IAFOR UNDERGRADUATERESEARCHSYMPOSIUM (IURS)HANDBOOK

1 | IURS Handbook GuideTable ofContents
01

02

How to Write anAbstract

What is a Poster
Presentation?

03

04

The Poster Presentation
Process

The Benefits of a Poster
Presentation

05

06

How to Makea Poster

Top Five Delivery Tips

07
Examples from the Poster
Presentation Archive

2 | IURS Handbook Guide

Introduction
Welcome to the IAFOR Undergraduate Research Symposium(IURS).
This two-day IURS programme gives participants theopportunity

toenhance

theirpresentationandoral

communication skills through an online seminar and anonsite presentation. This international, intercultural, andinterdisciplinary course offers a wonderful opportunity forundergraduate students to join their academically engaged
peers in presenting their research project to a group of keen
and like-minded delegates, academics, and professionals.
Learn from their feedback and advice, and in turn, develop
your presentation skills, broaden your professional network,and forge new friendships.
Participants must join the full two-day programme.
Day 1 is held online and focuses on the preparation step ofyour final Poster Presentation: how to formulate your thoughts
and structure your presentations in ways that are engaging
and easy to understand, and communicate your intentions
with maximum clarity and impact. You will not be presenting
on this day.
Day 2 is held onsite during an IAFOR Conference. Day 2 focuseson the hard skills that allow you to operate as an effective
communicator during presentations. These techniques areinvaluable in academic, business and everyday contexts, andwill allow you to convey your ideas in ways that will leavestrong impressions on your audience. Your presentation will
be on this day.
Participants will receive a digital Certificate of Presentationfrom IAFOR after the Symposium concludes.
Language Requirement: The symposium will be conducted inEnglish.
Participants should have an Intermediate to Advanced EFL/ESL proficiency level.
– The IURS Organising Committee

1 | IURS Handbook Guide

01

How to Write
an Abstract

An abstract is a short summary of your research that is between 100 to 250 words long. The purpose ofan abstract is to inform the reader of your research in order for them to determine whether they would
like to know more about it. Please see below for the recommended structure for how to write an abstract.

1. Introduction•

Briefly introduce your research•

Define the purpose of your study•

Include any context or background information that you believe to be important

2. Methods•

Describe the research methods used

3. Results•

Include your main results or findings

4. Discussion•

Discuss the main conclusions of your research02

What is a Poster
Presentation?

A Poster Presentation is a more casual way of presenting your research as it allows presenters togive a quick overview of their work, tailoring the focus to the individual or small audience. It is a moreconversational way of presenting and is particularly popular across disciplines where research is datadriven.

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The Poster Presentation
Process

1. Submit your abstract
All submitted abstracts will be subjected to a blind peer-review process. A decision to accept or reject asubmission for presentation will be based solely on the quality of the submitted work.
2. Register for the Conference
If your submission is accepted for presentation at the conference, please confirm your attendance byregistering as a Poster Presenter from the conference website. Your attendance will be confirmed afterthe payment of registration fee.
3. Join Day 1 online
This online training aims for the participants to learn the techniques needed to create and present yourPoster Presentation with the IURS Facilitators.
4. Join Day 2 onsite
This onsite activity serves as a platform for you to present your poster and your research in front oftenured researchers who will be able to give you detailed feedback. This is the opportunity to exercise andincorporate the techniques learned from Day 1 and adapt them to fit your personal style.
5. Embrace your achievement
A Certificate of Presentation will be sent to you in PDF format as a token to remind you of your achievement,and encourage you to further advance your path in academia.

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The Benefits ofa Poster Presentation

01

02

Creativity

SocialPoster presentations allow you the freedom

Poster presentations allow delegates to interact

present your research in a range of styles.

with one another, helping to build connections.
You may end up meeting someone who you
could potentially work with in the future.

03

04

Feedback

Time

Provides the opportunity to receive feedback

Since you are not under a time constraint, youabout your research, as well as insight into

are allowed more freedom and flexibility withdifferent areas of your field of research. This

how you present your research. This will allow

will allow you to further improve your work, andyou the chance to have in-depth conversations

moreover, potentially inspire you.

regarding your research.

05
Presenting
If you are inexperienced with presenting, or struggle with presenting in front of an audience, this is theperfect way to practise. While you will still have to communicate and explain your research to others, youwill have the opportunity - through trial and error - to learn about the best and most effective method topresent your research.

4 | IURS Handbook Guide

05

How To Make aPoster

The poster display boards are 900 mm wide x 1800 mm high. Tape and pins are available from theconference Registration Desk. It is recommended that poster presenters use thin, lightweight poster
paper. Each board will have pushpins and adhesive tape available for presenters to secure their poster.

One of the most important things about a poster presentation is how visually appealing it is. You want thewhole poster to look aesthetically pleasing, as the overall poster will be the first thing the delegates see.

1. Title
Think of an interesting, eye-catching title that will grab your audience’s attention.
This will be one of the first things the delegates will read, therefore you want something that will either
clearly communicate the main message of your topic or leave the delegate wanting to read more throughhinting at an unexpected result or finding.

2. Introduction
Underneath the title, state what your topic is about. You may want to include reasons as to what drew
you to research the particular topic. Your introduction should be brief, we recommend no longer than aparagraph.

3. Research Method
Describe how, when and where your research was conducted. You may want to use bullet points or
flowcharts instead of large paragraphs to break down the process, so it is easier for the delegates to read.

You would want to keep this next to the introduction, either below or to the right hand side, for structural
purposes. It is important that your poster has a clear structure, and the text is not randomly placed around.
Following the standard layout of left to right, top to bottom will help the delegates be able to easily navigate
your poster.
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How To Make aPoster

4. Result or Main Points
Take into consideration who your target audience is and what they would find interesting to read. You
may want to use diagrams or images to help present your findings. Anything visual will help the delegates
understand your research further.
This should be the biggest section on your poster. You may want to place this centrally.

5. Conclusion
Write a short summary of your findings. This should be brief and highlight the key points that you havepreviously discussed.
You may want to highlight or use bold formatting for the important findings.

6. Reference and Acknowledgments
If you have used any references in your poster, you will want to cite them. As well as references, you may
want to acknowledge anyone who may have helped you with your project.

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06

Top Five
Delivery Tips

Tips on Giving a Poster Presentation
Drawing from the experiences of the facilitators who have been involved extensively in the symposium
since its initiation in 2015, here are the Top Five Delivery Tips for an engaging, effective, and successful
delivery of Poster Presentation.

1. Be passionate
Showing passion and enthusiasm about your topic is just as important as your research content andposter design. One way or another, in every presentation, you are expressing what you believe, who you
are, and your deepest values.

Show your commitment to the topic. Your passion for your topic is what it is all about when giving apresentation.

2. Be confident
Start out strong. Be confident in delivering your presentation. Give the audience a good first impressionand the rest of the presentation will glide. Being confident gives you an image of being a true professional,adding value to your presentation and your research. Remember that everybody at the conference is there
to support you, not to spot your mistakes. If there are overlooked mistakes, own it and improve it later.

3. Be concise
Stay focused, stay on message, and keep each point short. You are making a short communication tothe audience who can walk away to another Poster Presentation at any moment. Maximize your time bydelivering your key message first. Audiences usually focus on the results rather than a long introduction.
Telling them what you found out first is better than having them walk away in the middle of a longintroduction, not having a chance to let them know what you have found.

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06

Top Five
Delivery Tips

4. Be connected
Connect to your audience with good eye contact. Own your poster, but do not read from it. Use your poster
as the communication tool between you and your audience. Maintaining eye contact with your audience
helps engage them more than turning your back on them to read your poster. Reading straight from yourposter can give the impression that you may not fully understand your topic. Engage with your audienceand turn any possible glitch into a conversation.

5. Be professional
Always remain gracious. Even if you have practised and are well-prepared, sometimes unexpected glitches
happen. Do not panic. Remain calm and in control. If you forget the statistic, glance at your poster and readit to your audience. If you are nervous, take a deep breath, then breathe out. Your professional audiencehas been in your position before, so they will understand. Your fellow audience members are in the same
situation as you are, and they are there to cheer you up.

Your audience looks at your poster and listens to your presentation because they are interested in what
you have done and what you have to say. Give them what they are here for. Do what you are here for.

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07

Examples from the Poster
Presentation Archive

Learn more about the possible poster designs and contents from the previous Poster Presentations
across disciplines from the following selected presentations:“Why the Hate: The Recent Rise of Asian American Racism on Social Media”The Asian Undergraduate Research Symposium (AURS10)
Yun Yeong Choi, University of Utah, United States
https://submit.iafor.org/submission/submission69646/“Marriage of Convenience: The Symbiotic Relationship Between the Unification Church and Japan’s LDP”
The Asian Undergraduate Research Symposium (AURS10)
Matthew King, Emory University, United States
https://submit.iafor.org/submission/submission67731/“Evaluation of Green City Implementation in the City of Bandung According to Assessment of the AsianGreen City Index”
The Asian Undergraduate Research Symposium (AURS10)
Zalva Noer Salsabila, Indonesia University of Education, Indonesia
Ikrima Fatia Nurazizah, Indonesia University of Education, Indonesia
Ghina Nurhanifah, Indonesia University of Education, Indonesia
Aliya Ikhlasshafa Kirana, Indonesia University of Education, Indonesia
Lahfa Muhajirah, Indonesia University of Education, Indonesia
Ekklesia Praysca, Indonesia University of Education, Indonesia
https://submit.iafor.org/submission/submission69658/“Development of Educational Board Games According to the Concept of Learning Management ThroughGames to Develop Health Education Learning Achievement”
The Asian Undergraduate Research Symposium (AURS10)
Sasiwimol Poolklay, Kasetsart University, ThailandWichanon Poonsri, Kasetsart University, Thailand
Sunee Kaewkham, Rachineeburana School, Thailand
Suppawan Vongsrangsap, Kasetsart University, Thailand
https://submit.iafor.org/submission/submission67719/

9 | IURS Handbook Guide

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