ePoster Competition: Visualise my thesis

1. Information on how to enter and prizes form part of these Terms and Conditions. Entering the Researcher@Library Week ePoster Competition is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
2. The competition opens on 18 July 2016 and closes 14 August 2016 at 11:59pm.
3. Competition entry is open to currently-enrolled graduate researchers at the University of Melbourne.
4. The Grand Prize is AUS$1,000. Other minor prizes may also be awarded, including a "Viewers' Choice."
5. Prizes are not transferable and not refundable.
6. The prize must be taken as stated and cannot be exchanged or redeemed for other goods or services. If for some reason the prize is unavailable the University reserves the right to substitute the prize for a prize of equal or greater value.
7. Simon Clews (Director, Melbourne Engagement Lab) will judge the competition. The winner will be announced at 4.30pm on Wednesday 24 August in the ERC Foyer, level 3, ERC, University of Melbourne, Parkville.
8. The result of the competition is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
9. Winners will be notified via email address provided on their entries and their names will be published on the University Library's web site.
10. The University of Melbourne Library may at its discretion choose to display posters or excerpts on LCD screens in libraries or on library webpages and blogs beyond Researcher@Library Week itself.
11. To redeem the prize the winner must provide a valid postal or delivery address or collect the prize in person at an agreed time and location as determined by the University of Melbourne. Proof of identity must be provided by the winner in order to receive the prize.
12. All submissions must follow the format guidelines to be eligible for the prize.

ePosters will be judged on two main criteria:

Visual impact: How well designed, creative, innovative and engaging is the e-poster? Is it visually striking and memorable? Does it attract from a distance and deliver details close up? Does it make a good first impression and then offer rich content on further examination? Does it make the most of the available technology and justify the leap from poster to ePoster?

Content: Do the text and graphic elements combine to present an accessible yet intellectually stimulating presentation? Are the language, figures of speech and cultural reference points appropriate for an intelligent, but non-specialist audience? Is the ePoster free from jargon, unexplained acronyms and incomprehensible technical terms? Does the e-poster leave you wanting to know more about the subject?

Download the appropriate version of the ePoster PowerPoint template, either for Windows or Mac, to your computer, delete the text, images and video in the template and add your own content.

You may add additional slides to the template, however:

• Your entire presentation will be displayed for at most 60 seconds, and
• The maximum file size allowed is 40 MB.

Your ePoster will be displayed either using PowerPoint 2011 for Mac or PowerPoint 2010 for Windows, please test your ePoster before completing it. (Note: since writing these instructions, the version of PowerPoint on student computers in the library has been updated to PowerPoint 2016 for Mac and PowerPoint 2013 for Windows. Therefore we will accept ePosters created to run with PowerPoint 2011 and 2016 for Mac, and 2013 and 2016 for Windows).

To test your ePoster, view your PowerPoint slideshow on a computer at the university that has standard software installed, such as on any student computer in a University of Melbourne library branch that you need to log in to.

Once you have completed your ePoster:

1. Save a copy of the PowerPoint file. Ony .pptx and .ppt files will be accepted.
2. Email your PowerPoint file to scieng-lib@unimelb.edu.au with the subject line: ‘Research Week Poster Competition Entry’. If the file is too large to attach to an email, send us the link to your poster on Dropbox, Google Drive or CloudStor.

You are responsible for proof-reading and testing your poster before submission, see the tips below.

Replace the text in the template by typing or pasting in your own text.

Remove the images in the template and add your own images to support your descriptions such as data visualisations, graphs, an infographic, tables, or photos.

Use the template as it is, or be creative and change the layout, text boxes, colours and fonts, just make sure you:

• Do not use a body text font size smaller than 14 pt.
• Do not change the layout of the top banner on the first slide of the poster.
• Do not change the Page Setup in PowerPoint (your ePoster will be displayed on an screen in widescreen format).
• Include the required information on the poster as specified in the template: Introduction, Method, Results, Conclusion, however note that:
  • You may include this information in the form of text, images, video and/or audio.
  • If you use text, you can modify the headings in the template to suit your project, for example: ‘Approach’ instead of ‘Method’, or ‘Implications’ instead of ‘Conclusion’.
  • Depending on the stage of your project, you may not have results or a conclusion yet, however you can state this and include any information or ideas you have at this stage.
• Consider copyright, particularly when adding images, audio or video to your poster, see the advice on the University of Melbourne Copyright Office website.
• Include a valid Twitter handle: people will be encouraged to tweet to poster authors with questions and comments.

Set your slides to advance automatically in PowerPoint:

1. Select the Transitions tab.
2. Tick the After checkbox.
3. Enter the number of seconds you wish to display the slide for.

For further instructions, see:

• For PowerPoint 2010 for Windows: Set the timing for a transition
• For PowerPoint 2011 for Mac: Add, edit, or remove transitions
• For PowerPoint 2013 and 2016: Set the speed and timing of transitions

Note: your entire PowerPoint presentation should display for a maximum total time of 60 seconds.

Your poster will be displayed using Microsoft PowerPoint 2011 for Mac or Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 for Windows, ensure that any audio or video files you embed in your poster are in formats supported. (Note: since writing these instructions, the version of PowerPoint on student computers in the library has been updated to PowerPoint 2016 for Mac and PowerPoint 2013 for Windows. Therefore we will accept ePosters created to run withPowerPoint 2011 and 2016 for Mac, and 2013 and 2016 for Windows).

Supported audio and video file formats:

• Video and audio file formats supported in PowerPoint 2010, 2013 and 2016,
• How do I improve the performance of PowerPoint for Mac 2011? (See the section: Audio and Video Formats).

Note that embedded online videos, such as YouTube or Vimeo videos or similar will not work, as the screens will not be connected to the internet.

If animations or videos do not run, they may be removed without discussion with you. Therefore it is recommended that you provide a representative image in the correct place, in case this is necessary.

Make sure your audio and video:

1. Is embedded in the PowerPoint file. Do not submit separate media files.
2. Starts automatically and loops continuously. Your ePoster will be displayed in rotation with a number of other posters on a screen in slide show mode. No interaction will be possible.
3. Is optimised and compressed.

Further instructions

For PowerPoint 2010 for Windows:

• Set the 'Play' options for a video in your presentation
• Tips for improving audio and video playback and compatibility
• Optimize the media in your presentation for compatibility
• Compress your media files

For PowerPoint 2011 for Mac:

• Add a movie to a slide
• Set the play options for a movie in your presentation
• My movie plays too slowly or is choppy

For PowerPoint 2013:

• Compress the media files in your presentation

For PowerPoint 2013 and 2016:

• Are you having video or audio playback issues?

For PowerPoint 2016 for Mac:

• Add audio to your slide show in PowerPoint for Mac 2016
• Add video to your PowerPoint 2016 for Mac presentation

For further help with PowerPoint, see:

• PowerPoint training: tutorials for all versions of PowerPoint for Mac and Windows
• PowerPoint 2010 videos and tutorials
• PowerPoint for Mac 2011 Training
• Pick IT Up Online (requires unimelb login)

• 1^st prize: $1,000 Visa cash card
• 2^nd prize: $500 Visa cash card
• 3^rd prize: $250 Visa cash card
• Viewer's Choice award (to be confirmed)

• Competition opens: Monday, 18 July 2016
• Submission deadline: 11:59pm, Sunday 14 August 2016

Can I change the layout and design of the ePoster template for my poster?

Yes! You are encouraged to change the template and be creative, and visual impact and creativity are part of the judging criteria. You can use the template as a starting point, but feel free to change the template layout, text boxes, colours and fonts, just make sure you include the necessary information about your research project (see the instructions under:Tips for creating your ePoster). Note that you can include the information in the form of images, video and/or audio, and do not have to just use text.

How may slides can I include in my ePoster?

You can include as few or as many slides as you wish, but keep in mind that your complete PowerPoint presentation should run for a total of 60 seconds, and that the maximum file size for your PowerPoint file is 40 MB.

How long should my ePoster PowerPoint presentation last for?

You ePoster PowerPoint presentation should last for at most 60 seconds. Your PowerPoint presentation will be displayed on a screen in rotation with a number of other ePosters in slide show mode, and each ePoster in the loop will be displayed for up to 60 seconds at a time.

Can I include audio in my ePoster?

Yes, you may include include audio in your ePoster if you wish. However, you should consider that the maximum file size for your ePoster is 40 MB, and that ePosters will be displayed on several screens in the same area.

Have a question that is not included here?

Please email us at: scieng-lib@unimelb.edu.au