The rules are simple:

• Presentations are limited to 3 minutes (presentations exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified).
• 1 static slide is required to accompany the presentation.
• No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment and animated backgrounds) are permitted within the recording.
• Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).
• No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted within the video recording.

All presentations will then be judged according to the same 3MT judging criteria. 

The competition is open to all active second to final year PhD candidates (including candidates in their submission pending period or whose thesis is under examination) by the date of the registration deadline (2nd April 2024). 

You have until Monday 8th April to register. You can register using the online form.

1. Sign up for 3MT online training session on Thursday 28th March 2024.
2. Complete the registration form for your expression of interest by Monday 8th April 2024.
3. Create your presentation slide and film your presentation.
4. Submit your final 3MT presentation / slide by Tuesday 23rd April 2024- please use https://wetransfer.com/ (or similar) to email your video file and slide (either PDF or JPG) to resdev@manchester.ac.uk. 
5. Video Judging (Wednesday 24th April – Tuesday 7th May)
6. Finalists announced – Tuesday 7th May
7. Finalists training session with individual feedback – Tuesday 14th May.
8. UoM Final Event – Wednesday 5th June, 2 – 5 pm, Zochonis Building Lecture Theatre A  
9. National Final – September 2024 (date TBC)

Yes, we have created a guide to help you create your slide and video. There are also some useful external guides / resources that you might want to refer to:

Presenting your research effectively and with confidence – By previous 3MT finalists (Taylor & Francis resource)

How a competition changed my academic life – By Jamie Khoo, 2018 UK People’s Choice winner

Is it worth doing the three minute thesis? – By Mary Woessner, Victoria University

How to win the 3 minute thesis – By Dr Inger Mewburn (aka @thesiswhisperer)

Making the most of your 3 minutes – Simon Clews, University of Melbourne

Talk nerdy to me – Melissa Marshall’s TED talk

Vitae’s 3MT webpages

How to Talk About Your Thesis in 3 Minutes – The Thesis Whisperer

This presentation by the Dr. Inger Mewburn (aka the Thesis Whisperer), provides some useful insights and practical exercises to get thinking about you can present your own thesis to others in just 3 minutes.

We particularly like this top tip “Is there a story that you can use to talk about your research? Better still – can this story make us feel emotionally involved? Sometimes good stories are behind why we are doing the research in the first place.”

https://prezi.com/jwhwyydfzqxo/how-to-talk-about-your-thesis-in-3-minutes/

3MT Student Handbook – The University of Queensland

This helpful guide (*) gives you low down on background to the competition, the rules, shared experiences from postgraduate researchers who have previously taken part in 3MT as well as top tips for writing, creating and practicing your presentation.

We particularly like this top tip for slide design: “Less is more – Text and complicated graphics can distract your audience – you don’t want them to read your slide rather than listen to your 3MT.“

Download the 3MT Student Handbook (pdf)

Making the Most of your Three Minutes – Simon Clews, University of Melbourne

This practical guide will help you think about the development of your 3MT presentation in two key phases – pre-production and performance.

We particularly like this top tip “Every good performance – even the most spontaneous looking ones – is the result of a great deal of careful preparation and an enormous amount of rehearsal. You’ve only got three minutes …. so make every second count.” Download the Making the Most of your Three Minutes Guide (pdf)