Research Poster Templates: Choosing a Layout and Filling Each Section

A research poster template is a pre-built structure: a title band, a grid of columns and a set of named sections. Picking the right one saves hours, and knowing what belongs in each section is what turns a template into a poster people read.

Use the first half of this page to choose a layout, and the second half as a section-by-section writing checklist.

Start from a template · See all designs

Three layouts for three kinds of study

Classic Academic (Free)

Even columns. For studies with balanced text and figures, and for first-time presenters.
Open Classic Academic
Midnight Aurora (Pro)

Wide centre column. For studies whose contribution is mostly data and figures.
Open Midnight Aurora
Atelier (Pro)

Central key finding. For studies with one headline result you want people to see from the aisle.
Open Atelier

Step 1: Match the layout to your study

Even columns suit mixed content and work at every conference. Choose two columns for A1, three for A0 portrait and four for 48 x 36 landscape.
A wide results column suits imaging, omics, clinical outcomes and anything with several large plots.
A central key-finding layout suits a single striking effect, a new method with one benchmark, or a public-engagement poster.
A flow layout suits pipelines, engineering systems and multi-stage protocols, where the order of steps is the story.

Step 2: Match the style to your discipline and venue

Clinical and biomedical meetings favour clean, light designs with restrained colour. Humanities and social science posters often carry more text, so a serif typeface and generous margins help. Engineering and computing audiences respond well to technical, grid-based styles, while ecology and environmental posters suit natural palettes. At very large meetings, a bolder design helps you get noticed; at a small workshop, calm and clear wins.

Section-by-section: what to write

Title: state the finding in under 15 words. 'Exercise reverses insulin resistance in aged mice' beats 'Effects of exercise on metabolism'.
Authors and affiliations: presenting author first or underlined, superscript numbers for institutions, and logos grouped in the header.
Abstract or summary: optional on posters. If kept, cut it to three sentences: question, approach, answer.
Introduction: two to four sentences. What is known, what is missing, and the question you asked.
Objectives or hypotheses: one to three numbered aims, so visitors can match them to results.
Methods: steps, a diagram or a short list of key parameters. Leave full protocols to the paper.
Results: one heading per figure, written as the takeaway. Two to four figures is usually enough.
Discussion and conclusions: three bullets on what the results mean, plus one line on limitations.
Future work: one or two concrete next steps. Useful for prompting conversations with potential collaborators.
References and acknowledgements: smallest text on the poster, five to ten references at most, funding numbers included.

Step 3: Trim until it fits without shrinking the type

When a section overflows, shorten the text rather than reducing the font. Body text below about 24 pt on an A0 poster is hard to read at a normal viewing distance. A full poster usually lands between 300 and 800 words.

Frequently asked questions

Can I add or remove sections from a template?

Yes. Rename any section, delete the ones you do not need, or add new blocks such as a QR code panel or a second results section.

Can I switch templates after I have started?

Yes, from the template menu at any time. Colours reset to the new template's default theme, so review the poster after switching.

Which template is best for a thesis or student poster?

Classic Academic with three columns. It is free, familiar to examiners, and easy to fill.