Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) guidelines
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.
Wayne State's 3MT takes place each year at the Graduate Research Symposium. An esteemed panel of judges score the presentations and select a winner, who moves on to compete at the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools regional competition.
Application
The application period 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.
Awards
- First place - $1000 plus the registration fee to attend the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools competition
- People's Choice - $1000
Resources
Tips
- 3MT Competitor Guide by The University of Queensland (2017)
- 3MT: The Three Most Common Mistakes, a video featuring Inger Mewburn, director of research training at Australian National University
- 3MT: Three Tips to Help You Prepare a Winning Presentation, video featuring Rosanna Stevens, 2014 winner of the Australian National University 3MT competition
- How to Talk about Your Thesis in Three Minutes, a Prezi presentation by Inger Mewburn (2012)
- Making the Most of Your Three Minutes, a guide by Simon Clews
- Winning Tips for Preparing a Three-Minute Thesis Presentation, video by Sean McGraw