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
2023 Presentations:
Kristian Johnson
Master of Arts in History
Into the Vortex: Why Serbian soldiers and militias participated in extra military violence during the Bosnian War of 1992-1995
Shahla Ziamanesh
Master of Science in Kinesiology
Quantifying hand-arm vibration transmissibility during pneumatic impact wrench use in fatiguing tasks
Jacqueline Girard
Master of Arts in History
Hidden from Society and Photographs: The Experiences of Unwed Mothers in the Hôpital de la Miséricorde, PQ from 1950 to 1970
Christopher Godfrey
PhD in Education
Action research: A path to more effective technology-related learning experiences?
Pankti Patel
Master of Science in Kinesiology
Organized sports participation: Exploring lived experience of adolescents with Down Syndrome and their parents
Kimberly Montgomery
Master of Environmental Science
Where does stream water come from?
Madison Small
Master of Arts in History
The Maids and Men of Kent: How communal changes marked the Reformation for ordinary people in Kent County, England
Kaitlynn Marrs
Master of Arts in History
From the Shadows of the Cold War: The Myth of the Clean German Army
Alexander Maycock
Master of Science in Kinesiology
Nitric Oxide: Can it be Beet?