How to Cite a Conference Poster APA: Format, Template and Mistakes
The APA 7 reference and in-text format for a conference poster, using APA's conference example, with abstracts, published proceedings, missing links and a template.
Here is how to cite a conference poster APA 7 style. List the presenters, the full dates of the conference, the poster title in italics, the description [Poster session], then the conference name and location. Add a link if the poster is online. In the text, cite the presenters and year, as in (Author, Year).
APA Style covers posters with other conference presentations in Section 10.5 of the Publication Manual. Its website shows a conference presentation example rather than a poster example, and names [Poster session] as a description you can use. This guide shows how to adapt it.
How to cite a conference poster APA 7: the reference format
A poster reference has four parts: presenters, conference dates, title with a description, and the conference as the source. APA’s conference presentation page gives one rule for each part.
| Part | APA’s rule |
|---|---|
| Author | “Provide the names of the presenters in the author element” |
| Date | “Provide the full dates of the conference in the date element” |
| Title | Italicised, in sentence case, as in APA’s example |
| Description | “Describe the presentation in square brackets after the title”; the page lists “[Poster session]” |
| Source | “Provide the name of the conference or meeting and its location in the source element” |
| Link | Include one at the end if video of the presentation is available |
APA says “The description is flexible”. Besides [Poster session], it lists [Conference session], [Paper presentation] and [Keynote address].
APA’s own conference example, adapted for a poster
APA’s example is a conference presentation, and a poster follows the same pattern. Here is APA’s example, copied from its page:
Evans, A. C., Jr., Garbarino, J., Bocanegra, E., Kinscherff, R. T., & Márquez-Greene, N. (2019, August 8–11). Gun violence: An event on the power of community [Conference presentation]. APA 2019 Convention, Chicago, IL, United States. https://convention.apa.org/2019-video
APA gives the in-text citations as (Evans et al., 2019) and Evans et al. (2019). The date in brackets covers all the conference days, written with an en dash. There is no full stop after the URL.
To cite a poster, change only the description to [Poster session] and fill in your own details. The template below does that.
Fill-in template for a conference poster
Copy the line below and replace each bracketed placeholder with details from the conference programme or the poster itself. Keep the square brackets only around [Poster session].
[Surname], [Initial]., & [Surname], [Initial]. ([Year], [Month] [first day]–[last day]). [Poster title in sentence case] [Poster session]. [Conference name], [City], [State or region if used], [Country]. [URL, only if the poster is online]
For the text, follow APA’s author and date rules. With one or two presenters, name them every time, as in ([Surname] & [Surname], [Year]). With three or more, use the first surname and “et al.” from the first citation.
Name the source type in your sentence so the reader knows what kind of evidence it is. For example: “Pilot results were shared as a conference poster ([Surname] et al., [Year])”. Adapt the wording to your own case.
Run this check before you paste the reference. Each line matches one of APA’s rules above.
- The date covers the whole conference, not only the day of your poster slot
- The poster title is in italics and sentence case, and [Poster session] is not
- The source names the conference, then its location
- Any URL or DOI sits at the end with no full stop after it
Variations: abstracts, proceedings, online posters and missing details
The template covers a poster you saw or downloaded. These cases change it.
You only read the abstract
Say so in the description. APA’s page says “To cite only the abstract of a conference presentation, include the word “abstract” as part of the bracketed description”. Its example uses [Conference presentation abstract]. For a poster, [Poster session abstract] follows the same rule.
The poster appeared in published proceedings
Cite the published version in the format of where it appeared. APA’s conference proceedings page says “Conference proceedings published in a journal follow the same format as journal articles.” Proceedings published as a whole book follow the edited book format. Proceedings published as a chapter follow the edited book chapter format.
The poster is in an online repository
Add the link at the end. APA’s DOIs and URLs page says to “Include a DOI for all works that have a DOI”. For a work without a DOI that comes from a website (not an academic research database), it says to include a URL. If there is no online copy at all, end the reference with the conference name and location.
No date or no title
APA’s missing information page covers both. With no date, write “n.d.” in the reference and the citation. With no title, describe the work in square brackets in place of the title.
You only heard about the poster from the presenter
If nobody can retrieve the poster or an abstract, there is no source for a reference. APA’s missing information page says to “Cite as a personal communication or find another work to cite”. Our guide on how to cite personal communication in APA shows that format.
Common mistakes when citing a conference poster in APA
Each slip below breaks one of APA’s rules above. Check your poster references for all seven.
- Using only the day of your poster session. APA asks for “the full dates of the conference”.
- Leaving out the description. Without [Poster session], a reader cannot tell a poster from a talk or a paper.
- Italicising the description. Only the title is italic. APA’s elements page says “do not italicize the description.”
- Missing the location. APA puts the conference name and its location in the source element.
- Citing the poster when proceedings exist. If the work appeared in a journal or book, use that format.
- Citing the poster when you only read the abstract. Add “abstract” to the description.
- Ending the URL with a full stop. APA’s example has none, and its DOIs and URLs page says not to add one.
If your university uses a different style
Use whatever style your university, department or journal names. APA’s May 2026 blog post says “instructors, editors, institutions, and organizations may have their own guidelines.”
The same post says APA does not advise on which sources to use. So check with your supervisor whether a poster is acceptable evidence for the claim you are making. Keep the presenters, conference dates, title, conference name, location and any link, since any style will ask for them.
Reports and similar documents published outside journals have their own APA formats. Our guide on how to cite grey literature in APA covers them.
What Thesisroom does with this
Thesisroom does not rewrite your citations. Its References check, one of the checks in the rooms, matches your in-text citations to your bibliography in both directions. It reports citations with no entry and entries that nothing in your text cites.
Citation Check looks each reference up in eight registries: Crossref, OpenAlex, Semantic Scholar, PubMed, Retraction Watch, DOAJ, CORE and Unpaywall. It shows which references it could verify, which are retracted, and which need checking by hand.
Frequently asked questions
Is the poster title italicised in APA 7?
Yes. APA’s conference presentation example italicises the title and writes it in sentence case. The description in square brackets, such as [Poster session], is not italicised.
Should I write [Poster session] or [Poster presentation]?
APA’s page lists [Poster session] among its examples and says “The description is flexible”. [Poster session] matches APA’s own wording exactly. If your department prefers other wording, follow its guidance.
Which date goes in a poster reference?
The full dates of the conference, as APA’s page asks. Write the year, then the month and the first and last days with an en dash, as in APA’s example (2019, August 8–11).
Do I need a URL for a conference poster?
Only if the poster, a video of it or its DOI is available online. If there is no online copy, end the reference with the conference name and location.
How do I cite a poster abstract published in proceedings?
Follow the format for where it was published. APA says proceedings in a journal follow the journal article format, and proceedings in a book follow the edited book or book chapter format.
How do I cite my own conference poster in my thesis?
Use the same format with your name as presenter. If the work later appeared as an article or in proceedings, ask your supervisor which version to cite, and cite the version your reader can find.
Sources
- APA Style: Conference presentation references
- APA Style: Conference proceeding references
- APA Style: Author and date in in-text citations
- APA Style: DOIs and URLs
- APA Style: Missing reference information
- APA Style: Elements of reference list entries
- APA Style blog: We do not decide your source types
How this guide was made: Thesisroom drafted this guide with the help of AI writing tools, then checked every fact, figure and source by hand against the references linked above.