Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) guidelines

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Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland in 2008. Participants present their thesis work in a short presentation using a single slide. The competition challenges students to distill their research ideas and discoveries into a concise, compelling presentation that can be understood by a general, non-specialist audience.

The 2024 3MT will take place during the Feb. 28, 2024, Graduate Research Symposium. After three years in a virtual environment, the GRS will return to its original in-person format in 2024 at the Student Center. GRS attendees will score the presentations and select a winner, who will move on to compete at the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools April 4-6, 2024 in Clayton, MO.

The submission window is now closed.

Eligibility

The competition is open to Ph.D. students completing a thesis or a dissertation.

Rules

  • Participants can use only one static PowerPoint slide. (No transitions, animations, or movement are allowed.)
  • No additional electronic media are allowed. 
  • No props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, models, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
  • Presentations are limited to three minutes; competitors who exceed the time limit will be disqualified.
  • Presentations must be spoken word. No poems, raps, or songs are allowed.
  • Participants must deliver their remarks from the stage.
  • Presentations are considered to have begun when participants begin speaking or moving.
  • The winners of the 3MT competition at the GRS will be selected by popular vote and the decision will be final.

Judging

Presentations will be judged by the participating audience.  Every member of the audience will vote for their top three presentations according to the criteria listed below. (Each audience member can vote only once for a specific competitor.)  The scores from all audience members will be compiled to determine the winners.

Comprehension and content

  • Did the presentation help the audience understand the research?
  • Was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience?

Engagement and communication

  • Did the oration make the audience want to know more?

Awards

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