution

Standard research posters are typically 48 inches wide by 35 inches tall. Applying the same dimensions to electronic posters will enable your audience to see details in high-resolution photos, or zoom in on data visualizations, without sacrificing image clarity. Here are some tips for developing a poster that you intend to distribute electronically or present via Zoom screen share.

Use the following menu options to set up your poster before starting any design work.

• In PowerPoint: select File → Page Setup… and enter the dimensions 48 x 35
• In Google Slides: select File → Page Setup… (then select custom) and enter the dimensions 48 x 35
• In Adobe InDesign: select File → Document Setup… and enter the dimensions 48 x 35

Generate high resolution figures, and search for high resolution images.

• When exporting figures from a data analysis program, make sure they are a minimum of (roughly) 14 inches by 11 inches, or 1024 pixels by 768 pixels. Larger images are better – you can always scale down in your design. You cannot, however, increase the size of small images without losing sharpness. If you have trouble exporting from a data analysis program, maximize the figure on your monitor and take a screenshot.
• When searching for images on Google, try the advanced search option to specify image size.

When you’re ready to export and share, do the following.

• In PowerPoint: select File → Export… and select PDF as the file format
• In Google Slides: select File → Download → PDF Document…
• In Adobe InDesign: select File → Export… and select Adobe PDF (Print) as the file format