Become a Presenter

Guidelines
Submitting Your Abstract

Guidelines

Please be sure to have your faculty mentor review your abstract prior to submission.

If multiple students are presenting as a group, only submit one abstract per group project and list all presenters on the submission form. Please prepare/gather the information below before accessing the online submission form:

1. Title of your presentation

The title should clearly indicate the nature of the study/project. It should not be more than 200 characters (~30 words).

DO NOT use symbols, Greek letters, italicized or boldface words; the online submission system being used does not support them. Symbols and Greek letters will appear as empty boxes, italicized and boldface words will be formatted incorrectly.

For all words - Capitalize the First Letter. Do not capitalize article words such as "a" "the" "and" "of" (Unless the article is the first word of the title)

Correct:
The Traveling Salesman Problem in Rats

Wrong:
the Traveling salesman problem in rats

2. Research Collaborators

Provide the USD ID# for all collaborators on the research project.

3. Research Collaborators List

The author list should include you and your research mentor(s).

If two or more students worked on the project please list all the students and then the research mentor(s).

Indicate who will be "presenting"  by writing the name(s) in ALL CAPITALS (Presenting students, those listed in ALL CAPITAL letters, must be present from 12-1pm or 1-2pm).

The faculty mentor SHOULD NOT include titles or degrees; Dr., Ph.D., M.D., etc.

Correct:
DIEGO TORERO and James Harris (Presenter name is capitalized, research mentor is listed last)

Wrong:
Diego Torero,  James Harris (Presenter name not capitalized, comma and no "and")

Wrong:
Diego Torero and Dr. James Harris (Presenter name not capitalized, and the title "Dr." is used)

4. Research Project Abstract

This should be written as one single paragraph with a maximum length of 250 words.  Abstracts in excess of 250 words will be truncated.

DO NOT use symbols, Greek letters, italicized or boldface words; the online submission system being used does not support them. Symbols and Greek letters will appear as empty boxes, italicized and boldface words will be formatted incorrectly.

NOTE: Before submitting your abstract, please ensure that your abstract is in its most final form when you hit the submit button. Unfortunately, editing the abstract after submission is not possible. It is EXPECTED that your research will progress and may even change significantly between the time you submit and the time you present. While you cannot edit the abstract, you are encouraged to include all new data in the presentation.

**The abstract submission window will close on March 1, 2019**

A poster presentation is a concise visual presentation of your research or scholarly activities. A successful poster will allow viewers to understand your work through images, graphs/charts, tables and other visual strategies with minimal supporting text.

IMS has developed a template to help you create your poster. This video will show you how to access and edit the poster template. 

Below are some additional guidelines on preparing your poster for Creative Collaborations Undergraduate Research Conference (CC URC).

Design and Layout

Posters should always include:

• Title: project title
• Authors: your name, names of research collaborators, faculty advisor's name, location of research work (Department/Institution)
• Introduction and Objective (Current state of the field and the question that is being addressed by the research)
• Methods
• Results or Findings (expected or preliminary)
• Discussion
• Conclusions/Future Directions
• Acknowledgments: include any sources of funding your received for the project you are presenting. Contact the OUR for logos to add to your poster. You can also find some logos for various USD organizations here.

Below are general tips on designing your poster provided by USD's Instructional Media Services (IMS).

• Keep the layout so it is readable in columns (top to bottom, then across from left to right).
• Try to balance the items you put on the poster – for example, do not have all the diagrams, charts and pictures in just one column. Spread them out as evenly as possible.
• Avoid putting images behind text – it makes the text harder to read.
• Title is at the top – either top centered or top left aligned.
• The eye likes a margin. Putting text and images hard up against the edge of the poster makes it look crowded and it becomes harder to read.
• Keep text to a minimum. Too many words and people will not read it – they will lose interest more easily and they often just look at the parts that stand out – such as headlines and figures.
• It is important to have a certain amount of ‘white space’ on your poster to help guide the reader through the layout.
• Omit complex analyses and formulas as not all viewers will understand it.
• Avoid blocks of text longer than 15 lines.
• Minimize use of Underlining – use italics instead.
• It is important to have consistent line spacing throughout for a poster to look professional and allow for ease of readability.
• It is advisable to use some graphics on your poster – pictures, charts, flow diagrams etc. These will help break up blocks of text and make the poster more attractive.
• Avoid the use of low resolution images.
• Review – it is important that you prepare the poster in advance and have your research mentor review it, provide you with suggestions and approve it for printing.
• Check and double-check your work!
• Check with your faculty mentor or department representative to review the appropriate design conventions for your discipline.

Download Developing successful posters using Microsoft PowerPoint for more tips and instructions on creating a successful poster.

Other Resources

Poster Design Workshops

Instructional Media Services (IMS) will be offering Poster Design Workshops to new and returning student presenters.

Note: Students who have never made a research poster are required to attend a Poster Design Workshop prior to printing their poster through IMS.

Sample Posters

• Chelsea Towler & Dr. Ken Keith, Psychological Sciences, "Exercise and Mental Health in University Students."
• Deserae Rawling & Dr. Sarah Gray, Marine Science and Environmental Studies, "Can Sediment Texture be Used as a Proxy to Measure Terrigenous Sediment Accumulation on Coral Reefs?"
• Jessica Sully & Dr. Geoffrey Morse, Biology, "Sexual Selection in Morphology of Male Genitalia in Two Seed Beetle Species of the Genus Acanthoscelides."

Blank Templates

• 42 inches x 36 inches - Sample Templates

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Size

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Mounting

Do not mount your poster on foamcore.

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Printing

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) will pay for your poster to be printed at USD's Instructional Media Services (IMS) only. If you print off-campus, OUR CAN NOT cover the cost.

Please sign up for an appointment to have your poster printed; poster printing will be done at IMS in Maher Hall 176C.

• Appointments are available every 10 min, but are restricted to one student per appointment. Sign up (Link Posted Soon). 
• Note: Printing appointments are first-come-first-serve, therefore sign up ASAP to reserve a time that works best for you. 

Preparing your Poster File to print at IMS

• All students, regardless of experience, are encouraged to attend a Poster Design Workshop offered by IMS.
• If you CANNOT attend a Poster Design Workshop, please watch this short video tutorial on how to download and use the poster template.
• Please note that your poster should be:
  • no larger than 42"x 36. If you are using Microsoft PowerPoint, you need to enter a custom size. On a Mac, go to File--Page Setup and choose Custom under the "Slides sized for" category. Then specify the size of your poster. On a PC (PPT 2010), go to Design tab and choose Page Setup. Type in the dimensions of your poster.
  • Submitted as a PDF
  • Approved by mentor. You must bring your mentor signed form to IMS when you go to print your poster.
• To avoid formatting problems, use Myriad or Garamond as your type font. Titles are usually around 72-144 pt and continuous body text should be around 18-30 pt.
• Avoid using low-resolution images. Images captured from the web are usually low resolution. Ideal resolution is 150 pixels per inch at placement size.
• Review the document Developing Successful Posters Using Microsoft PowerPoint for additional tips to design and prepare your poster.
• Save your finished PowerPoint file as a PDF on a flashdrive and please name your file using your first and last name (first_lastname.pdf). Bring the flashdrive with you when you go to IMS for your scheduled poster printing time.

**Double-check your work carefully for accuracy and have your research mentor approve of the poster and sign off on this form BEFORE having it printed. OUR cannot cover the cost of reprints. While your poster may look accurate on your computer, we recommend that you project the image on a classroom size screen.**

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Oral, lecture-like presentations.

Examples:

Poetry

Short Essays/Stories

You will have an opportunity to describe your set-up and indicate your needs on the online abstract submission form.

Many types of creative works do not lend themselves to a two-dimensional poster format; these can include paintings, drawings, photography, sculptures and architectural designs.

Guidelines

Artist Statement

Art students prepare an artist statement in place of the abstract when submitting the Online Abstract Submission form.

Your artist statement, 150 words or less, should clearly describe your creative work and may also include:

• an explanation of what motivated or inspired you
• what you want the audience to see, experience and/or feel when they view your work
• any interesting aspects of the materials or techniques used
• any other information that will help the audience interpret and appreciate the work you are exhibiting.

Exhibition Information

Please contact: Professor Shannon Starkey

Who can participate in Creative Collaborations Undergraduate Research Conference?
All undergraduate students who are involved in research, scholarly work and creative activities are encouraged to participate. There is no cost to participate.

Can I be the presenter of two projects?
No. Each student can only be the presenter of one project to ensure that all students are able to present in the limited amount of space in the UC; however, you can be a collaborator/author of another project.

I am working on a project with other students. Do we all need to submit an abstract for the same project?
No. Only the lead student researcher will submit the abstract. There will be a a section in the submission form to notate other research collaborators on the project.

Who is my research mentor?
Your research mentor is the person who is supervising your research, scholarship, or creative project. It may or may not be your academic faculty advisor.

Can I make edits to an abstract that I have already submitted through the online submission form?
No. Unfortunately, editing the abstract after submission is not possible so please be sure that your abstract is in its most final form when you hit the submit button. Please note that it is EXPECTED that your research will progress and may even change significantly between the time you submit and the time you present. While you cannot edit the abstract, you are encouraged to include all new data in the presentation.

Can my research mentor submit the abstract on my behalf?
No, the student researcher must submit the abstract electronically, and will identify the research mentor for the project on the form.

I'm doing research off campus, should I list my off-campus research mentor?
Yes, you should provide information about your off-campus research mentor.

My faculty mentor is not able to attend the conference. Will she/he need to be present on the day of the presentation?
Although faculty mentors are encouraged to attend the conference, it is not required. If your faculty mentor cannot attend, please be sure to invite other members of your research group to come and support you.

Who can help me with questions about how an abstract, poster, or presentation should look in my field?
If you have questions regarding the academic content of your work, it is best to ask your research mentor.

To learn how to design and assemble a poster, please sign-up for a workshop. More information about the workshop and how to register for one can be found here.

Does the Office of Undergraduate Research pay for my poster if I print off campus?
No. The OUR will only pay for posters printed through IMS

What size does my poster have to be?
42 x 36 inches

Where are the poster design workshops held?
Sera Hall 156A

Where is poster printing done?
IMS in Maher Hall 176C

If I am not a Visual Arts Senior, can I still submit my creative work?
Yes. All creative work submissions will be accepted, regardless of class standing and major.  If you are a Visual Arts Senior, you will need to indicate that on the submission form.

Am I responsible for curating my own creative work?
If you are interested in curating your creative work, you can contact Professor Shannon Starkey, otherwise you do not have to curate your work.

I still have questions about the Undergraduate Research Conference. Where can I get further information?
You may send questions about the event to ugresearch@sandiego.edu