This conference is an in-person poster conference. All students will present at the same time in an informal, “Q and A” method. Attendees will browse, move from poster to poster, and ask presenters to tell them more about their research through various questions.
What to Expect for Presenters
More information on eligibility for entering, criteria for poster design, criteria for printing posters, attendee feedback, and resources available to you for the Graduate Student Research Conference.
Step 1: Registration and Eligibility
- Graduate students from all disciplines at Texas State University, as well as from external institutions, are eligible to participate. They can showcase their original research and creative works, which include applied projects, poems, fiction and nonfiction stories, exhibitions, case studies, compositions, performances, patient interventions, classroom projects, findings from a thesis or dissertation, and empirical research, among other projects.
- Presentations are NOT limited to graduate students presenting their thesis or dissertation, but we encourage students to present from their thesis or dissertation.
- Presentations can be based on collaborations with other students or faculty.
- The poster cannot be based on a proposal or literature review. However, students can present preliminary findings from their research or creative work.
- Registration will open in spring 2025.
Step 2: Criteria for Poster Design and Printing
General Criteria
- Review the tips for creating a great conference poster
- Please use the PowerPoint template to create your poster. The PowerPoint template will be sent to you via email after you register to present. If you have registered and you have not received this template, please email us (gradresearchconf@txstate.edu).
- Dimensions: Your poster must be 42 inches (height) by 36 inches (width)
- Printing: The Graduate College will print your poster for you for free. Students must send their poster in a PDF format to gradresearchconf@txstate.edu to participate (more instructions are provided in Step 3). Specific dates will be announced in spring 2025.
- Your poster must include the following (please proofread all information carefully before submission):
- presenter’s name (contact information for the presenter is optional and not required)
- co-authors/investigators’ names (if applicable)
- title of project (please do not capitalize all letters in title)
- degree and program of student presenter e.g., MS in Biology, PhD in Geographic Education
- funder information (if applicable)
Recommendations
The poster should include all the elements needed to understand your project and its outcomes, including the following categories, if they apply*:
- funder information (if applicable)
- purpose or abstract (an abstract is optional)
- research questions/goals
- design/methods/approach
- findings
- conclusions
- practical/social implications
- originality/value of the project
- key references (no need to include ALL references; select the key references for your project)
*If it is clear that the categories above are not appropriate for your research project or creative work, please add other information applicable to explaining the project. Talk with your research advisor and/or faculty mentor about appropriate categories to include on the poster.
Other Important Tips
- Please be careful of the lighter green colors on images or text (it does not print well)
- All images must be clear (no blurry images)
- Check for copyright protected media/materials
Resources
- For helpful information about how to prepare for the conference, watch Preparing for the Graduate Student Research Conference Shop Talk and view the presentation slides.
- After the conference, check out the Texas State University Digital Collections Repository if you are interested in having your work published.
- Watch our Shop Talk, Preparing for the Graduate Student Research Conference, for an overview of the conference, details about how to create an excellent poster, and information about submitting the poster for the conference.
If you have any questions about your presentation, please contact gradresearchconf@txstate.edu.
Step 3: Submit Your Poster
- Create your poster by using the template provided to you via email upon your registration (see step 2 for more details).
- Ask faculty mentors or research advisors to review the poster before you submit it. Proofread many times. Ask someone else to proofread it for you again. Check name spelling, title, grammar, etc.
- After you have proofread several times, submit the PowerPoint slide of your poster as a PDF to The Graduate College, gradresearchconf@txstate.edu. The PDF name should include the last name of the first author, GSRC, and 2025: lastname_GSRC_2025.
- The final date to submit an edit to your PDF will be announced in spring 2025.
- If you do not submit your poster by the above date to The Graduate College, your poster will not be printed or accepted, and you will no longer be able to participate.
Step 4: Present at Event
- You will be sent a time to check in and hang your poster before the conference date via email.
- Arrive at the GSRC at your allocated check-in time and hang your poster for the conference.
- San Marcos: To be announced in spring 2025.
- Round Rock: To be announced in spring 2025.
- Invite your friends, colleagues, and faculty members!
- After the event, you will receive feedback on your posters.
If you have any questions about your presentation, please contact gradresearchconf@txstate.edu.
This is an opportunity to network, learn, eat some good food and most importantly, have fun!
Questions?
If you require accommodations due to a disability in order to participate, please contact 512-245-3451 or ods@txstate.edu at least 72 hours in advance of the event.
Texas State is a tobacco-free campus.