A poster is a way to concisely, clearly, and visually present information regarding your research. This can be done at any stage of your research, it does not need to be complete to showcase the work you have completed, whether independently or in conjunction with a Faculty/Staff mentor. “An effective poster is… Focused on a single message. Lets graphs and images tell the story; uses text sparingly. Keeps the sequence well-ordered and obvious” (Hess, Tosney, & Liegel, 2013).
A poster presentation is an opportunity “to invite feedback and collaboration” (The University of Texas, n.d.) on your research in order to showcase the work you have done and to continue to refine and define your research. This process is a part of the academic research enterprise and is universally used in academia to create stronger work through collaboration with others.