Bridging Science and Culture to Improve Drug Abuse Research in Minority Communities

Poster Presentation Guidelines*

Content
Abstracts accepted for poster presentation should address the content guidelines described in application for travel award and be appropriate for a research meeting. All poster presentations should address the following:
        Purpose of study
        Intent or hypothesis
        Methods and procedures
        Analysis or evaluation
        Results or findings
The importance of findings related to substance abuse research, prevention, treatment, education/training or policy development.

Formatting
1. NIDA will provide a poster board for each author presentation. The author(s) should prepare all materials in advance.
2. You will be assigned a poster location. Assignments are in the conference program book. Your presentation title
    and presenter name will appear in the program book exactly as it was submitted to NIDA in your travel award
    application. If you have any changes, please email ldoctor@nida.nih.gov no later than September 15, 2005.
3. The exhibit board surface will be 44” by 68”. Ensure your presentation fits within those dimensions.
4. Please bring your own pushpins or thumbtacks to mount the poster to the exhibit board.
5. All materials should be typed - no handwritten poster pages will be accepted.
6. Each page of your presentation should be mounted on poster board, prior to presentation. The poster board should not be
    heavier than 14 ply or 1/8" in thickness - anything heavier may not keep in position on the exhibit boards.
7. A copy of your abstract should be mounted in the "first" position of your presentation, the upper left-hand corner. On the first
    line, centered at the top of this page above the abstract, should be the title, the name(s) of author(s), and your institutional  
    affiliation.
8. You may set-up your presentation on the morning of Monday, October 24 in the Centennial Ballroom before the start of the
    general session as early as 6:30 a.m. The formal presentations will occur during the luncheon on Monday, October 24 and
    during the morning session on Tuesday, October 25. You will have an opportunity to field questions during those designated
    times. Please confirm exact times and locations in the program book once you arrive to the conference.
9. Poster material should be removed at the end of the conference activities for the day at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 25.
10. No additional furniture, audiovisual equipment or special equipment can be permitted.

The Elements of a Good Poster Presentation
• A good poster draws viewers to it. It doesn't matter how great your information is if nobody sees it.
• A good poster holds viewers' attention. Getting people to your poster is important, but once there, a different set of variables
  come into play. Your poster will need to:
          - provide enough information so that viewers will be adequately informed about the issue,
          - be logically constructed so that viewers can easily follow your study, and
          - engage viewers.
• A good poster invites interaction. A poster needs to provide enough information to stand on its own, but the ultimate purpose is
  to provide viewers with enough information that they will want to discuss it with you. To
  do this, it needs to:
          - pose interesting questions and issues,
          - induce comments and questions from the audience.
• A good poster leaves viewers glad that they spent their time with it, and you.

*If you did not apply for a travel award, but are interested in participating in the poster session, please contact LeKhessa Doctor, ldoctor@nida.nih.gov by September 9, 2005.