The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition is a University-wide competition for graduate students in which participants present their research to a panel of non-specialist judges... in three minutes or less!
Three Minute Thesis Competition
3MT® was initially developed by The University of Queensland in 2008 to promote effective communication of research. What started with only a few institutions has evolved into a huge success for Canadian institutions, having over 42 of Canada’s graduate schools participate.
The challenge is to present complex research material in an engaging, compelling way, using only one slide. The three minute thesis competition provides graduate students with an opportunity to refine skills that can be transferred after graduation to diverse career paths. Distilling research into a clear form, without over-simplifying or making it overly-complex, and highlighting the wider implications of this research are important skills to carry into post-graduate employment and public service.
Eligibility
- Students must currently be registered in a Masters or PhD program at Nipissing at the time of the 3MT® competition.
- Presentations must be based on research that is directly related to the student's graduate program thesis, major research paper, or dissertation. Course based Masters students are ineligible.
- Students who have defended but have not yet graduated are eligible.
- Presenters must agree to be video-recorded, and to allow those recordings to be made public.
- Presenters must have registered and received confirmation from the School of Graduate Studies.
Rules
- A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or “movement” of any kind), and the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration and remain in view for the duration of the oration.
- No additional electronic media (sound or video files) are permitted.
- No props (costumes, instruments, laboratory equipment...) are permitted.
- Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum, and competitors exceeding 3 minutes will be disqualified.
- Presentations are to be spoken in standard oratory prose. (i.e., no poems, raps, or songs, other than those that may be the target of research)
- Presentations must be made by memory; notes may not be used.
- Decisions of the judging panel are final.
Judging Criteria
At every level of the competition, each competitor’s presentation will be assessed according to the criteria listed below. Please note that each criterion is equally weighted. (Please note that the criteria may be adjusted to reflect the online competition format).
Communication Style
- Was the dissertation/thesis/MRP topic and significance communicated in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience?
- Did the speaker use sufficient eye contact and vocal range, maintain a steady pace, and exhibit a confident stance?
- Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology that needed to be used, and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
- Did the presenter spend the right amount of time on each element of the presentation – or did the presenter elaborate for too long on some elements or was the presenter rushed to get through the presentation?
- Did the slide enhance, rather than detract from, the presentation; and was it clear, legible, and concise?
Comprehension
- Did the presentation help the audience to understand the research?
- Did the presenter clearly outline the nature and aims of the research?
- Did the presenter clearly indicate what was significant about this research?
- Did the presentation follow a logical sequence?
Engagement
- Did the presentation make the audience want to know more?
- Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or "dumb down" the research?
- Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for the research?
- Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience’s attention?
- Would the audience want to know more about the speaker’s research?
Prizes
Prizes for Nipissing's 2023 3MT® winners:
- 1st Place: $500
- Runner Up: $250
- People's Choice Award: $250
Nipissing University Three Minute Thesis Competition
NU News article: https://www.nipissingu.ca/news/2022/grad-students-rise-challenge
Registration is Open Until February 7th, 2023
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition is a University-wide competition for graduate students in which participants have three minutes to present their research to a panel of non-specialist judges. The challenge is to present complex research material in an engaging, compelling way.
2022 Presentations:
Maxwell Peacock
Master of Arts in History
Talking Among the Trees
Alexander Maycock
Master of Science in Kinesiology
Nitrate Supplementation: ‘Beeting’ the oxygen deficit
Marcie Tellier
Master of Education
The Bigger the Responsibility the Heavier the Load
Devon Andrews-Simons
Master of Arts in History
Admirals Dream of Big Ships: The Royal Canadian Navy and Late War Ship Acquisition
Jamie Jackson - Runner Up
PhD in Education
The Neoliberal Business of Commodifying Public Education: Unsustainable Education and How it is Bankrupting the Mental Health of Public Educators & Students in Ontario
Bright Effah
Master of Science in Mathematics
Topological Data Analysis on Open Ended Survey
Sophie Lauzon
Master of Arts in History
The Princesses of Greek Tragedy- Views on Classical Athenian Daughters
Katie Whelan
Master of Arts in History
Little Fires Everywhere: Changing the Metric of Success for the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence
Luke Cooper
Master of Science in Mathematics
Seeing the forest through the trees
Megan MacKinnon
Master of Environmental Science
Increasing Optimism and Pro-environmental Behaviour
KJ Hills - Winner
PhD in Education
“Get the bleep off the road!” and Other Forms of Self-Talk
Jackie Rochefort - People's Choice
Master of Science in Kinesiology
#SportIsForEveryone?
Carey Atkinson
Master of Arts in History
Stiff Club Moss, the silence of a female botanist, and settler-colonialism
Man Tran
PhD in Education
Why Care? Psychological Distress + Burnout: An Unsustainable System for Adult English Language Teachers (ELTs)