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Eastern Michigan University Halle Library

Poster Presentation Basics

This guide introduces the essentials of designing, creating, and printing research posters, with tips, templates, and support resources.

Poster Creation Software

Choose software you already know—learning a new program while creating a poster can be time-consuming and stressful. Many students use PowerPoint, but other tools can work as well.

  • Microsoft PowerPoint — familiar UI; quick to learn for large-format posters.
  • Adobe InDesign — professional layout control; great for complex posters.

Both are available on Halle Library computer lab machines. See the full lists:

Canva is another option (free with account) for quick, template-based designs.

Poster Templates

Several great websites that offer free, downloadable poster templates for Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe InDesign.

Printing Requirements

  • Save your final poster as a PDF before submitting it to the DoIT Print Center.
  • Maximum size: Posters cannot exceed 41 inches on one side.