Research Poster Quality Checklist

Use this comprehensive checklist before printing or presenting your research poster.

Pre-Compilation Checks

Content Completeness

• [ ] Title is concise and descriptive (10-15 words)
• [ ] All author names spelled correctly
• [ ] Affiliations complete and accurate
• [ ] Contact email address included
• [ ] All sections present: Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions
• [ ] References cited (5-10 key citations)
• [ ] Acknowledgments included (funding, collaborators)
• [ ] No placeholder text remaining (TODO, Lorem ipsum, etc.)

Visual Content

• [ ] All figures prepared and high resolution (300+ DPI)
• [ ] Figure captions written and descriptive
• [ ] Logos available (university, funding agencies)
• [ ] QR codes generated and tested
• [ ] Icons/graphics sourced (if used)

LaTeX Configuration

• [ ] Correct paper size specified (A0, A1, 36×48", etc.)
• [ ] Correct orientation (portrait/landscape)
• [ ] Minimal margins configured (5-15mm)
• [ ] Font sizes appropriate (title 72pt+, body 24pt+)
• [ ] Color scheme defined
• [ ] All packages installed and working

Compilation Checks

Successful Compilation

• [ ] PDF compiles without errors
• [ ] No critical warnings in .log file
• [ ] All citations resolved (no [?] marks)
• [ ] All cross-references working
• [ ] Bibliography generated correctly (if using BibTeX)

Warning Review

Run in terminal: grep -i "warning\|overfull\|underfull" poster.log

• [ ] No overfull hbox warnings (text too wide)
• [ ] Underfull spacing diagnostics inspected; unintended overfull boxes fixed
• [ ] No missing figure warnings
• [ ] No missing font warnings
• [ ] No undefined reference warnings

PDF Quality Checks

Automated Checks

Run: ./scripts/review_poster.sh poster.pdf or manually verify:

Page Specifications

pdfinfo poster.pdf | grep "Page size"

• [ ] Page size matches requirements exactly
• [ ] Single page document (not multi-page)
• [ ] Correct orientation

Font Embedding

pdffonts poster.pdf

• [ ] All fonts show "yes" in "emb" column
• [ ] Font type and appearance checked; no unintended bitmap text

Image Quality

pdfimages -list poster.pdf

• [ ] Raster images meet printer requirements at placed size (check x-ppi/y-ppi); vectors are resolution independent
• [ ] No JPEG artifacts in figures
• [ ] Vector graphics used where possible

File Size

ls -lh poster.pdf

• [ ] File fits the actual submission limit
• [ ] Not too large for email (<50 MB) if sharing digitally
• [ ] Figure quality inspected; small vector PDFs can be correct

Visual Inspection (100% Zoom)

Layout and Spacing

• [ ] Content fills entire page (no excessive white margins)
• [ ] Consistent spacing between columns (1-2cm)
• [ ] Consistent spacing between blocks (1-2cm)
• [ ] All elements aligned to grid
• [ ] No overlapping text or figures
• [ ] White space evenly distributed (30-40% total)
• [ ] Visual balance across poster (no heavy/empty areas)

Typography

• [ ] Title readable and prominent (72-120pt)
• [ ] Section headers clear (48-72pt)
• [ ] Body text large enough (24-36pt minimum, 30pt+ recommended)
• [ ] Captions readable (18-24pt)
• [ ] No text running off edges
• [ ] Consistent font usage throughout
• [ ] Line spacing adequate (1.2-1.5×)
• [ ] No awkward hyphenation or word breaks
• [ ] All special characters render correctly (Greek, math symbols)

Visual Elements

• [ ] All figures display correctly
• [ ] No pixelated or blurry images
• [ ] Figure resolution high (zoom to 200% to verify)
• [ ] Figure labels large and clear
• [ ] Graph axes labeled with units
• [ ] Color schemes consistent across figures
• [ ] Legends readable and well-positioned
• [ ] Logos crisp and professional
• [ ] QR codes sharp and high-contrast (minimum 2×2cm)
• [ ] No visual artifacts or rendering errors

Colors

• [ ] Colors render as intended (not washed out)
• [ ] High contrast between text and background (≥4.5:1)
• [ ] Color scheme harmonious
• [ ] Colors appropriate for printing (not too bright/neon)
• [ ] Institutional colors used correctly
• [ ] Color-blind friendly palette (avoid red-green only)

Content

• [ ] Title complete and correctly positioned
• [ ] All author names and affiliations visible
• [ ] All sections present and labeled
• [ ] Results section has figures/data
• [ ] Conclusions clearly stated
• [ ] References formatted consistently
• [ ] Contact information clearly visible
• [ ] No missing content

Reduced-Scale Print Test (CRITICAL)

Test Print Preparation

Print poster at 25% scale:

• A0 poster → Print on A4 paper
• 36×48" poster → 9×12-inch paper at 25%; use about 23% to fit Letter
• A1 poster → Print on A5 paper

Readability from Distance

The distances below refer to the full-size poster. For a 25% proof, divide each viewing distance by four; arbitrary screen zoom does not calibrate physical size.

From 6 feet (2 meters):

• [ ] Title clearly readable
• [ ] Authors identifiable
• [ ] Main figures visible

From 4 feet (1.2 meters):

• [ ] Section headers readable
• [ ] Figure captions readable
• [ ] Key results visible

From 2 feet (0.6 meters):

• [ ] Body text readable
• [ ] References readable
• [ ] All details clear

Print Quality

• [ ] Colors accurate (match screen expectations)
• [ ] No banding or color shifts
• [ ] Sharp edges (not blurry)
• [ ] Consistent print density
• [ ] No printer artifacts

Content Proofreading

Text Accuracy

• [ ] Spell-checked all text
• [ ] Grammar checked
• [ ] All author names spelled correctly
• [ ] All affiliations accurate
• [ ] Email address correct
• [ ] No typos in title or headers

Scientific Accuracy

• [ ] All numbers and statistics verified
• [ ] Units included and correct
• [ ] Statistical significance correctly indicated
• [ ] Sample sizes (n=) reported
• [ ] Figure numbering consistent
• [ ] Citations accurate and complete
• [ ] Methodology accurately described
• [ ] Results match figures/data
• [ ] Conclusions supported by data

Consistency

• [ ] Terminology consistent throughout
• [ ] Abbreviations defined at first use
• [ ] Consistent notation (italics for genes, etc.)
• [ ] Consistent units (don't mix metric/imperial)
• [ ] Consistent decimal places
• [ ] Consistent citation format

Accessibility Checks

Color Contrast

Test at: https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/

• [ ] Title-background contrast ≥ 7:1
• [ ] Body text-background contrast ≥ 4.5:1
• [ ] Digital text contrast checked (4.5:1 normal, 3:1 large); this alone does not certify accessibility

Color Blindness

Test with simulator: https://www.color-blindness.com/coblis-color-blindness-simulator/

• [ ] Information not lost with deuteranopia (red-green)
• [ ] Key distinctions visible with protanopia
• [ ] Patterns/shapes used in addition to color
• [ ] No critical info conveyed by color alone

Visual Clarity

• [ ] Clear visual hierarchy (size, weight, position)
• [ ] Logical reading order
• [ ] Grouping of related elements obvious
• [ ] Important info emphasized appropriately

Peer Review

30-Second Test

Show poster to colleague for 30 seconds, then ask:

• [ ] They can identify the research topic
• [ ] They can state the main finding
• [ ] They remember the key figure

5-Minute Review

Ask colleague to read poster (5 minutes), then ask:

• [ ] They understand the research question
• [ ] They can explain the approach
• [ ] They can summarize the conclusions
• [ ] They identify what makes it novel/important

Feedback

• [ ] Noted any confusing elements
• [ ] Identified any unclear figures
• [ ] Checked for jargon that needs definition
• [ ] Verified logical flow

Pre-Printing Final Checks

Technical Specifications

• [ ] PDF size exactly matches conference requirements
• [ ] Orientation correct (portrait vs landscape)
• [ ] All fonts embedded (verified with pdffonts)
• [ ] Color space correct (RGB for screen, CMYK if printer requires)
• [ ] Resolution adequate (300+ DPI for all images)
• [ ] Bleed area added if required (typically 3-5mm)
• [ ] Crop marks visible if required
• [ ] File naming convention followed

Printer Communication

• [ ] Confirmed paper type (matte vs glossy)
• [ ] Confirmed poster size
• [ ] Provided color profile if required
• [ ] Verified delivery deadline
• [ ] Confirmed shipping/pickup arrangements
• [ ] Discussed backup plan if issues arise

Backup and Storage

• [ ] PDF saved with clear filename: LastName_Conference_Poster.pdf
• [ ] Source .tex file backed up
• [ ] All figure files backed up
• [ ] Copy saved to cloud storage
• [ ] Copy saved on USB drive for conference
• [ ] Digital version ready to email if requested

Digital Presentation Checks

If presenting digitally or sharing online:

File Optimization

• [ ] PDF compressed if >10MB (for email)
• [ ] Test opens in Adobe Reader
• [ ] Test opens in Preview (Mac)
• [ ] Test opens in browser PDF viewers
• [ ] Test on mobile devices

Interactive Elements

• [ ] All QR codes tested and functional
• [ ] QR codes link to correct URLs
• [ ] Hyperlinks work (if included)
• [ ] Hyperlink annotations are correctly positioned and destinations verified

Alternative Formats

• [ ] PNG version created for social media (if needed)
• [ ] Thumbnail image created
• [ ] Poster description/abstract prepared
• [ ] Hashtags and social media text ready

Conference-Specific

Requirements Verification

• [ ] Poster size matches conference specifications exactly
• [ ] Orientation matches requirements
• [ ] File format correct (usually PDF)
• [ ] Submission deadline met
• [ ] File naming convention followed
• [ ] Abstract/description submitted if required

Physical Preparation

• [ ] Poster printed and inspected
• [ ] Backup printed copy prepared
• [ ] Push pins/mounting materials ready
• [ ] Poster tube or flat portfolio for transport
• [ ] Business cards/handouts prepared
• [ ] Digital backup on laptop/phone

Presentation Preparation

• [ ] 30-second elevator pitch prepared
• [ ] 2-minute summary prepared
• [ ] 5-minute detailed explanation prepared
• [ ] Anticipated questions considered
• [ ] Follow-up materials ready (QR code to paper, etc.)

Final Sign-Off

Date: ________________

Poster Title: _______________________________________________

Conference: _______________________________________________

Reviewed by: _______________________________________________

All critical items checked: [ ]

Ready for printing: [ ]

Ready for presentation: [ ]

Notes/Issues to address: _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

Quick Reference: Common Issues

Checklist Version

Reviewed 2026-09-30 - For use with LaTeX poster packages (beamerposter, tikzposter, baposter)