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Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)

About Three Minute Thesis

One slide, three minutes, ground-breaking research

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a competition that challenges doctoral students to describe their research to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes, using only one slide and no other resources or props.

Key dates

The dates for the upcoming faculty heats:

  • Health and Education - Wednesday 27 November 2024, 1:00pm-3:00pm, Brooks building Lecture Theatre 1.
  • Arts and Humanities - Tuesday 10 December 2024, 2:00pm-4:00pm, location TBC.
  • Science and Engineering - Wednesday 15 January 2025, 2:00pm-4:00pm, Dalton building Lecture Theatre 1 G.37.
  • Business and Law - Thursday 16 January 2025, 10:00am-2:00pm, Business School room BS 3.20.

Why take part?

3MT®is a fantastic way to develop your skills as a researcher and help your work reach a wider audience.

Taking part will enable you to:

  • identify the core message of your research
  • deliver a snappy overview of your research that anyone can understand
  • build your confidence as a presenter
  • develop your presentation/teaching style to become more engaging to your audience
  • create a visual setup to frame yourself when presenting on video
  • develop skills in presenting to camera - something that is increasingly important for sharing your research online

There are three prizes available for the Manchester Met live final in Spring 2025:

  • Judges’ Choice winner 
  • Judges’ Choice runner-up 
  • People’s Choice winner

Winners will have the opportunity to choose between an Amazon, Etsy or book token. 

Watch a video from Nicola Edwards and Dounia Hachelef, previous winners talking about why you should enter. 

Rules and judging criteria

3MT® is an international competition, and every presentation has to follow to the same core rules and judging criteria.

Competition rules

All entries must follow the competition rules:

  • Only one single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations, or movement effects of any description are allowed. The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration.
  • No additional electronic media, such as sound and video files, are permitted.
  • No additional props are permitted, such as costumes, musical instruments or laboratory equipment.
  • Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
  • Presentations are to be spoken word, so no poems, raps or songs.
  • Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
  • The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Judging criteria

At every level of the competition, each competitor will be assessed on the judging criteria listed below. Please note that each criterion is equally weighted and has an emphasis on the audience. Use these criteria to help shape your presentation, and get the most out of your opportunity to impress the judges.

Comprehension and content

  • Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background and significance of the research question being addressed, while explaining terminology and avoiding jargon?
  • Did the presentation clearly describe the impact and/or results of the research, including conclusions and outcomes?
  • Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
  • Was the thesis topic, research significance, results/impact and outcomes communicated in language that is appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
  • Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of their presentation, or did they elaborate for too long on one aspect or was the presentation rushed?

Engagement and communication

  • Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
  • Was the presenter careful not to trivialise or generalise their research?
  • Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research?
  • Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience’s attention?
  • Did the speaker have sufficient stage presence, eye contact and vocal range; maintain a steady pace, and have a confident stance?
  • Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation? Was it clear, legible, and concise?

Eligibility

The Vitae Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition is open to all doctoral students at Manchester Met who have passed their first annual progress review (full-time student) or first annual check-in (part-time student). Please note that students who have graduated or who will have graduated by the time the final of the Vitae 3MT competition takes place in June 2025 cannot take part.

How to submit your entry

To apply for your faculty’s heat, complete the relevant form by the deadline: 

Resources to help you create your entry

Being able to summarise your research in just three minutes to a non-specialist audience requires practice.

Here are some tips on what you need to consider to deliver an excellent pitch.

  • Writing your presentation

    Write for your audience

    • Avoid jargon and use non-academic language.
    • Explain concepts and people important to your research, and keep it simple.
    • Highlight what you hope to achieve and the impact you think your research will have.
    • Imagine that you are explaining your research to a close friend or fellow student from another subject.
    • Convey your excitement and enthusiasm for your subject!

    Tell a story

    • You could present your research as a narrative, with a beginning, middle and end.
    • It’s not easy to condense your research into three minutes, so you may find it easier to break your presentation down into smaller sections.
    • Try writing an opener to catch the attention of the audience, then highlight your different points, and finally have a summary to restate the importance of your work.
    • Have a clear outcome in mind.
    • Know what you want your audience to take away from your presentation.
    • Try to leave the audience with an understanding of what you’re doing, why it is important, and what you hope to achieve.

    Revise your ideas

    • Read your presentation to yourself in front of the mirror, to your friends and family, to your supervisor and academic colleagues.
    • Get feedback and practise often. The advantage of doing a video entry is you can go back and re-shoot the presentation if you need to.
    • Does your presentation clearly highlight what your research is about and why it is important?

  • Creating an effective and eye-catching slide

    Before you start work on your slide, make sure you take the official 3MT® rules into account, especially that your PowerPoint slide needs to be static, which means no slide transitions, animations or movement of any kind and no additional sound and video files are permitted.

    Some suggestions for your slide are:

    • Less is more: text and complicated graphics can distract your audience – you don’t want them to read your slide instead of listening to your presentation.
    • Personal touches: these can allow your audience to understand the impact of your research.
    • Creativity drives interest: do not rely on your slide to convey your message – it should simply complement your oration.
    • Work your message: think about how your slide might be able to assist with the format and delivery of your presentation – is there a metaphor that helps explain your research?
    • An engaging visual presentation can make or break any oration, so make sure your slide is legible, clear and concise.

  • Presenting to camera

    Vocal range

    • Speak clearly and use variety in your voice (fast/slow, loud/soft).
    • Do not rush – find your rhythm.
    • Remember to pause at key points as it gives the audience time to think about what you are saying.

    Body language

    • Stand/sit up straight and look confident.
    • Hold your head up and make eye contact with the camera.
    • Never turn your back to the audience or camera.
    • Practise how you will use your hands and move around your space, or how you will sit. It’s okay to move around energetically if that reflects your personality. However, it is also appropriate for a 3MT® presentation to be delivered from a single spot especially when filming the presentation.
    • Try not to fidget.

    Remember to film your presentation in landscape so it plays better on a screen.

  • Tips from a previous winner
    Serena Slack-Robins, the 3MT 2022 Judge's Choice runner-up, shares her experience of the competition and provides some tips for making an entry.

  • Other online resources

    We found these resources really helpful, and we hope that you will too!

  • 3MT® winners 2024

    Our 2024 finalists presented at a lively event on Wednesday 19 June.

    The winners were: