3MT competition

UniSA offers a series of 3MT® workshops designed to assist you to develop your 3MT® script and to practice your talk. Register for 3MT®​ workshops on EDGEx.

Click this link for more information about the 3MT® workshops.

There are four workshops in the 3MT® workshop series:

• Workshop 1: Defining the key elements of a great 3MT presentation
• Workshop 2: Receive feedback on your first draft
• Workshop 3: Practice your 3MT talk

Browse EDGEx, your one-stop-shop for skills development, for more upcoming activities: https://edgex.unisa.edu.au 

Tips from the experts

Draw on the knowledge and experience of previous winners and other experts.

 Watch:

• 3MT: the three most common mistakes
  • Associate Professor Inger Mewburn, Director of Research Training at the Australian National University, talks about the most common mistakes she sees in 3MT® presentations, and offers advice on how to avoid them
• 3MT: three tips to help you prepare a winning presentation
  • Rosanna Stevens, winner of the 2014 Australian National University 3MT® competition, shared her top tips
• Three Minute Theatre: research pitch meets dramatic monologue
  • Dr Peter Copeman, Senior Lecturer in Teaching and Learning Development at the University of Canberra, shares some tips for success in research pitching competitions

 Read:

Tips from Cintya Dharmayanti: winner of the 2021 UniSA 3MT® Competition and the People’s Choice Award.

• How to write a winning 3MT script
• How to design an impactful 3MT slide (with examples!)
• How to deliver an award-winning 3MT presentation

 

Article by Dr Peter Copeman: University of Canberra in the International Journal for Researcher Development.

• Three Minute Theatre: Principles and practice for scripting and performing Three Minute Thesis presentations

 

Blog by Jemma Rowlandson: winner of the 2016 University of Bath 3MT® competition.

• 11 Tips for Three Minute Thesis Contenders (and anyone giving a presentation really)

Get comfortable with the 3MT rules and format

You may want to do some further research to ensure you are going beyond meeting the requirements. Find out what makes a 3MT presentation great.

Read this guide on preparing for the three minute thesis:

• Preparing for the 3MT : everything you need to know

Watch presentations from previous contestants to see what makes a good 3MT presentation.

• Watch 3MT® presentations from around the world
• Watch the 2022 UniSA 3MT® finalist presentations
• Watch U21 3MT® 2022 Competition video entries

Remember to refer to the judging criteria.

You cannot practice too much

The best thing you can do to ensure your presentation is polished is practice:

• Read your presentation aloud
  • make sure it flows well and is written for spoken word
  • make sure it does not run over 3 minutes
• Read your presentation to others and get feedback
  • ask friends and family who are not familiar with your research to give feedback to ensure the language is not too technical
  • remember this is aimed at a non-specialist audience
• Practice recording yourself, get comfortable in front of the camera and check your audio and video set up
  • your first take does not have to be your final take

Think about your audience and format

Remember you are writing your presentation for the spoken word and a non specialist audience. The best way to make sure you have done this is to read your presentation out loud to make sure it flows well. Practice reading your presentation to people who are not familiar with your research and get feedback. Remember to:

• introduce and explain key concepts
• use non-technical language
• emphasize how your research is significant