Summer Undergraduate Research Program - Fred Hutchinson ...

How to Create a Poster Using PowerPoint
1 . Open Microsoft PowerPoint .
2 . Click on “File” and select “New .”
3 . Click “Format” and select “Slide Layout .” On the right-hand side of the page, select “Blank .”
4 . Reference the instructions for the required poster size; a common size is 4 ft. wide by 3 ft. high.
• It is important to know in advance what paper size your institution’s/department’s printer uses .
Many printers use a defined paper roll dimension; therefore you may need to identify another
print source for your poster .
5 . To set the poster size, click “File” and select “Page Setup .” Within “Page Setup,” select “Custom” and
enter 48 inches wide and 36 inches high [for a 4’ x 3’ poster] . Select “Landscape” as the orientation .
6 . Click “OK .” If you get an error message that says the document is bigger than your printer, click
“OK;” you do NOT want to use the Fix option.
7 . To ensure consistent formatting and spacing, apply a grid to the slide . To insert a grid, click
“View,” select “Grid and Guides,” set the spacing to 1” and choose “Display Grid on Screen .” The grid
lines will not show up when the poster is printed .
8 . To enter data and text on the slide, click “Insert” and select “Text Box .”
• Title fonts should be between 80 - 96 points .
• Section headers should be between 45 - 50 points .
• Text fonts should be between 24 - 28 points .
• Figure legend fonts should be between 22 - 26 points .
9 . To insert a superscript number(s), go to “Format” and select “Font .” Then select the
“Superscript” option . Superscript numbers are necessary when denoting the authors’ respective
institution(s) on the poster . The superscript number goes after the authors’ names and before the
corresponding name(s) of the institution(s) .
10 . To insert images onto the slide, click “Insert” and mouse over “Picture” to select “From File .” You
may also copy and paste images onto the slide or drag the item onto the slide from the original
source . You should always edit the images (in a program like Photoshop®) before inserting or
pasting onto the slide .
11 . To add a chart, first create it in Excel (making sure all of the colors and fonts are the same as those
on the slide) and then copy and paste it onto the PowerPoint slide . Another option is to create the
chart in PowerPoint by clicking on “Insert” and selecting “Chart .”
12 . Tables and/or graphs can be created in Word, Excel or in the PowerPoint slide . If it is a large table
or graph, it may be easier to create it in Word or Excel and then copy and paste it onto the slide . The
format, font, and text can be edited in PowerPoint after the table or graph has been inserted onto
the slide .
If the table and/or graph is created in Word or Excel with the colors and fonts that match the
PowerPoint slide, the table or graph can be pasted onto the slide as an image . To do that, select the
table or graph in Word or Excel and click “Edit” and select “Copy .” Then go to the slide, click “Edit,”
then “Paste Special,” and select “Picture (Windows Metafile),” but do not paste it as a link. If pasted
as an image (picture,) the table or graph can be made larger or smaller to fit the desired size, but
the content of the table or graph cannot be edited on the slide . If edits are needed, it will need to be
done in the original Word or Excel document and then copied and inserted using “Paste Special”
again . This method is preferred when doing more complicated tables or graphs .
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