3MT®: Three minute thesis competition

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Enter the ‘Three Minute Thesis’ competition.
Entry is included in the registration fee

We will be holding a ‘Three Minute Thesis’ (3MT) competition with the permission of the University of Queensland, Australia.

First prize: £300
Second prize: £150
People’s choice: £150
The 4 top scoring participants will receive a subscription to Quirkos software.

First and second prizes are sponsored by Grounded Theory Online.

People’s choice prize and subscriptions are sponsored by Quirkos

To enter

Email your intention to take part to Helen.scott@groundedtheoryconference.com as soon as you have decided to enter and before 1st September, 2024. Please also confirm your eligibility to take part using your university email address.

Please submit the link to your video entry to Helen.scott@groundedtheoryconference.com before 1st September, 2024.

Voting for the People’s Choice will take place during the conference.

A panel of judges will review the entries from 1st September, 2024 and the winners will be announced towards the end of the second day of the conference.

3MT® Eligibility

Eligibility

Active PhD and Professional Doctorate Research (program composed of at least 2/3 research) candidates who have successfully passed their confirmation milestone (including candidates whose thesis is under submission) by the date of their first presentation are eligible to participate in 3MT competitions at all levels. Graduates are not eligible.

Participants must be registered for the conference by 1st September, 2024

3MT® Virtual competition rules

  • Presentations are limited to 3 minutes and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified
  • Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through speech (timing does not include the 3MT title slide and commences from when the competitor starts speaking, not the start of the video
  • Videos must meet the following criteria:
    • Filmed on the horizontal
    • Filmed on a plain background
    • Filmed from a static position
    • Filmed from one camera angle
    • Contain a 3MT title slide;
    • Contain a 3MT PowerPoint slide (top right corner/right side/cut to)
  • A single static slide is permitted in the presentation (no slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any description). This can be visible continuously, or ‘cut to’ (as many times as you like) for a maximum of 1 minute or submitted via email if not included in the presentation.
  • The 3 minute audio must be continuous – no sound edits or breaks.
  • 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.
  • The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.
  • Submissions via video format (only video link to be provided to Event Coordinators). Files sent in other formats will not be accepted.
  • Entries submitted for final adjudication to be submitted to the 3MT Event Coordinator. Competitors should not submit their videos directly to 3MT.

Please note: competitors *will not* be judged on video/ recording quality or editing capabilities (optional inclusions). Judging will focus on the presentation, ability to communicate research to a non-specialist audience, and 3MT PowerPoint slide.

All materials relating to the virtual competition can be found here. See especially the virtual competition rules (as shown above), the participant’s recording guide and the judging criteria and rubric on the University of Queensland’s site.

We anticipate that there will be only one round for this event. This may be changed depending on the number of entries received.