Prizes, Guidelines, and Criteria

Prizes

First Place: $800
Second Place: $600
Third Place: $400
People’s Choice: $300

Poster Guidelines

Screenshot of appropriate powerpoint settings making the file 48”x36”

Posters should be landscape orientation and CANNOT exceed 48 inches x 36 inches (4 feet by 3 feet). Posters that exceed those measurements will not be eligible to participate on the day of the event. To ensure your poster is the correct size if working in Microsoft PowerPoint:

Open a new file in Microsoft PowerPoint
Select Design from the toolbar at the top of the screen
Select Slide Size and Custom Slide Size found on the drop-down menu
Ensure that your Slide Size is set up like the image below, then select OK to begin designing your poster.

Poster Printing Guidelines

Students are responsible for any fees or payments incurred on poster printing.

At Fenwick Library, Research Poster Printing (RPP) offers free wide-format printing for academic purposes as well as research poster design consultations for George Mason University students, staff, and faculty. Posters must be submitted at LEAST 3-days in advance of the desired pickup date. Visit their website for more information on how to submit a poster request: https://library.gmu.edu/research-posters
Research Poster Printing (RPP) offers one-on-one consultations about research poster design, which can be booked on their web page: https://library.gmu.edu/research-posters
The Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) offers research poster templates which can be downloaded here: https://celebration.oscar.gmu.edu/poster-tips/

Example of a correctly sized poster that is 48”x36”)

Poster Criteria

Poster Development Considerations

Consider these questions when designing your poster content:

Is your poster written with a non-specialist audience in mind?
Is there enough background and contextual information for a non-specialist to understand your work and its significance?
Do you discuss the implications of your research for your field and the community at large?

Proofread your poster before printing:

Proofread headers, name, co-author names, and main title.
Ensure any symbols, tables, and mathematical equations are correctly displayed.
Ensure images are not blurry and are not obstructing any text.
Ensure your name and the name of any coauthors are listed.
Ensure your file is saved as a PowerPoint file (.pptx) or a PDF (.pdf) file.

Set-Up and Removal Guidelines

Competitors must print and bring their poster – see the section on Poster Printing for the free university resources available to assist with printing. The Graduate Division will provide the tools for setting up the poster.
Competitors must remove their posters immediately after the event.

Prepare for Success

Participants are highly encouraged to attend the Communication Academy workshops.

These workshops include tips on poster design, abstract writing, and conference presentations. These free virtual workshops provide valuable skills to your academic journey and will give you the tools needed to develop a competitive edge in the Research Poster Competition!

Judging Criteria

Judges will score the research posters on a scale of 1 to 5 based on the following criteria:

Poster content (introduction, objectives, impact, significance)
Poster design (appearance, visuals, grammar, spelling)
Poster presentation (mastery of content, communication skills)

2025 Dates & Deadlines Summary

These are strict deadlines. No submissions will be accepted after the specified dates.

Registration: Friday, October 10, 2025 by 4 p.m.
Competition: Friday, November 7, 2025
- Set-up time: 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.
- Presentation times: Friday, November 7, 2025, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- Results Announcement: At the networking event that starts at 5 p.m.

FAQs

Further Information

For questions, contact Alyssa Bivins, Graduate Professional and Career Development Program Coordinator for the Graduate Division: abivins2@gmu.edu.