Presenting your research at a conference? Should you present a poster or a paper? Here are some pros and cons of both.

Poster Presentations

Pros

1. Easy to prepare
   Create a few summary sentences in PowerPoint, add some tables or figures, and you’re good to go.
2. Interaction with people one-on-one
   Poster presentations are usually 2 hours, which means more opportunities to have conversations with people who are interested in your work.
3. Casual setting
   Although you still need to dress business casual, giving a poster presentation is simply having a brief conversation with someone.

Cons

1. Printing issues
   Even if your school has a plotter, you’ll need to plan in advance to have your poster printed. Don’t put yourself in the situation where it’s a day before the conference, and you have no way to print your poster.
2. Traveling hassles
   Make sure your pretty poster doesn’t get bent in transit, especially if you’re traveling by plane.
3. CV concerns
   Depending upon the conference and your research area, poster presentations are sometimes viewed as less prestigious than giving a talk at a conference. It’s all relative, however.

Paper Presentations

Pros

1. Looks good on CV
   As I mentioned earlier, a paper presentation is sometimes viewed as more prestigious than a poster. Even if you’re presenting at a less prestigious conference, giving a talk always looks good on your CV.
2. Simple format
   It’s pretty easy to take your presentation with you if you’re giving a talk; just bring your usb drive. Being able to edit your slides in the hotel the night before is also a plus!
3. Good practice
   Giving a talk forces you to practice discussing your research in a formal format. This is good practice for teaching, research talks, and job talks.

Cons

1. More prep time
   In addition to creating slides in advance, you’ll need to orally practice your talk and ensure it flows well and fits within the time limits.
2. Public speaking anxiety
   Speaking in public is always a little nerve-racking. You’ll not only need to make it through your slides, but you’ll also need to make it through the Q&A.