An academic poster is similar to a storyboard which can be used to present information to the audience (Hardicre, Devitt & Coad, 2007). During the process of poster presentation, the presenters stand beside the posters that they design, and present their academic findings or arguments verbally to the audience in conversations. In other words, poster presentations may act as an interactive platform for the audience and presenters, and facilitate knowledge exchange between the two parties (Ilic & Rowe, 2013). Since poster presentations are usually done in conversations, when the audience ask questions, the presenters may immediately clarify their ideas and listen to any suggestions for future research (Hess, Tosney & Liegel, 2009). This can help create breakthroughs in different areas of study.
Context and target audience
Poster presentations usually target at a wide range of audience, including scholars, professional researchers, as well as undergraduate/postgraduate students. However, it should be noted that the target audience is not limited to people in academia. In fact, poster presentations can be found in diversified contexts, including but not limited to local and international conferences, scientific meetings, medical exhibitions, and even schools (Ramsewak, 2012).
Purpose
Through participating in poster presentations, presenters may expand their professional networks and create more opportunities for future collaborations (Cleary & Walter, 2004). This is particularly important for young researchers who are inexperienced and keen to learn from other senior academics.
Apart from extending professional network, poster presentations provide presenters with a practical experience of introducing, elaborating and defending their research (Hess, Tosney & Liegel, 2009). Since different people may focus on various aspects of a research, the presenters may present their ideas in different ways to cater the needs of different audience, as well as to convince them with different strategies. In fact, poster presentations has become a trend for teaching and assessing students’ learning as poster presentations require a combination of critical thinking, analytical and communication skills (Costa, 2001). Some scholars even believe that poster presentations will replace essays and term papers in the near future (Akister, Bannon, & Mullender-Lock, 2000).
