A Critical Evaluation of 3 Minute Thesis (3MT)®: Initial Findings

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) ®competition was created at the University of Queensland in 2008 to support skills development for research based graduate students. It asks researchers to present their thesis or dissertation in three minutes with one static PowerPoint slide. This brief paper begins with a short experience report of the author who participated in their university's competition, followed by initial results of critical analysis of the competition. Specifically focused on 3MT's rhetorical ecology and videos of past participants' presentations. Following qualitative coding analysis of 19 recent videos in combination with a rhetorical analysis of official 3MT documents, there are clear themes and emphasis for competitors. These patterns and initial findings are put in conversation with science communication, public speaking, and technical presentation best practices before concluding with future avenues for research.