Does it look strange to present the same poster twice?

[cykolojee]

I submitted an abstract for a recently-completed research project to two different conferences; it was accepted at both. (They're just student/regional conferences, so nothing too major.) Will my presenting the same poster twice look strange to admissions committees?

If it matters: I have fairly substantial research experience, but these will be my first formal presentations. I'm applying next fall and may have a chance to present 1 or 2 more times prior to application season.

Thanks!!

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[Ollie123]

Nothing wrong with doing it (indeed, its quite common for people to present something at local/regional conferences and then again at larger ones). I'd only list the "bigger" one on my CV though, since I would certainly raise an eyebrow if I saw someone listing multiple poster presentations that all had the same title...while legitimate I suspect it would come across as padding.

 

[reluctantPhd01]

I actually disagree with Ollie. Most people may write a paper and a poster on the same data or, of course, present two posters that are similiar. But, I think presenting the same poster twice, with the same title, looks a bit strange. It's not a huge deal, but if a conference is peer-reviewed (which most are), it is generally frowned upon to have the SAME work submitted under review at two locations.

Instead, I'd say present both posters, but slightly change the title so that you can present two different results. Maybe do a different analysis in one, so something is more of a focus in one poster, and less so in the other.

I don't even think that in actuality you have to make two different posters---you could maybe likely use the same poster. But for things like published abstracts and titles, you really should not present the EXACT same poster.

That's just my two cents?

 

[cykolojee]

Thanks for the replies! So, what I'm gathering is that I can present at both conferences, but I should change the titles around? And then it'll look okay to list both on my CV?

 

[Ollie123]

Oh, I absolutely agree that multiple posters can come from the same study. Heck, large projects can result in 10 or more published papers, let alone the number of posters that could be generated.

I assumed this was literally, the exact same thing shown at multiple conferences. I don't have a problem with it being done at local conferences (many larger conferences will require you to sign something essentially giving them "dibs" for media purposes), but at least to me - it would look suspiciously like "padding". Changing the title and presenting the same thing seems like cheating, though I'm sure it happens frequently.

 

[cykolojee]

Ollie - yes: the abstracts submitted to both conferences were identical. Nobody's asked me for rights to the research or anything like that, as they're not big-deal conferences.

I also thought that changing the title and counting it twice would seem a bit like cheating...but I was also hoping to list both conferences on my CV, as I don't have other presentation experience to speak of. I'd make two different posters, but I doubt it's good protocol to stray too much from the accepted abstract...

 

[KayJay85]

I also thought that changing the title and counting it twice would seem a bit like cheating...but I was also hoping to list both conferences on my CV, as I don't have other presentation experience to speak of. I'd make two different posters, but I doubt it's good protocol to stray too much from the accepted abstract...

Listing them both will probably do you more harm than good.

 

[reluctantPhd01]

Somehow the rest of my post got skipped over for my title comment.

"slightly change the title so that you can ****present two different results****. Maybe do a different analysis in one, so something is more of a focus in one poster, and less so in the other."

I am not implying you should simply change the title and present it twice (though yes, I am sure people probably do this).

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I'd say that if it's the same identical presentation (with identical methods, data, and analyses), only put it on your CV once. Or you could go a bit non-traditional, and list both conferences under the same title (e.g., "XXXX, presented at XXX and XXXX"). That way, it doesn't quite come across as though you're trying to pad your CV, but instead that you're simply wanting to fully disclose where the poster has been seen.

 

[Ollie123]

I didn't ignore it, but you went on to say how one can use the same physical poster, and I'm unclear how one can do this without it being...the same poster. Who cares what the title is if the actual poster content is the same?

If we are talking preliminary analyses with fewer subjects versus a report with the final sample, posters with the primary results of an experimental manipulation vs. a secondary analysis showing moderators of outcome, results with different DVs, etc. that is another story completely, but I'm unclear how one would use the same poster in a situation like that unless some important things were left out for one of the presentations.

I'm not trying to pick on you about this - I just find it very confusing. Perhaps I'm missing something - maybe there is an area of research where this sort of thing is more feasible than it is in mine. I've certainly "piecemealed" posters to some extent myself and split things into several presentations that in hindsight, could have easily been one poster (and a better one at that). I'm not claiming superiority, I'm just a bit confused by what you said.