presentation for 3 minutes

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3 minute presentation ideas.

For many people, giving a presentation can be intimidating, although there are many ways you can overcome this fear and excel at any presentation. The main goal of a presentation is to be precise and to the point.

Let’s look at some ways you can conduct a successful presentation:

Tips for a Successful Presentation

The key factors that matter are confidence and a crisp speech . Here are some tips that you must keep in mind while giving a presentation:

1. Choose a topic that you are comfortable with and knowledgeable

It is essential to be comfortable with what you talk about on the stage. There are chances that someone in the audience might ask your question. You must be capable of answering it.

When you are comfortable with your topic, it shows and it is visible that you know what you are talking about.

2. Know your audience

It is crucial to know to who you will deliver your presentation. Are they grad students or a bunch of people in their 40s-50s? Find out and make your presentation accordingly. Try to connect with the audience. If possible, use suitable stories, jokes, metaphors, etc. Do not go overboard.

3. Be Yourself

It is essential to be yourself. Present your authentic self to the audience and give connection more priority over anything else. Remember to smile and make eye contact.

4. Give time for Questions

In presentations, questions are always asked. Leave room for questions and answer them calmly.

Explore these fun introduction ideas for your presentation. Also, check these historical and inspiring speeches made in under 5 minutes.

Good presentation topics are the key to a successful and impactful presentation. These 3-minute presentation ideas will help you be well-prepared for your next presentation:

50 Topic Ideas for 3-Minute Presentations

There are many exciting and straightforward topics for a 3-minute presentation.

• 3 Lifehacks to apply in daily life.
• The history of your country/city.
• 3 Cool Tips and Tricks to solve Mathematics.
• Why is cyber security essential for a company/organization?
• Fast food: A Boon or a Bane
• What is the quickest way to quit smoking?
• How Alcohol is ruining your life.
• Why is Voting important?
• 3 Applications you need to improve your Mental Health
• Three easy-made Lunch Ideas.
• 3 Tips to Improve your next Investment
• Reasons why to learn a new language
• First-time Air Travel needs and instructions
• Best applications to score more in your next Exam
• Is Social Media lowering the Youth’s Self-Esteem
• Pros and Cons of Working Remotely.
• How to make money during holidays.
• Role of Media in Politics and Political Situations.
• Importance of Pets in combating Depression
• Sustainable Development and its Importance.
• What is the New Normal?
• Negative Motivation and Toxic Positivity
• Ethics to be followed in Public Places
• When to Adopt a Pet
• How to take care of your Parents
• How to Choose your Major in College?
• Why do stars twinkle at night?
• Are there any Parallel Universes?
• 3 Tips to Boost your Memory.
• Offline vs online mode of Education.
• Why you should choose Books and not E-Books.
• Tablets vs Textbooks in Education
• The Importance of Grandparents.
• 3 Tips to calm a crying baby
• How to balance home and your career
• Buying vs Renting your house
• How can you ask for a promotion?
• 3 Negotiation Ideas for Salary Negotiation
• How Organic is organic food?
• Drug Abuse and how to prevent it
• Importance of Being Fit
• Why is a Social Media Detox Important?
• How can you make a good career choice?
• Three ways to improve communication skills.
• Rare and expensive types of tea
• What are the benefits of Therapy?
• Evolution of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.
• Secrets for a Healthy Relationship.
• How can you avoid being Late?
• Three most prominent Female Political Leaders.

Final Takeaway

So, get on the stage and channelise your inner Ted speaker. Give a flawless presentation on the topic of your choice.

Similar posts you can read: Interesting 10-minute Presentation Topics

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Tips for a successful 3MT presentation

Being successful in the 3MT involves much more than summarizing your research in three minutes. You need to be able to connect with your audience: explain your work in a way non-experts can understand and in a way that makes them interested in hearing what you have to say.

Your talk is the focal point of your presentation. Most of your preparation time should be spent on crafting your talk than on creating your slide.

Prepare your talk

Although your talk is only three minutes, it will take time to craft a concise presentation of your graduate research in a way that can be understood by and is engaging for a non-expert audience. Below are suggestions to help you create a successful 3MT presentation.

Summarize your work verbally

You'll want to prepare your talk in writing, but you might want to start by expressing your thoughts verbally and using an audio or video recordor to capture what you say.

Write for your audience

• Your presentation needs to be understandable and engaging for people who are not experts in your field of study.
• Avoid jargon and academic language.
• Explain concepts and people important to your research - you may know all about Professor Smith’s theories but your audience may not.
• Highlight the outcomes of your research, and the desired outcome.
• Focus on the big picture, not the details that you typically share in a presentation with experts and peers in your field.
• Imagine that you are explaining your research to a close family member or friend. Explain your work in a way that they could understand what you do and why it is important.
• However, also make sure you do not simplify the explanation of your work so much that it becomes trivial.
• Convey your excitement and enthusiasm for your subject.

Tell a story

• You may like to present your 3MT 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.

Introduction

• You are not required to introduce yourself in your talk, and it is recommended that you do not introduce yourself because this will count towards your three minute time limit. Your name, degree program, and presentation title will be announced before you give your presentation.

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.

What not to do

• Do not write your presentation like an academic paper.
• Try to use shorter words, shorter sentences, and shorter paragraphs.
• You can use humor, but be careful not to devalue your presentation.

Create your slide

Your video should include a single, static slide. Transitions, movement, animations, and sound are not permitted.

Tips for a successful slide

• Your talk, not the slide, is the most critical part of the presentation
• Less is more: Too much t ext and complicated graphics can distract your audience – you don’t want them to read your slide instead of listening to your talk
• Do not rely on your slide to convey your message: The slide should simply complement your oration. If the slide were not displayed, the audience should should still understand and be engaged by your talk
• 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
• Title and introduction: You may include your presentation title on your slide, but it is not required . Your name, degree program, and presentation title will be announced before your video is played. Therefore, you also should not spend time introducing yourself in your presentation because it will count toward your time limit.

Practice, seek feedback, revise

• Proof your 3MT presentation by reading it aloud, or video record yourself, review the recording, and find ways to improve.
• Practice in front of different audiences--colleagues, grad students in other disciplines, family, friends--and ask for feedack
• Ask your audience if your presentation clearly highlights what your research is about and why it is important. Can they explain to another person what you do and why it's important?

Use the One Button Plus Studio

Located in the Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab on the first floor of Hale Library, this small studio room features studio lighting, cameras, microphones, a green screen, and recording equipment that operates through minimal effort. It’s ideal for recording presentations, interviews, and podcasts.

How can the studio help me prepare for the 3MT?

• Easily capture a high quality video recording of your presentation to review or share with others to review.
• You might have different ideas for explaining your research. Use the One Button Plus Studio to capture different versions of your presentation. Then review or share with others to help you select the best version of your presentation.

Reserve the One Button Plus Studio To use the studio, users plug in a USB flash drive or portable hard drive and touch the touchscreen interface to activate the studio’s lighting, camera and confidence monitor. The user can then adjust lighting, change the background or simply start recording.

Make a reservation!

Additional resources

• View videos of K-State's previous 3MT® winners and videos of 3MT® winners from around the world for examples of successful 3MT® presentations.
• Your Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Presentation for Presenting on What You Do as a Graduate Student and How it Matters by Brad Rickelman, Meridian Technology Center for Business Development (video presentation)
• Making the Most of Your Three Minutes (pdf) by Simon Clews, University of Melbourne
• The Up-Goer Five Text Editor - Can you explain your thesis using only the 1,000 most commonly used words? Give it a try with this text editor. While we do not recommend that you use this text editor to prepare your entire 3MT® presentation, it can help you identify terms and concepts that may not be well known outside of your field and will require some explanation if used in your presentation. This tool might be especially helpful with developing a presentation title.
• Thesis Gold by Paul Geiger
• Communicating Science: An Introductory Communication Guide for Conveying Scientific Information to Academic and Public Audiences
• The David Attenborough Style of Scientific Presentation (pdf) - This document is designed for preparing a presentation longer than three minutes, but many of the principles are applicable to a three-minute presentation.
• Make an appointment with the Writing Center to receive feedback on how to strengthen your three-minute oration.

Information sessions

Sessions were held in the fall semester to get students acquainted with the 3MT and to share guidance on how to prepare a successful 3MT presentation.

Missed the sessions? Watch a recording View slides from the session (pdf)

• Updated: 1/15/24

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

22 The 3 Minute Thesis

Read time: 2 minutes

This chapter will provide an overview of the 3 Minute Thesis oral presentation format.

Sections in this chapter

What is it.

• 3MT examples

The three-minute thesis (3MT) is a new format of research presentation that builds on the classic “elevator pitch”. The challenge in this type of presentation is to explain your research to an intelligent non-specialist audience in under 3 minutes with limited visual aids. Often there are specific rules for the visual aid: a single 4:3 slide, no animations or video, and no props.

For a successful 3MT talk, you need to follow completely different rules from normal scientific presentations. You can skip common things like introducing yourself, thanking all your lab mates and colleagues, or funding. You typically don’t show data unless it is presented in a very simple figure.

Because of the challenge involved with presenting years of detailed research in only three minutes, Universities hold cross-faculty 3MT competitions. The first was founded by the University of Queensland, Australia, where you can find many great resources and videos .

The tips below were adapted from “10 Hints for Improving Presentations for the Three Minute Thesis” by Danielle Fischer at Charles Darwin University ( Full PDF here ):

• Don’t introduce yourself, don’t do acknowledgements, don’t show data.
• Start by introducing how your research relates to the bigger picture. Try to think of why any person might be interested in your work.
• Only include relevant things on your slide and make sure images are good quality. Carefully design your slide, don’t overcrowd it or use too much colour.
• Use simple and familiar analogies.
• Speak with an excited and engaged manner.
• Don’t wear anything distracting.
• Use body language: smiling, gestures, movement, and eye-contact.
• Finish by bringing the audience back to the big picture.
• Practice and get feedback from a wide variety of people.
• Use your time, but don’t go over it.

These are some 3MT slides made by previous CHEM 803 students.

There are many resources online about preparing a 3MT presentation. Below are some links to helpful videos, award-winning 3MT talks, and the many resources provided by Queen’s University.

Helpful Videos

These videos were prepared by are owned by Australian National University.

3MT: three tips to help you prepare a winning presentation

3MT: the three most common mistakes

Award-winning 3MT

These are videos of some award-winning 3MT talks. The first one has the best title,  it’s simple and concise!

Wind turbines and climate change – Rosemary Barnes

Hypoxia-activated pro-drugs: a novel approach for breast cancer treatment – jasdeep saggar, the development of anti-body-drug conjugate to specifically target and soften the crystalline lens in vivo – gah-jone won.

Check out the Queen’s University 2020 Competition results, where you’ll find two award-winning 3MT talks from our Chemistry Department by Morgan Lehtinen and Alastair Kierulf. [ In the video at this link, click “Playlist” to find their talks ]

Principles of Scientific Communication Copyright © 2020 by Amanda Bongers and Donal Macartney is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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• May 9, 2023
• 11 min read

How to deliver an award-winning 3MT presentation

Picture this.

You’re a PhD student, who’s spent countless hours researching and analysing data.

You’ve finally worked up the courage to participate in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition, and after weeks of writing your script , designing your slide , and giving yourself pep-talks in the mirror, it's time to take to the stage and share your 3MT presentation with the world. 💪

But, as the timer begins to count down, you panic.

You’re rushing through your script, fumbling nervously with your hands, and stumbling over words like they’re in a foreign language…

Sound familiar? If so, don’t worry, you’re definitely not alone.

Public speaking can be a daunting experience for even the most seasoned professionals. And it only becomes more challenging when you have just three minutes to do it. 😅

The good news is, there are lots of public speaking tools that you can use to help bring your 3MT presentation to life. And today, we’re going to show you how!

Welcome to the final instalment of our three-part 3MT series, where we focus on the last piece of our 3MT puzzle: the delivery.

In this blog post, we’ll be covering some tips on how to engage your audience using the power of your voice, face, and body. We’ll also break down some examples that we love from award-winning 3MTs from all over the Australia (and the world)!

You may only have three minutes, but here's how to make every second count. ⏰

Practice! Know your script inside out. 🗣️

In your PhD, you might’ve had the opportunity to present your research at seminars , meetings, or conferences in the form of posters and oral presentations . Maybe by now you can ace these presentations with little to no rehearsing, since you can rely on your slides and data to tell a story for you. 👩‍💻

But in the 3MT, the only thing that you can rely on to tell your story is you. Which is why it’s so important for you to commit your script to memory.

It’s practically impossible to focus on how to deliver your 3MT, if all your attention is fixed on remembering what your next line is supposed to be in the first place. So, our first tip is simple: practice.

Know your script like the back of your hand, so that when you’re on stage, you can devote all that energy into your delivery, rather than into racking your brains to recall what comes next! If memorisation is something you struggle with, we’ve previously spoken about several different memorisation techniques that can help you learn scripts for public speaking events like the 3MT, such as repetition, practicing out loud, and physically writing your script down . 📝

Once you’re confident that you can recite your script in your sleep (and, let’s be honest… sleeping is how us researchers prefer to spend our leisure time 😉), you can start to think about how to deliver it in a way that really makes your presentation shine.

After all, the way you say something is just as important as what you say.

Even if you have the most ground-breaking research and a perfectly crafted script, if your vocal delivery is lacking, your audience might have tuned out before they can take any of it in.

So, to avoid your audience’s eyes glazing over, we’re going to discuss what I like to call the 5 P’s of vocal delivery :

Let’s start with how quickly, or slowly, you should speak – in other words, your pace.

1. Vary your pace 💬

Think back to the last Hollywood blockbuster you watched (maybe it was Ticket to Paradise 😉). Chances are, it had some slow-paced scenes to help expand the plot or build suspense, and some fast-paced scenes to keep things exciting. Together, this combination of slow and fast-paced scenes keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. 🎬

But… what do Hollywood films and the 3MT have in common you might ask?

They both tell stories. And like their cinematic counterparts, changing the pace of your voice throughout your 3MT is one way to keep the audience hooked.

Ideally, to avoid sounding monotone, you should speed up and slow down how fast you talk throughout your 3-minute presentation. To show you what this might look like, I did what researchers do best.

I made some fancy graphs. 😉

You can speed up your pace when you want to evoke excitement , for example, when talking about interesting research findings. Then, you can slow your pace right down when you want to emphasise a point , like some concerning statistics or what your findings mean for the future.

A graph of your 3MT might not look exactly the same as the ones above, but no matter what the overall profile looks like, it should have highs and lows, peaks and dips, to bring about a crescendo of a story!

2. Pause for impact ⏸️

I have, and it can be overwhelming.

It makes us feel overloaded with information, and we walk away not really knowing what to take away from the presentation. 😕

Luckily, there’s a simple way to avoid this, and it involves one single thing:

Aside from adding some ✨drama✨, including pauses during your 3MT provides the audience with some breathing room and gives them time to take in the information. That is, as long as you don’t pause for so long that it becomes an awkward silence. 😂

Generally speaking, a pause of 1.5–3 seconds is enough time for the audience to absorb the information, before you move onto the next part of your talk.

Pauses are very effective when placed after a key idea or concept, to let the gravity of what was said really sink in. Alternatively, they can also be extremely impactful when placed before a key idea ; a pause to command attention and imply that what you are about to say is really important.

The impact of pausing is demonstrated really well in this 3MT from 2016 Winner, Joshua Chu-Tan. Go over to 1:01 in their 3MT below, paying attention to the pause after mentioning the devastating side effects of macular degeneration.

As you can see, by including this short period of silence, we can fully comprehend the weight of what is being said, making it much more impactful.

If you’re unsure where pause in your own 3MT, take a look at your script and identify which points you want to emphasise. Then, make sure to include purposeful pauses before or after those sentences to really drive the impact home.

3. Voice projection 📣

With all this being said, pauses won’t matter much if the audience can’t hear what you’re saying in the first place, or conversely, are too busy cringing at your shouting to listen.

Voice projection is another really important component of the vocal delivery for your 3MT.

That is, how loudly or softly you speak .

In many of the best 3MTs, there are sections where the speaker talks relatively softly. Eventually, they build their way to a climax where voice projection is the loudest, usually around the same time that the pace is the fastest. Then, their voice gets quieter again once the pace slows down, when the speaker wants to make the most impact. 🤫

Let’s take a look at an example. At the 1:15 mark below of 2011 3MT Winner, Matthew Thompson, and pay attention to the projection of their voice when they say “They matched a print to the wrong person,” compared to “Mayfield was innocent.”

So, for your 3MT, consider raising your voice just that little bit louder as your pace/excitement increases, and quieten your voice for impact when your pace is slowest to help draw the audience in.

4. Vary your pitch 🎤

It’s another super important aspect of public speaking, and can definitely make or break a presentation. But what do I mean when I say pitch? I’m talking about inflection – how high or low the tone of your voice goes when you speak. (If you’re a music fan, think: do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do 🎶 ).

One common mistake in public speaking is the absence of inflection (or in other words, maintaining the same pitch throughout the entire talk). This is usually what makes presentations feel monotonous, robotic, and well on the way to putting the audience to sleep. 😴

If I were to graph it, it would look something like the one on the left:

Not very exciting, is it?

So how do you avoid this? By now, I might sound like a broken record when I say that variation is key! But by raising and lowering the pitch of your voice, you’ll sound a lot less like a robot, and a lot more like an lively, conversational human being.

To help you with this concept, let’s go through an exercise. Think about your vocal inflection when you ask the question:

You’ll notice that your pitch ends on an upward inflection as you ask this question, and this will be the same for most questions you pose. On the other hand, try saying this sentence out loud:

In this example, you might observe that your pitch has a natural tendency to inflect down. Generally, having a downward inflection at the end of a sentence makes things sound more authoritative and confident, which can be useful for your 3MT to ensure you sound convincing and knowledgeable.

So, by varying your pitch and ending sentences on a downward inflection, you’re one step closer to nailing the vocal delivery of your 3MT.

5. Passion ❤️‍🔥

And finally, to the last of the 5 P’s, but one of the most important: Passion.

Because emotional monotony can kill a presentation just as easily as vocal monotony. 🪦

In order for the audience to really connect with the presentation, they need to come along on an emotional rollercoaster. They need to feel the highs and lows of your research.

And one of the best ways to do this is to create emotional contrast in your voice . How?

Think about your script, and pinpoint sections where there might be negative emotions involved. For example, jarring statistics in your research area, or potential risks if nothing is done about the problem you are trying to address. In these instances, don’t be afraid to show emotion. When conveying these negative emotions, you can even enhance them by including a downward inflection of your vocal pitch.

On the flip side, when you’re talking about the impact of your research and the great outcomes it may lead to, make your voice match the excitement and hope in your presentation.

The more emotional contrast you can create, the more compelling and memorable your 3MT presentation will be.

Creating emotion in your voice goes hand in hand with creating emotion in your face. And with that, let’s move on from vocal delivery to the next very important aspect: your face!

A typical 3MT script sits at around 450 words, but we can communicate so much without uttering a single one.

Have you ever seen someone smiling or laughing, and suddenly felt compelled to do the same? 😂 That’s because emotions are contagious . And, thankfully, we can use this to our advantage in public speaking, where facial expressions become a powerful tool to communicate with the audience.

1. Facial expressions 😜

In the 3MT, facial expressions are super effective for tapping into the audience’s sense of empathy, encouraging them to feel what you feel. Take a look at each of the following facial expressions, all taken from presentations from past 3MT winners and finalists.

If you look at one of their faces long enough, you might start to feel an emotional response to the facial expression you’re seeing; perhaps start to mirror that emotion yourself. That’s because there’s thought to be an actual biological response when humans observe emotion. Pretty cool right?! 😱

But how do you use these facial expressions to your advantage in your 3MT presentation?

Well, start by reflecting on your script, taking note of which sections trigger positive or negative emotions. For example, if there are certain statistics or gaps in knowledge that are concerning to you, don’t be afraid to furrow your brow or downturn your mouth slightly.

On the other hand, do you mention any exciting findings, or make any lighthearted jokes? In these cases, feel free to smile and show hope in your facial features to reflect this!

Just make sure that the emotions you display match the words you are saying. For example, you wouldn’t say, “Millions of animals die each year due to deforestation,” with a happy, smiling face, would you? 😅 As you can imagine, this incongruence risks making you appear unauthentic or untrustworthy.

So, to sum it up, be authentic. If your facial expression feels forced, it probably looks that way too.

2. Eye contact 👀

They say that eyes are the windows to the soul, so it’s no surprise that eye contact is a major part of public speaking.

Eye contact helps establish a connection with the audience, and can also help you convey confidence and credibility. As tempting as it might seem, try to avoid staring at your slide for the entire three minutes, as this will disconnect you from the audience. Keep your eyes on the people in front of you, and as a general rule of thumb, aim to look at someone different each time you begin a new sentence.

In the world of public speaking, one thing can speak louder than words: body language.

Body language comes in many forms, but today, we’re going to discuss two types that are relevant for the 3MT: hand gestures and using the space around you.

1. Hand gestures 👋

Hand gestures are an important element of body language in the 3MT competition. They can help emphasise key points, engage the audience, and convey enthusiasm for your research. Let’s go through a few examples to show you how!

One very common hand gesture in public speaking is when the hands are open and placed palms up. This is a good hand gesture to use to come across as friendly and conversational.

A similar gesture is when the hands are open, but instead the palms are facing downwards, which helps the speaker appear friendly, confident, and knowledgeable.

This hand gesture, where the the fingers on each hand are pressed together, is commonly referred to as the triangle or the Angela Merkel gesture, and is commonly used to appear authoritative and knowledgeable.

If you refer to your slide at any point in your 3MT presentation, don’t be afraid to point to your slide to help keep the audience engaged and shift their attention where you want it.

Finally, it can also be effective to ‘act out’ gestures with your hands to help make the presentation more dynamic. For example, acting out verbs like ‘throw,’ or counting with your fingers.

So, hopefully we’ve given you some ‘hand-y’ tips for how to effectively use hand gestures to make your presentation more interesting. But… what about the rest of your body?

That’s where our final tip comes in.

2. Using the Space 🪐

Public speaking can be a daunting experience, and you might be tempted to hide behind the lectern to make it all feel a little less… intimidating. 🫣

But you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you did.

At best, it would risk your presentation being boring, and at worst, it could even give the impression that you’re anxious or unconfident. And perhaps you are… But you don’t have to show it. Fake it ‘til you make it, right? 😉

Using the space around you can be a great way to engage the audience in a more dynamic way and create the impression of confidence. So don't be afraid to walk around the stage ! By moving around, you can engage different members of the audience and keep their attention focused on you.

In the below example, you can see how simply moving across the stage at a leisurely pace, then stopping in the centre, makes for a more dynamic and captivating presentation.

A good way to practice this is to deliver your 3MT in front the mirror, or in front of loved ones, so you can get used to how these movements feel and ensure they look natural. Either way, be purposeful and intentional in your movements.

The takeaway 🥡

And there we have it, folks! That brings us to the end of not only this blog post, but our entire 3MT series. To recap our tips for delivering a fabulous 3MT presentation:

Practice: Know your script inside out

Remember the 5 P’s of vocal delivery (Pace, Pauses, Projection, Pitch and Passion)

Communicate with your facial expression and eyes, and

Master your body language.

We hope that this 3MT blog series has given you some valuable tips to help you write your own captivating script , design an impactful slide , and ace your delivery. On behalf of all of us at AYS, we wish you all the best on your 3MT journey! 🤞

Here’s to making science accessible, 3 minutes at a time. ✨

If you want to take your science communication skills to the next level, consider attending an in-person workshop or one of our online courses . Whether you're a seasoned presenter or just starting out, why not take the next step on your science communication journey today?

Contact us to find out more. 🤩

Cintya Dharmayanti

Dr. Tullio Rossi

Related Posts

How to write a winning 3MT script

5 acting lessons to level-up your public speaking skills

How to design an impactful 3MT slide (with examples!)

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Preparing your 3MT presentation

• Back to previous menu
• Eligibility, Rules and Judging Criteria
• Sussex 3MT 2023
• Sussex 3MT 2022
• Sussex 3MT 2020
• Sussex 3MT 2019
• Sussex 3MT 2018
• Sussex 3MT 2016

NOTE: Familiarise yourself with the 3MT rules and judging criteria  before starting your preparation. This guidance is taken from the University of Queensland's  official 3MT competitor resources .

Even the world’s best public speakers prepare before important presentations. To assist you with your preparations, please find a few suggestions below that will help you in writing your presentation, creating your slide and practising your verbal presentation.

Drafting your 3MT

Write for your audience The judges will look for evidence that you can explain your research to a non-specialist audience. You may like to:

• avoid jargon and academic language
• explain concepts and people important to your research - you may know all about Professor Smith’s theories but your audience may not
• highlight the outcomes of your research, and the desired outcome
• imagine that you are explaining your research to a close friend or fellow student from another field
• convey your excitement and enthusiasm for your subject

Tell a story

• You may like to present your 3MT 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.
• Proof your 3MT presentation by reading it aloud, firstly to yourself and then to an audience of friends and family.
• Ask for feedback.
• Ask your audience if your presentation clearly highlights what your research is  about and why it is important.

Creating your 3MT slide

Before you start work on your slide, you should take the following rules into account:

• one single static PowerPoint slide is permitted;
• no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description are permitted;
• your slide is to be presented from the beginning of your oration; and
• no additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.

Suggestions

You may like to consider some of the following suggestions:

• 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 3MT. 
• Personal touches : personal touches 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 .

Practising your 3MT presentation

Practice, practice, practice Feeling nervous before you present is natural, and sometimes a little nervousness can even be beneficial to your overall speech. Nonetheless, it is important to practice so you can present with confidence and clarity. Practicing will also help you gauge the timing of your 3MT so that you keep within the time limit.

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 straight and confidently.
• Hold your head up and make eye contact.
• Never turn your back to the audience.
• Practise how you will use your hands and move around the stage. It is okay to move around energetically if that is your personality, however it is also appropriate for a 3MT presentation to be delivered from a single spot on stage.
• Do not make the common mistakes of rolling back and forth on your heels, pacing for no reason or playing with your hair as these habits are distracting for the audience.

Record yourself

• Record and listen to your presentation to hear where you pause, speak too quickly or get it just right.
• Then work on your weaknesses and exploit your strengths.

Look to the stars!

• Watch your role models such as academics, politicians and journalists, and break down their strengths and weaknesses.
• Analyse how they engage with their audience.
• Visit  the Queensland 3MT website , the Vitae 3MT webpages or search YouTube to view presentations from previous 3MT finalists.
• While there is no dress code, if you are unsure of how to dress you may like to dress for a job interview or an important meeting. It is important that you feel comfortable so you can focus on your presentation.
• If you are presenting on a stage that has a wooden floor, be aware of the noise your footwear might make.
• Do not wear a costume of any kind as this is against the rules (as is the use of props).

Further resources

There are many resources available online for further help. Useful ones might include:

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

These guidance pages are part of the University of Queensland's official 3MT competitor resources

E : [email protected]

Copyright © 2024, University of Sussex

Samantha O'Sullivan (Physics / African American Studies)

Gullah Physics: Challenging English Language Hegemony in Science

Second prize expand_more

Sahar Mariam Mohammadzadeh (Government)

The Impact of Twitter on the Supreme Court

Third prize expand_more

Stephanie Alderete (Psychology)

Preschoolers' Ability to Think about Alternative Possibilities

Finalists expand_more

Alex Grayson (Molecular & Cellular Biology)

Comparing Fox and Human Brain Connectivity Patterns

Javin Pombra (Computer Science)

Unraveling the Black Box: Explainability for Artificial Intelligence in the Twenty-First Century

Zelin Liu (Classics / History)

Using the Past to Define Group Identity

Jerrica Li (Comparative Literature)

Diaspora: A Genre for This New Planetary Reality

Jahnavi Rao (Government)

The Spillover Potential of a Nudge

Daiana Lilo (Government / Data Science)

A Great Personality: How Different Characteristics Can Predict Supreme Court Decisions

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland. Ph.D. researchers have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis and its significance. The idea behind it is to increase researchers’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills, capacities needed to effectively explain a research topic in three minutes and in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience .

Since its first launch by The University of Queensland in 2008, 3MT® has been held in over  600 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide .

The 3MT® competition organised at the EUI is open to the Ph.D. researchers of all four EUI disciplines who have completed the 1 st year of their studies and who have a clear outline and plan for their research.

The 3MT® competition will not be organised until further notice

How does it work.

• Prepare a presentation of minimum 2 and maximum 3 minutes of your research topic. Only 1 static slide can be used to support the presentation.
• Send a sample video of you speaking for 3 minutes to [email protected] .
• The presentations are held live at the EUI.
• They will be evaluated by a  jury according to an established set of criteria   and also by the audience (“people’s prize”).
• The presentations will be filmed.
• Certificates and prizes will be awarded to the top three winners.
• The videos of the top three winners will be published on the EUI website and widely distributed through the institute’s social media channels.

Why participate?

• To develop your ability to explain your work effectively to a non-specialized audience, a core skill when working in both academic and non-academic environments.
• To help you identify your strengths and weaknesses when communicating a subject as complex as your research, in a clear and concise manner.
• The video of your presentation can be added to your online profile and shared with people interested in your work.
• Last but not least, you might win a prize!

  Watch a 3MT® presentation example

The European Commission supports the EUI through the European Union budget. This website reflects only the views of the author(s), the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

50 Killer 3 minute presentation topics you can use

You may need 3 minute presentation topics for school or clubs. Here are a few to get you going. First a few thoughts on giving these short speeches.

How long is a three-minute speech

First of all, how long is a 3-minute speech? Most people speak at around 150 words a minute. Some speakers are a little faster some are a bit slower. So initially, you should be looking for about 500 words. If you’re toastmaster or MC is rigorous on time, you may need to lose a few words. Be prepared to edit.

How to find ideas for 3 minute presentation topics

Always be thinking about speech topics. Even when you are socialising, 3 minute presentation topics may pop into your head due to the conversations that you are having. When you are reading books or newspapers, consider the topic and opinion. How do these views differ from your own? Could you see yourself talking about this subject for three minutes?

When you have a topic, how do you start to write?

Usually, you will have a starting point for your speech. You may have read or heard somebody expressing an opinion and felt the need to elaborate. Put some time into reading and researching. Look for facts, quotes and opinions from experts.

Ensure you have a fair understanding of your topic and its issues. There may not be a question-and-answer session when you speak. But, people may stop you afterwards and express their opinions. You must come across as an expert in your subject. Do not appear shallow when allowed to discuss issues not included but related to your speech. You may come across someone with a deeper understanding of the issues than you. So, make sure you are well briefed.

Look for fresh angles

Your topic is unlikely to be new. A speaker will almost certainly have used it in the past. Your audience may have heard someone speak on the same topic before. Try to find a fresh angle. Relevant news or a current affair may lead you down a different pathway.

Remember, most 3 minute presentation topics are not new. For example, health service funding is a common topic. A good speaker will find something new even with a used subject. Try and be one of these outliers.

Ask yourself a question

You will see that many of the titles that follow are questions. Asking yourself a question to get you going is a good tactic. You can always change the title later. Begin with questioning your topic. Make sure you challenge it both positively and negatively. Build up some opinions and facts and go from there.

3-minute presentation topics

• Could we survive without technology?
• Does making people laugh make you likeable?
• Can you rise to the top without good communication skills?
• How I picked myself up after a personal disaster
• Three things you must never forget to do when interviewed
• How I decided on my dream career
• I am happier now than when I was younger! Here’s why!
• Have good manners disappeared since the millennium?
• Is social media making us more connected or less?
• Why I chose to have a dog and not be a dad
• My most embarrassing moment and how I dealt with it
• Cyberbullying and how to deal with it
• Can the human race survive indefinitely?
• How to make the best profile picture
• Five ways in which becoming Vegan changed my life
• We all lie, but how good are we?
• What I wish I could tell my teenage self now
• Should fast food be banned?
• Can you secure your company’s data?
• Could I go back to being young again?
• Coping with addiction, how I gave up smoking
• Can we have a democracy when only half the population votes?
• Is a premiership footballer worth their money?
• How much time should you spend on personal fitness?
• Can you invest in the stock market successfully, or is it luck?
• Do we need three meals a day?
• Is organic food better for you?
• Three things you need to know before choosing a career
• How to learn life lessons even during a disaster
• Does mediation work?
• If I won the lottery today, would it make me happy?
• Do intelligent people have more common sense?
• Does good always conquer evil?
• What characteristics make a good doctor:
• How you can improve your memory with one simple trick
• How do you know when to change jobs?
• Should you teach your child to drive?
• How to help children use credit cards responsibly
• Benefits of removing caffeine from your diet
• The evolution of the mobile phone
• Do computer games help children develop?
• Is a college degree necessary?
• Can you fake confidence?
• Why I avoid social media
• Did humankind go to the moon?
• Is it possible to read someone’s mind?
• What is a healthy diet?
• How to make chocolate chip cookies
• How to buy a house in your twenties
• What to expect when your first baby arrives
• How to cope with home and career

As you can see, there are many 3 minute presentation topics on which you can speak for a short time. If you feel a subject would look thin with only three minutes to speak, avoid it. Sometimes three minutes doesn’t do the subject justice. But, most titles can yield a short coherent speech. The idea is not to talk extensively but to make just a few salient points.

Remember the idea of the central thesis. The thesis is the most important or main idea in your talk. If you speak for three minutes, this central idea may be your only point. Back up your topic with facts, quotes and anecdotes; you may find your three minutes are up.

Have a good opening which highlights your topic and thesis. Establish your central theme, and support it before giving a solid closing. You will find that once you have written the opening and closing, there is little time for the rest of your talk.

Three minutes is a brief period so make sure every sentence counts. Write your speech out word for word and be ruthless with your edit. You may need as little as four hundred words to deliver your address. Keep asking yourself, do I need this sentence? What does it add? Will it help persuade my audience?

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The three-minute pitch

Communications competitions are helping psychology students captivate audiences with their research. Here’s how you can, too.

By Jamie Chamberlin

December 2017, Vol 48, No. 11

Print version: page 54

Last year, cognitive science graduate student Elizabeth Trimber found herself struggling to describe her research on reward sensitivity to other students and faculty at Stony Brook University, in Stony Brook, New York. "I was suffering from the curse of knowledge," she says. "I didn't have a good sense of what other people already knew about the topic."

So, Trimber took a course at the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at her university, where she and other science students practiced writing about their research for a lay audience. She used what she learned to enter her school's Three Minute Thesis (3MT) contest, an annual competition that gives PhD and master's candidates 180 seconds and one static PowerPoint slide to explain their research to a general audience.

She won third place for her talk "Impulsive Decisions and Reward Learning," but says she is most proud of the fact that she now has a clear, concise "elevator pitch" on her research that she can share with anyone. "It's so important for your work to be understood because why else are you doing it?" she says.

Trimber is among a growing number of psychology students who are sharpening their skills through communications contests at their universities so they can explain the value of their work to fellow researchers as well as to the public, policymakers and funding agencies.

Knowing how to communicate across disciplines, students say, also makes them more competitive in today's multidisciplinary job market.

"These skills [are] critical for teaching because your audience will always be filled with people with diverse ways of thinking and learning," says psychology graduate student Kristina Smiley of Cornell University, who won her school's Three Minute Thesis competition last spring for her talk "Prolactin: It's Not Just for Lactation!" She started her postdoc in New Zealand this fall and says participating in the competition made her more confident about meeting her new colleagues.

"I'm going to be constantly moving into new areas of research, and every time I do that, I will have to know how to explain my new project. I am always going to be working on these skills," she says.

Here's how you can hone your research to a jargon-free three-minute pitch:

Connect with your audience. The best presentations start out showing how your research is relevant to your audience and reinforce that idea at the end, says Kate Swanson, who works for Three Minute Thesis headquarters at the University of Queensland in Australia. So, first grab the audience with a bold statement on how your topic applies to people's lives, then tell the story of how your work produced a benefit to humanity, she says. "Try not to get too bogged down in the minutiae of your methods. They are important and should be included, but they need to contribute to the story you are telling about your research."

One way to home in on the information that your audience will connect with is by presenting it to nonpsychologists and asking them to tell you what they think is most exciting about your research, says psychology graduate student Xuan Zhao of Brown University. Zhao used this technique when developing her talk "Through the Eyes of a Robot" for "Research Matters!" Brown's version of 3MT, in which students get five minutes to present why their research is important. "When you hear other people's fresh perspectives, you see how to tell the story and you also get more excited about your research," Zhao says.

Envision a one-sentence takeaway. Your goal is for your audience to be able to describe your research in one sentence after you speak, says UCLA graduate student Leslie Rith-­Najarian, who won first place for her three-minute talk " Making Mental Health More Engaging and Accessible " in the University of California's "Grad Slam" communication competition.

To do that, she kept technical details—such as the limitations of her study—out of her talk and focused on a few broad, basic points. She also used the time limit to structure her talk, devoting one minute to why studying depression and anxiety matters, one minute to describing the online mental health program she created for college students and how she tested it, and the final 60 seconds to results and why she studies mental health issues in young people.

Cut the jargon. Replace such phrases as "randomized control trial" with "study" to be more easily understood and to save precious seconds, advises Rith-Najarian, who practiced her presentation with fellow students, undergraduate research assistants and friends outside of psychology. "If it took me a long time to say, I figured it wasn't a word that needed to be in the presentation," she says. She also stopped worrying about dazzling the audience with scientific terms and focused on making psychology sound simple. Trimber learned to make her word choices more accessible by playing a 3MT game in which she had to explain baseball to someone who knows nothing about the sport without relying on such terms as "base" and "pitcher." "I learned to step back so much further from the terms I am used to using," she says.

Learn from the experts. Search "Three Minute Thesis" on YouTube to view videos of winners and competitors throughout the sciences from universities all over the world. Also, videotape and watch your talk to spot physical and vocal nervous gestures you should eliminate, says Barbara Tannenbaum, PhD, who teaches persuasive communication at Brown University and coaches scientists on how to polish their research presentations. Common distractions include frequent throat clearing, shifting from foot to foot and using filler words such as "um," "like" and "anyway" that eat up time.

Design a strong, simple slide. Use psychology research to make your slide powerful, says Harvard professor emeritus ­Stephen M. Kosslyn, PhD, whose book "Clear and to the Point: 8 Psychological Principles for Compelling PowerPoint Presentations" explains how to use what cognitive scientists know about information processing to enhance presentation slides. One research-tested insight is to provide no more than four pieces of visual information on one slide or you'll overwhelm the audience, and to only include information you'll have time to explain. Better yet, create a slide that speaks for itself. Swanson says the most effective slide she has seen was a simple, giant orange used by a chemistry student who is developing rocket fuel using a chemical found in orange peels.

Avoid being cute. While subtle humor can draw in an audience, an overreliance on jokes or puns can bury your message. "Bad puns can go badly more often than they can go well," says Swanson. "Often, it makes your research sound cheesy." Before you try a comedic approach, try it out on colleagues who can tell you whether you are being clever or cringeworthy, she says.

Take acting or improv classes. Any time spent performing will improve your research presentation skills, says Michael Hartwell, who teaches Improvisation for Scientists and Engineers to graduate and undergraduate students at Johns Hopkins University. Many improv exercises "force people to look ridiculous right out of the gate," says Hartwell, which teaches a deep sense of humility that, in turn, builds poise. "When you can laugh at yourself and be comfortable with people laughing at you, you become infinitely more confident," he says. Improv also teaches people to roll with their mistakes, which are inevitable.

Zhao took two acting classes at Brown that helped her feel comfortable in front of an audience. While the classes took time away from her research and coursework, honing her communication skills was an investment in her future—which she hopes includes a TED Talk, writing books for a general audience and a job where she can help shape business and policy. "In the long run, it doesn't matter if I run one more study, but I know that investing time in practicing these communication skills will go a long way."

The Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science www.aldakavlilearningcenter.org

Three Minute Thesis at the University of Queensland threeminutethesis.uq.edu.au

Clear and to the Point: 8 Psychological Principles for Compelling PowerPoint Presentations Kosslyn, S., 2007

Making Research Matter Tropp, L. (Ed.), 2017

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Presentation

Presentations can be an incredibly powerful tool in communicating environmental issues. here are some key tips for designing accessible, engaging environmental presentations..

Adapted from Peter Zvirinsky’s 2021 article “4 Tips for Presenting Environmental Topics, Earth Day support”.

1. Start with thorough data research.

Be meticulous in selecting your facts. In today’s world, marked by fake news and distorted statistics, it’s crucial to build your presentations on trustworthy sources. Data from reputable international institutions, academic research, and university studies is generally more reliable than information found in tabloid articles or social media posts. In the context of presentation slides, it’s a good practice to clearly indicate the sources of your facts directly on the slide. Including the publication year helps demonstrate the timeliness and credibility of your research. Hyperlinked references on the slide or in the notes section of your presentation can help the audience readily access the references.

2. Organize Your Information Effectively

To make sure your message is understood and impactful, structure your presentation thoughtfully.For longer content, divide it into sections. A common approach is the “hamburger” structure:

• Start by grabbing attention with an enticing title, followed by a compelling quote or relevant facts.
• Then, explore each point thoroughly, analyzing reasons and illustrating their significance.
• Conclude by summarizing the main points and outlining next steps.

Below, you’ll find examples of agenda and section slides. These slides help establish a clear roadmap for your presentation, especially for longer ones.

3. Present content visually, avoid long blocks of text

To maintain your audience’s engagement, minimize the use of extensive text blocks.

While many valuable resources originate from scientific papers, they are often not presented in a visually appealing format. To effectively incorporate such facts into a presentation, distill the key points and present them visually.

If your aim is to communicate your message to a broader audience, simplify it for better comprehension. Incorporate anecdotes, examples, and illustrations that resonate with people.

Below are a few visualization techniques you can use to replace text with visuals.Choosing a proper visual depends on your slide content. Take a minute, analyze what kind of information you present and then replace or enrich it with a fitting graphics.

A. If you have text that contains a process, a set of steps, show it by flowchart diagram.

It can be simple series of blocks and arrows or you can enhance it graphically. 

B. Every set of arguments can be presented as a list diagram.

If you already have bullet points in your material, present them in a visual form instead. 

C. Present numbers as infographics 

Try to replace data tables at least with a chart. To make it more attractive you can enrich it with additional illustrations. You can illustrate categories by icons, use colors associated with nature (green, yellow, orange). Keep in mind that the clarity is important here. Every decoration support the information, not distract too much.

4. Finish with clear bottom line

Once you presented the problem, supported it with facts, it’s time to wrap it up. Tell what shall we do about it. Be clear in presenting the next steps. Whether it’s a single action or specific project steps, show it on a separate slide. Underline this is a final take-away that people should walk out from your presentation.

Make such slide stand out from the rest. You can use a full slide photograph as a background or use reverted color for a slide – if your presentation used white slides, use the color background here or vice versa.

Best platforms for presentations

Canva is a great platform to use to create visually engaging environmental presentations. The free version offers a ton of templates and icons that you can incorporate into your presentation. Collaboration is easy on Canva as you can just share the link with your team and everyone can edit.

Google Slides

Google Slides seamless integration with other Google Workspace tools such as Docs and Sheets, facilitating collaboration and content sharing. Moreover, Google Slides offers basic features for free, making it accessible to anyone with a Google account.

PowerPoint is also a great option, however you cannot collaborate in real time. This would be a better option for a presentation you are working on by yourself of if you need it to integrate with the Microsoft Office suite. SlidesGo and PresentationGo offer thousands of free presentation templates.

Select a better font.

• Use a sans-serif fonts (e.g. Arial or Helvetica) for the majority of your text. These are much easier to read than serif fonts (e.g. Times New Roman).
• Distinguish header and content fonts. Serif fonts can be used in headings if they are easy to read.
• Font size should not be smaller than 24 point.
• Align text left or right. This is much easier to read than centered or justified text.
• Be consistent in your font use throughout the entire presentation.

Prepare for technology issues.

Be prepared for the array of potential technology issues you may encounter when giving a presentation.  An unfamiliar setting can lead to challenges getting everything up and running. 

• Save your file as a .pdf or .jpeg.
• Choose common fonts (e.g. Arial, Verdana, Times New Roman).
• Embed font files, if you are using unusual fonts. ( Learn more here )
• Save any included tables and charts as images.
• Assess your presentation setting ahead of time. Practice setting up your presentation.  Is your PowerPoint clear when you stand in the back of the room? Do the colors come through the projector correctly (or acceptably)?
• Arrive early to set up your presentation.

Duke’s Office of Information Technology (OIT)  offers some excellent trainings and access to web resources.

LinkedIn Learning offers some excellent resources for improved presentation design and developing software skills, including  Designing a presentation  and  Using photos and videos effectively .

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-tips-presenting-environmental-topics-earth-day-peter-zvirinsky/

An extensive list of design tips can be found on the  National Conference of Legislators’ website .

Microsoft Office  has a list of tips and resources for Powerpoint presentations.

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