Registration and Rules
Please see below for information on the following:- Eligibility, Rules, Judging Criteria, Confidentiality & Intellectual Property Guidelines
register for the 2022 3mt®
registration open through february 11, 2022
If you need assistance registering, or have other questions, please contact Teri Green at GradCollegeProgramming@utoledo.edu
eligibility
All graduate students are welcome to participate in the 3MT® competition as volunteers and prep workshop attendees. Additionally, all are encouraged to attend the competition as spectators.
To participate as a competitor, the graduate student must, by the time of the competition:
- Be a currently registered graduate student in good standing with a minimum 3.0 GPA in any master's or doctoral program
- Be working on a written research-based scholarly project, thesis, or dissertation as a culminating requirement for the degree
- Master's students
- Completed a minimum of two semesters
- Submitted any degree required comprehensive/qualifying exam results to the Graduate College
- Submitted the G.R.A.D. form containing the thesis/project title, any required IRB approvals, and the names of committee members
- Doctoral students
- Passed their required qualifying/candidacy exam and submitted exam results to the Graduate College
- Submitted the degree-required Application for Candidacy form to the Graduate College
- Submitted the G.R.A.D. form containing the dissertation title, any required IRB approvals, and the names of committee members
- All participants
- If you have already graduated, you are ineligible to participate (i.e. if you graduated in Fall 2018 with your doctorate, you are ineligible to participate in the 2019 competition)
- EXCEPTION: If you graduated the prior semester with a master's degree from UT, and are continuing in another graduate program at UT, you may present on the research done for the degree from which you just graduated
- Returning Competitors: the competitor's presentation must be substantially different from previous presentations
rules
- A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations, or 'movement' of any description are allowed.
- The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration
- No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted
- No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment, notes) are permitted
- Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified
- Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, rapping, or singing/songs)
- Presentations are to commence from the stage
- 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 below (each criterion is equally weighted and has an emphasis on audience)
comprehension and content
- Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background to the research question being addressed and its significance?
- Did the presentation clearly describe the key results of the research including conclusions and outcomes?
- Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
- Was the thesis topic, key results, and research significance and outcomes communicated in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
- Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
- 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 trivialize or generalize their research?
- Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research?
- Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience's attention?
- Did the presenter have sufficient stage presence, eye contact and vocal range; maintain a steady pace, and have a confident stance?
- Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the the presentation - was it clear, legible, and concise?
confidentiality and intellectual property guidelines
- The 3MT® presentation must represent the original research of the competitor
- The authors of the 3MT® presentation will retain all rights regarding its use at all times prior to and following the competition except as stated below*
- Due to the nature of the competition, we will not ask judges, reviewers, staff, or the audience to agree to or sign non-disclosure statements for any participant
- All public sessions of the competition, including but not limited to oral presentations, are open to the public at large. Any and all of these public sessions may be broadcast to interested persons through media which may include the Internet
- Any data or information discussed or divulged in public sessions by entrants should be considered information that will likely enter the public realm, and entrants should not assume any right of confidentiality in any data or information discussed, divulged, or presented in these sessions. This means, if your research includes commercial-in-confidence or culturally sensitive material you should think very carefully about how you can present this information. We advise that you discuss your competition entry with the party/ies before entering the 3MT® competition
- The University of Toledo 3MT® (Three Minute Thesis) competition may make photocopies, photographs, videotapes and/or audiotapes of the presentations or material prepared for use in presentation at the 3MT® competition