Systematic review of the research poster: have we done it well all this time?

Abstract

Introduction: The research poster is a printed infography that has the function of showing the process of a scientific investigation and that meets certain specific characteristics. At present, the way of carrying out and evaluating them is still very ambiguous, with the need to establish a consensual form of elaboration and thus to have a model and an appropriate guide based on what the literature offers.

Objetive: to establish criteria for the elaboration of posters, based on the review of the literature that presents guiding guidelines.

Methods: Information Search was carried out in electronic information sources: metasearch engines (PubMed, Bireme (BVS), Trip Database and Búsqueda de Información Global (BIG-UASLP) and multidisciplinary and specialized databases in health (Academic Search Complete, Springer Link, Wiley Online Library, Web of Science, Scopus and Medic Latina). The results were exported and organized within the Zotero bibliographic manager.

Result: The review of the literature showed us differences between each author as well as the indiscriminate use of advice and/or personal points of view that did not add any academic value, since they did not have the necessary bibliography to be supported, it also allowed us information that had sufficient bibliographic support to present a global recommendation on how to present a research poster.

Conclusions: The standardization of the research poster format opens the way for a better performance in the communication of a scientific work. In addition, it allows the implementation of a correct evaluation criteria by the institutions that carry out this type of activities in congresses and conferences, it also ensures that the poster will have the necessary elements to reach the understanding of this without the need for a speaker.