How long should a poster presentation be?

Have a 30-second version and a 2-minute version. Most conversations start short and get longer only if the person is interested.

What do I say at a poster session?

Ask if they'd like an overview, ask about their background, then give the 30-second version: question, finding, why it matters. Invite a question.

Should I memorise my poster presentation?

Memorise the 30-second version almost word for word, since you'll say it many times. Know the 2-minute version as a sequence of points.

What if I'm nervous at a poster session?

Practice the first sentence until it's automatic. Once the first visitor stops, it usually gets easier quickly.

How do I end a poster conversation?

Thank them and offer something: "Would you like a copy, or my email?" Then turn to the next person.

How to Present a Research Poster: What to Say in 2 Minutes

How a poster session actually works

At a poster session, people walk past dozens of posters. Most glance for a few seconds. Some stop and read. A few want you to walk them through it. You'll repeat your explanation many times, to people with very different backgrounds, often while they're also reading the poster.

So you don't need a talk. You need two short, flexible explanations and a way to start conversations.

Opening the conversation

When someone pauses, give them a choice instead of launching in:

"Hi, would you like a quick overview, or would you rather read first?"

Then find out who they are, so you know how much background to give:

"What area do you work in?"

A specialist wants method details; someone from another field wants the big picture. Asking costs five seconds and saves you giving the wrong version.

The 30-second version

Three parts: the question, the answer, why it matters. About 70–80 words.

Made-up example for a poster on sleep and exams:

"We wanted to know whether students who sleep more in exam week actually score better, or whether it's just that stronger students sleep more. We tracked sleep with wristbands for 120 students. The extra sleep helped, even after we accounted for previous grades: about half a grade per extra hour. So telling students to sleep rather than cram has some evidence behind it."

Point to the key figure as you say the result. Then stop, and let them ask.

The 2-minute version

For people who want more. Add method and the key figure, still in plain words. About 250–300 words, structured like this:

Part	Time	What to say	Point to
Question	15 sec	What you asked and why it's not obvious	Title
Background	15 sec	The gap: what's known, what isn't	Introduction panel
Method	30 sec	Who, what you measured, how, the one choice that matters	Methods panel or diagram
Main result	30 sec	The finding, with one number	Main figure
Surprise or limit	15 sec	Something unexpected, or the main caveat	Second figure or limitations
So what	15 sec	Why it matters, what's next	Conclusion

Example "method" sentence, plain version: "We gave 120 students wristbands for two weeks around exams, then compared their sleep to their grades, controlling for their grades the previous term."

Using the poster while you talk

Stand to the side, not in front of it.
Point to what you're describing. A finger on the figure helps people follow, especially if your poster is busy.
Don't read the text aloud. They can read. Tell them what it means.
Face the person, not the poster, for most of the time.

Questions you'll get

Prepare short answers to these, and say them out loud before the session:

Question	What they want	Example answer
"How did you measure that?"	Method detail	"Wristband sleep trackers, checked against a sleep diary."
"Could it be something else, like stress?"	Alternative explanations	"Possibly. We asked about stress, and the effect held, but it's a limit."
"How big was the sample?"	Confidence in the result	"120 students in one university, so we'd want to repeat it elsewhere."
"What's next?"	Your plans	"A study where we actually change sleep, not just observe it."
"Is this published?"	Whether to cite or follow up	Be honest: under review, in prep, or not yet
"Have you seen [someone's] work on this?"	Connection to literature	If yes, compare briefly; if no, "I haven't. I'll look it up, thank you."

Short answers keep the conversation two-way. If someone wants a lot of detail, offer to email them.

Handling the awkward moments

Nobody stops. Make eye contact and smile at people passing. "Hi, interested in sleep research?" is enough.
Two people arrive at different times. Finish your sentence, greet the newcomer, and offer a summary when you get to a natural break.
Someone knows more than you. Ask them questions. It's a great chance to get feedback.
Someone critical. Thank them, take the point seriously, and note it. You don't need to win.
You don't know an answer. Say so and say how you'd find out; see how to explain complex ideas simply for keeping explanations plain.

Things to have with you

A few printed small copies of the poster or a QR code linking to a PDF.
Business cards or a way to share contact details.
Water. You'll talk a lot.
A notebook for names and questions to follow up.

Practicing

Say both versions out loud until you can start each one without hesitation. Then practice with someone who interrupts with questions, because that's what really happens. Speaking Coach's "Pitch your big idea" scene, or a scene you describe, gives you a partner who asks follow-ups based on what you said, plus your pace in words per minute afterwards.