How to Submit a Poster
Format Description
- Posters present new research and case findings
- Only one presenter per poster
- Maximum four co-authors per poster (co-authors do not present)
- One co-author may be designated as the "lead author." Unless otherwise noted, the poster presenter is assumed to be the lead author.
Checklist for Submission
- Poster title (maximum of 150 characters, with spaces)
- Title should be brief, unique and interesting
- Presenter information*
- Completed profile
- Financial disclosure form
- Presenter release forms
- Please note that your submission will not be finalized and sent to grading until the poster presenter and all co-authors complete their financial disclosure and presenter release forms
- Use the "Add Co-Author" button to add co-authors to your submission.
- Co-authors
- Use the "Add Co-Author" button to add any co-authors to your submission
- Overall poster abstract (maximum of 3,000 characters, with spaces)
- The abstract should be a concise description of results, findings, and conclusions.
- References
- List three or more peer-reviewed references published in the last 10 years to support your session content.
- References may be formatted according to your preferred style guide.
- Topic
- Select one to two topics that best describe the overall focus of your proposed session.
- Note: residents and medical students are asked to review their proposal with a faculty mentor prior to submission.
Download Examples
*All presenters must create a profile and complete the required forms prior to submitting a proposal for review by the Scientific Program Committee. All presenters must be available to present at the meeting and must register for the meeting prior to the date of their presentation.
These guidelines are for preparing your poster for print and presentation at the Annual Meeting. For submission guidelines, please click here.
General Disclosure Policy
Every presenter must complete a Disclosure of Financial Interests form through the APA’s online submission site. In addition, each presenter must make every effort to ensure meaningful disclosure of limitations on data—e.g., ongoing research, interim analysis, preliminary data, or unsupported opinion—on the poster being presented.
Guidelines For Poster Presentations
- There may only be one presenter for each poster and the presenter must be an investigator on the research study and included among the authors listed on the abstract submission. If the researcher who submitted the poster cannot attend the meeting and wishes to have a co-author substitute, please notify the Scientific Program Office (program@psych.org). The substitute presenter must provide contact information and a disclosure/presenter consent form in order to present the poster.
- Research scientists/authors who are pharmaceutical company employees are eligible to present a poster. However, pharmaceutical representatives (e.g., sales and marketing staff) are prohibited from presenting the poster or assisting during the poster presentation.
- Posters must report only findings of the research. No advertising or product identification by brand name is allowed. If any or all of the work in this poster was prepared with commercial support, a statement “Supported by funding from [name of company]” must be noted in the lower left corner of the poster in Arial 72 point font, with no bold, italics, special colors, or other enhancement of the company name, product, or any other portions of the statement.
- Generic names of drugs should be used throughout the poster; if brand names must be used, they must be used for all products referenced.
- Information regarding unapproved uses of approved products or investigational uses of unapproved products must be clearly presented with the following statement included on the poster: “The following information concerns a use that has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”
- The presenter must wear only their APA meeting badge and not badges or insignia of companies. No company or product identification may be included on badges or otherwise worn by the investigator.
- Presenters may mention to participants other CME activities at the meeting that relate to the research presented in the poster.
- The presenter may not engage in product detailing and may not direct participants to particular exhibits at the meeting or other company-sponsored non-CME activities such as Product Theaters or otherwise “market” the company or any product.
- Research results reported on the poster may not be displayed or distributed at the meeting by industry representatives or as part of a booth in the exhibit hall.
- No CD-ROM or bound books may be distributed.
- Handouts must be limited to a one-page photocopy of your poster. The handouts must include the disclosure information on the funding of the research: “The research reported here was supported by [name of company].” Generic names of drugs should be used throughout in the handout. Any information regarding unapproved uses of approved products or investigational uses of unapproved products must include the following statement: “The following information concerns a use that has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”
The Poster Layout
Your poster will be assigned a number (session number–board number). Mount your poster on your assigned board, which will be available 30 minutes prior to your assigned session. Your poster must be removed within 30 minutes after the session.
- The poster board surface area is 4’ high and 8’ wide and will contain the poster number assigned to your poster so you will know which board to use. Your printed poster must fit within the poster board surface, but need not fill the entire area.
- Your poster must contain the abstract title and the name(s) of the poster author(s). The lettering for this section should be at least 1” high.
- A copy of your abstract, in large typescript, should be posted in the upper left-hand corner of the poster board.
- Photos of slides or hand-drawn charts and illustrations similar to slides may be individually arranged on the poster board surface, using push pins provided by the APA in the poster area. Please note these push pins are to be shared by everyone. You may also arrange your presentation on lightweight construction paper ahead of time and mount the whole layout with four push pins.
- Prepare and bring with you all illustrations needed for your presentations, i.e., figures, tables, schemes, equations, etc.
- QR codes may be included on posters and handouts so long as the code does not lead to a website or materials promoting or marketing a company or product or otherwise violate any restrictions under “Guidelines for Poster Presentations” above.
Tips on Preparing Posters
Ideally, your poster should be self-explanatory so that you are free to supplement and discuss particular points when asked. The poster session provides an opportunity for informal discussion, but this becomes more difficult if you are obliged to explain the basics of your poster to each viewer.
- Bear in mind that your illustrations will be viewed from distances of 3 feet or more. All lettering should be at least 3/8” high, preferably in bold type.
- It helps the viewer if you can indicate (by numbers, letters, or arrows) a preferred sequence that might be followed in studying your material.
- Try to keep everything simple. Avoid “artsy” or overly ornate presentations. Block coloring can be useful here to add emphasis and clarity. Preferably, captions should be brief and labels few but clear.
- PLEASE DO NOT WRITE OR PAINT ON THE POSTER BOARDS.
- The poster area will not have projection equipment or electrical outlets.
Media Disclosure Policy
For purposes of news reporting, members of the media who have been credentialed by the APA Office of Communications may photograph, audio/videotape, and/or take notes during any or all presentations except when patient confidentiality might be compromised or a presenter specifically requests no audio/videotaping or photography by the press be permitted.