FAQs & More

• Check with your university/organization for poster templates
• Be sure to prepare an elevator pitch for poster presentation (2-3 minute summary of your project) 
• Arrive at least 15-30 minutes before your poster presentation timeslot to set up 
• More FAQs about presentations: https://assets.noviams.com/novi-file-uploads/spa/PDFs___Documents/SPA_Convention/2026_Presenter_FAQs.pdf

 

Tips for Designing your Poster

Posters provide a brief and visual representation of a research study, typically including descriptive text and tables and/or figures. There are three key practices the APA encourages presenters to keep in mind: (1) be clear; (2) be concise; and (3) use an effective design. 

Be Clear

Consider the information an observer needs to know to understand your project. Ask yourself:

• Is the obvious information provided?
  • Think: Title, key findings, key details about the project like who makes up the sample
• Can an observer understand your major findings after a short look?
  • Think: what the project is looking at, how you measured it, and what you found
• Does your poster provide enough information to spur further discussion and questions?
  • Think: what does this research mean, what should be the next step

Be Concise

Keep it simple. Include major points and save non-essential details for discussion. Your summary should draw observers attention to your most important findings. Ask yourself:

• Is the layout/organization of information evident?
• Is it clear?

Use Effective Design

Your poster design should convey your research clearly and aesthetically. It should be:

• Easy to identify key takeaways
• Visually appealing and eye-catching
• Consider accessibility as you create 
  • E.g., Use a font size that is appropriate and readable from a few feet away
• *Be sure to adhere to your school and conference requirements!

Getting to Toronto

• Flying is the easiest method of transportation to Toronto from most cities
  • Toronto Pearson Airport
  • Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
  • Greyhound and Amtrak are other options for transportation, depending on your departure location

Getting to the Convention

• Union Pearson Express Train: https://www.upexpress.com/en
  • Travels from Toronto Pearson Airport to Union Station (Downtown)
  • 13-minute walk from Union Station to Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel
• Rideshare service (Uber, Lyft)

Getting around Toronto

• Toronto has plenty of public transportation options within the city (subways, buses, streetcars) 
• https://www.ttc.ca/routes-and-schedules
• https://www.destinationtoronto.com/plan-your-trip/transportation/

Society for Personality Assessment funding

• Grants: https://www.personality.org/spa-grants
• Scholarships: https://www.personality.org/scholarships

External funding

• Psi Chi: 
  • Undergraduate: https://www.psichi.org/page/undergradresinfo
  • Graduate: https://www.psichi.org/page/gradresinfo
• Check with your school about travel/research funding

• Business casual and business formal
  • Collared shirts, blouses, button-downs, polos, fine-knit sweaters
  • Dress slacks, chinos, tailored skirts, professional dresses
  • Cardigans or blazers 
  • Loafers, oxfords, dress sneakers, pumps, kitten heels, mules, chelsea boots, etc. 
  • Convention centers are typically cold so bring a blazer, cardigan, or sweater 
• Attire to avoid (specifically at convention events)
  • Jeans, shorts, athletic-wear, flip flops

• Peruse the convention schedule and go to presentations that are interesting to you
• SPAGS First-Time Attendee Orientation 
  • Great way to meet other students at the conference 
• SPAGS Social
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate students 
  • Great way to network with other students
• Check the convention webpage and SPA emails for networking events
  • There are typically student-professional mentoring and networking events held at the conference (e.g., lunches, coffee breaks)

• Feel free to reach out to members of the SPAGS board for questions
  • https://www.personality.org/spags-board
• Reach out to other students and professionals at the conference for help/networking/etc. at the conference

Individuals must complete a simple online application and pay the annual membership fee in the Membership section. Membership is open to professionals, students, and researchers with an interest in personality assessment across various disciplines, including psychology, psychiatry, and behavioral science. 

To renew your membership,  follow these steps:

1. Log in to your SPA account via the Member Compass portal on the SPA website. This is where you can view your current membership status and invoice. 

2. On the website, renew and pay online. Memberships expire on December 31st each year, and renewing by that date helps you avoid the $50 late fee.

3. Check your dues amount. Fees depend on your membership category and are prorated later in the year.

If you need further assistance, you may email info@personality.org with any invoice or renewal questions.

To find and connect with another member of the Society for Personality Assessment (SPA), you should:

1. Log in to your SPA profile

2. Go to the "SPA Member Directory" in the Engagement or Membership section. You’ll see options like "New Members" and a search/filter interface. You can look up members by name, interest group, specialty, or location.

If you’re just getting started, explore the "New Members" section to connect with peers who recently joined. Once logged in, you’ll be able to perform broader searches using filters for interest groups, assessment specialties, or geographic regions.

Members can participate in a range of opportunities that support professional growth and community engagement.

You can join SPAGS, contribute to the Journal of Personality Assessment, present at the annual convention, or join special interest groups focused on topics like clinical practice, research, or advocacy. For more information, visit the "Engagement" section on our website.

To register, please visit the Events page and select the one you are interested in. Then, click “Register Now” on the event page. Be sure to stay logged in while registering.

To finish registration, you should complete the checkout. This includes the event fee (in‑person or virtual) and any workshop add-ons. You cannot combine membership renewal and event registration in one transaction, so make sure your membership is up to date before registering.

After registration, be sure to receive confirmation and event access details and check if your membership status is up-to-date. 

Not all events offer CE credits.

Most of our webinars do include CE credit, which will always be indicated (e.g., "1 CE"). For multi-day events like our Annual Convention and Expert Insights, some sessions will be CE-eligible while others may not be. Each session will be labeled accordingly.

If you're unsure whether a specific session offers CE credit, feel free to contact us at info@personality.org. 

If you'd like to host a webinar with SPA, you should propose your topic and presenter(s) and submit them via email to info@personality.org.

Reach out to SPA via email (info@personality.org). Indicate which series you're interested in, include your proposed title, learning objectives (designed for CE credit if applicable), preferred timing, and presenter credentials.

You should prepare proposals aligned with SPA formatting, especially for CE‐eligible content, structure your session with clear educational goals, references to personality assessment standards, and a finalized format (live or recorded, length, interactive elements).

Then, you can finalize logistics with SPA staff. Once your webinar is approved, SPA’s team handles Zoom setup, marketing (on the website and newsletter), registration pages, pricing tiers (member, non‑member, student), and CE attribution procedures.

You can find the latest SPA newsletter online! Visit the SPA Newsletters section on the SPA website. However, we suggest you contact info@personality.org to make sure you're still subscribed to our emails. 

To post a job, visit here.

SPA members can post listings for free, while non-members pay a small fee ($45 for 30 days or $70 for 60 days). Complete the online form with details about the position and submit your post for review. Approved listings appear on the SPA Blog and the Jobs section of the website for the selected duration.

For assistance, you can contact info@personality.org.

Yes! SPA offers several scholarship and grant opportunities to support members at different career stages.

For example, Convention scholarships (for the 2025 Convention) cover registration, one night’s lodging, and travel stipends up to $400–$800; Dissertation Grants offer up to $800 for doctoral students with an approved dissertation proposal; Student Research Grants offer up to $500 available to undergraduate and graduate students.

To apply, you need an active student membership (2026 for grants), and awardees are generally expected to present their work at an upcoming SPA convention. You can find additional details here.