In the eye of the beholder: making the most of poster presentations--Part 2.

Poster presentations are an excellent starting point for novice conference presenters and may be less intimidating than oral presentations because the audience is often one-to-one and discussion can flow readily. The poster presenter has worked with the content over a period of time, knows it well and can explain it with knowledge and enthusiasm. Networking with a number of persons in a similar field at the "work in progress" stage benefits the work. Posters may also be displayed in the home agency to facilitate internal communication about a project or study and the accomplishments achieved. Credit may be given to presenters from peers unable to attend the conference and discussion about the project may stimulate internal interest in the process of research (Lynn, 1989). Before developing a poster presentation, adequate consideration must be given to careful planning. Posters can be time-consuming and expensive unless adequate care is taken in the planning stages. With adequate planning and extensive feedback throughout the planning stage, a poster can be a rewarding presentation.