McMaster3MT®Competition2020Guidelines

March18and19,2020

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TableofContents

ABOUT3MT® 3

ELIGIBILITY 4

CONFIDENTIALITYANDINTELLECTUALPROPERTY 4

COMPETITIONSTRUCTURE 5

JUDGINGCRITERIA 5

RULES 6

PRIZES 6

KEYDATES 7

STUDENTRESOURCES 7

STUDENTFAQS 7

ACCESSIBILITY 9

CONTACTINFORMATION 9

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ABOUT3MT®

TheThreeMinuteThesis(3MT®)isauniversity-widecompetitionforgraduatestudentsinwhichparticipantspresenttheirresearchanditswiderimpactin3minutesorlesstoapanelofnon-specialistjudges.Thechallengeistopresentcomplexresearchinanengaging,accessible,andcompellingway,usingonlyonestaticslide.The3MT®competitionprovidesgraduatestudentswithanopportunitytorefineskillsthatcanbetransferredaftergraduationtodiversecareerpaths.Distillingresearchintoaclearform,withoutover-simplifying,andhighlightingthewiderimplicationsoftheresearchareimportantskillstocarryintopost-graduateemploymentandpublicservice.Thecompetitionalsoenablesstudentstoshowcasetheirresearchtoawidermultidisciplinaryaudience,withintheuniversity,andtothebroaderpublic.Thecompetitionisopenforthepublictoattend,andisadvertisedwithinthecommunity.Thisisauniqueopportunitytocommunicatetheinnovativeandsignificantresearchundertakenbygraduatestudents.The3MT®competitioninitiallywasdevelopedbytheUniversityofQueenslandin2008,withcompetitionsbyotherAustralianandNewZealanduniversitiesfollowing,culminatinginthefirstTrans-Tasmancompetitionheldin2010.Nowthe3MTisheldinmorethan60countriesworldwide.UBCranthefirstCanadiancompetitionin2011;Queen’sandWesternheldcompetitionsin2012.In2013,16OntarioUniversitiessentrepresentativestotheinauguralOntario3MT®CompetitionatQueen’s.McMasterUniversityishostingoureighthannualcompetitioninMarch2020!

ThemainfocusofMcMaster’s3MT®isstudentdevelopmentandlearninghowtoeffectivelycommunicatecomplexresearchinjustthreeshortminutes.Thisuniqueopportunitywillallowstudentstoexpandtheirrangeofcommunicationskillsinadynamicandchallengingway.

ThetopeligiblepresenteratMcMasterwillattendtheOntario3MT®competitionhostedbytheUniversityofWindsorinApril2020.MostOntariouniversitiesareexpectedtoparticipateintheprovincialcompetition.

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ELIGIBILITY

• McMasterstudentsmustberegisteredinaMasters(thesisorMRPonly)orPhDprogramatthetimeofthe3MT®competitionatMcMaster,andmusthavemadesubstantialprogressontheirresearchandanalysis.Course-basedMastersstudentsareineligible.

• PhDandMastersstudentswhohavedefended,buthavenotyetgraduated,areeligible.

• 3MT®presentationsmustrepresenttheprimaryresearchthestudentconductedinhis/hergraduateprogram.

• Presentersmustagreetobevideo-recorded,andtoallowthoserecordingstobemadepublicandpostedontheGraduateStudieswebsite.

• PresentersmusthaveregisteredusingtheonlineregistrationformontheSchoolofGraduateStudieswebsite,andreceivedconfirmationofaheattimefromtheSchoolofGraduateStudies.

• Presentersmustbeavailabletopresent,inperson.Toadvanceinthecompetition,heatwinnersmustalsobeavailabletopresent,inperson,attheMcMasterSchoolofGraduateStudiesfinal.ThefinalwillbeheldonMarch19at2:00pm.

• TheWinnerwillbeexpectedtorepresentMcMasterattheOntario3MT®competitiononApril15,2020,inWindsor,Ontario.

CONFIDENTIALITYANDINTELLECTUALPROPERTY

Studentsmustunderstandthatthepresentationoftheirresearchin3MT®willbepubliclyaccessible.(i.e.,inthepublicdomain.)

Thepresentationoftheresearchwillnotaffectanypre-existingrightsfollowingthecompetition,exceptasstatedbelow:

• Duetothenatureofthecompetition,wewillnotaskjudges,reviewers,staffortheaudiencetosignnon-disclosurestatements.Ifyourresearchisbeing/hasbeenconductedundercontractwithanoutsidesponsor,studentsshoulddiscusstherelatedcontractualtermsofconfidentialityandintellectualpropertywiththeirsupervisorbeforeparticipatinginthiscompetition.

• Allpublicsessionsofthecompetition,includingbutnotlimitedtooralpresentations,areopentothepublicatlarge.Anyandallofthesepublicsessionsmaybebroadcasttointerestedpersonsthroughmedia,whichmayincludetheinternet.

• Anydataorinformationdiscussedorpresentedinpublicsessionsshouldbeconsidered‘public’.Ifyourresearchincludesconfidentialorculturallysensitivematerial,weadvisethatyoudiscussyourcompetitionentrywithyoursupervisor(s)beforeenteringthe3MT®.

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COMPETITIONSTRUCTURE• Thecompetitionfor2020willconsistof6heatsofapproximately12competitors.• FourheatswillrunonMarch18andtwoheatswillrunonthemorningofMarch

19.• IneachheatthetoptwocompetitorswillgoforwardtotheSchoolofGraduate

StudiesFinal*.• AllFinalpresentationswillberecorded.• ThetopeligiblecompetitorinthefinalwillgoontorepresentMcMasteratthe

Ontario3MT®competitiononApril15,2020,hostedbytheUniversityofWindsor.

*Thenumberofcompetitorsmovingtothefinalwilldependonthenumberofstudentsinthepreliminaryheatsofthecompetition.

JUDGINGCRITERIAEachcompetitor’spresentationwillbeassessedaccordingtothecriterialistedbelow.Pleasenotethateachcriterionisequallyweighted.

1. Comprehension:• Didthetalkhelpyoutounderstandthescholarlyresearchandcreativity?• Didthepresenterclearlyoutlinethenatureandpurposeofthescholarly

researchandcreativity?• Didthepresenterclearlyindicatewhatisinterestingaboutthescholarly

researchandcreativity?• Didthetalkfollowalogicalsequence?

2. Engagement• Wasthetalkengaging?• Didthetalkinspireyoutowanttoknowmore?• Didthepresenterconveyenthusiasmfortheirwork?• Didthepresentercaptureandmaintainyourattention?

3. Communication• Didthepresenteruselanguageandterminologythatwasclearand

understandable?• Wasthepaceofthetalkeffective?• Didthepresenterusenon-verbalcommunication(i.e.eyecontact,voice

modulation,bodylanguage,etc.)effectively?• Didtheslideenhance,ratherthandetractfrom,thetalk–wasitclear,legible,

andconcise?

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RULES

• AsinglestaticPowerPointslideispermitted(noslidetransitions,animationsor'movement'ofanydescriptionareallowed),andtheslideistobepresentedfromthebeginningoftheorationandremaininviewforthedurationoftheoration.

• Noadditionalelectronicmedia(e.g.,soundandvideofiles)arepermitted.• Noadditionalprops(e.g.,costumes,musicalinstruments,laboratoryequipment,

cellphones,etc.)arepermitted.• Nonotesorcuecardsarepermitted.• Presentationsarelimitedto3minutesmaximumandcompetitorsexceeding3

minutesaredisqualified.• Presentationsaretobespokeninstandardoratoryprose.(i.e.,nopoems,rapsor

songs,otherthanthosethatmaybethetargetofresearch).• Presentationsaretocommencefromthestage.• Presentationsareconsideredtohavecommencedwhenapresenterstartstheir

presentationthroughmovementorspeech.• Thedecisionoftheadjudicatingpanelisfinal.• ThecompetitionwillbeadministeredinEnglish.• McMasterUniversityhasmodeledtherulesaftertheOntarioProvincial

Competitionfor2020.Thiswasdonetoensurethewinnerswouldbeeligibletoparticipateintheprovincialcompetitionandthenationalcompetition.

PRIZESCashprizesaregiventoassistwinnersinattendingconferencesinordertopromotetheirresearchandfurthertheiracademicnetwork.

• 1st-$1,000.00• 2nd-$500.00• 3rd–$250.00• 4thand5thrunnerup–Dean’sAwardforExcellenceinCommunicatingResearch• Competitor’sChoice*:$250

ThetopfivewinnerswillalsoreceivetheDean’sAwardforExcellenceinCommunicatingResearchandwillbeinvitedtotheGraduateStudentRecognitionAwardsceremonyinNovember2020.*Votedonbythecompetitorsatthe3MTfinalat2:00pm.Allcompetitorswhoattendthefinalwillbeabletovote,includingthosewhocompetedinpreliminaryheatsbutdidnotmoveintothefinal.

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KEYDATESDate&Time WhatJanuary9,2020

RegistrationOpens

March2,2020at12:00pm(Noon)

DeadlinetoRegister

March9,2020at12:00pm(Noon)

Deadlinetosubmitslide.

March18,2020

Mar18–Heat1@9:00am,ConcertHallMar18–Heat2@11:00am,ConcertHallMar18–Heat3@1:00pm,ConcertHallMar18–Heat4@3:00pm,ConcertHall

March19,2020

Mar19–Heat5@8:30am,ConcertHallMar19–Heat6@10:30am,ConcertHallFinal@2:00pm,ConcertHall

April15,2020

Ontario3MT®competitionUniversityofWindsor

STUDENTRESOURCES

Presentations

• PreviousMcMasterFinalists• 3MTNationalCompetition–Videosfrom2016,2017,2018and2019are

available• UniversityofQueensland(Asia-Pacificcompetition)• MostCanadianuniversitieshave3MTvideospostedonlinethatyoucanview

UsefulGuidelines

• “Makingthemostofyour3minutes",bySimonClews,DirectorWritingCentre,UniversityofMelbourne(99KB)

• “Thinkwell3MTToolsKit”,specificallyContentChecklistandFeedbackFormat(173KB)

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STUDENTFAQSQ–Whydosomeoftherulesseemrestrictive?A–McMasterhasmodeledtherulesaftertheOntario3MT®competitiontoensurethateligiblewinnerscanparticipateintheOntario3MT®,thenationalcompetitionandinfutureyears,internationalcompetitions.Q–WhatproportionofmydegreehastohavearesearchcomponentformetobeeligibletocompeteintheMcMaster3MT®?A–Youareeligibletocompeteifyourdegreeinvolvesathesis,dissertationormajorresearchpaper(MRP).Ifyourprogramiscourse-based,youarenoteligible.Q–IwasastudentatthetimeofmycompetitionatmyuniversitybutwillgraduatebeforetheOntariocompetition.AmIeligibletoenter?A–Yes,ifyouareeligibleatthetimeofyouruniversity’scompetition,youwillremaineligiblefortheOntariocompetitionregardlessofyourprogramstatus.Youdoneedtohavemadesignificantprogressinyourresearch.Q–DoIneedtohavetheresultsofmyresearchtoparticipate?A–No,thefocusofthecompetitionisonthesignificanceandimpactoftheresearch.Youdonotnecessarilyneedresultstoexplainthis.Q–CanIpresentmyorationviaSkype?A–No,youmustpresentinperson.ThewinneroftheuniversityfinalwillbeexpectedtoattendtheOntariocompetitioninperson.Q–CanIpresentmyorationasapoem,raporsong?A–No,3MT®isprimarilyaboutdevelopingstudents’orationskills.

Q–CanIusealaserpointerornotecards?A–No,alaserpointerand/ornotecardsarenotallowed.Q–DoesmyslidehavetobeinPowerPoint?A–No,howeveritisthepreferredformatasallslideswillbecollatedintoasinglePowerPointpresentationforthecompetition.AslidetemplateisavailablefordownloadontheGraduateStudieswebsite:JPEG,KeynoteorPDFformatsareacceptablehowever,formattingcannotbeguaranteed.Q–HowmanytransitionsoranimationscanIhaveinmyslide?A–None,theslidemustbestaticandnotchangeinanywayduringthepresentation.Yourslidemustbedisplayedforthedurationofyourpresentation.

Q–DoIhavetouseaslide?A–No,theslideisoptionalastheemphasisisontheoration.Q–DoIhavetoaddcitations/referencestotheslide?

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A–Yes,ifappropriate.Note:youcanuseverysmallfontforthecitation/reference.Q–Whathappensifmypresentationislongerthan3minutes?A-Therewillbeacountdowntimerfacingthepresenter.Ifapresenterexceedsthreeminutestheywillbeautomaticallydisqualified.

Q–Isthereadresscode?A–Thereisnostipulateddressrequirementsuchas“businesscasual”.Pleasewearwhateveriscomfortableforyou.NOCOSTUMES(includinghats,masks,etc.).Q–WillIbeabletoseeacountdown-timerduringmypresentation?A–Yes,thecountdowntimerwillbevisibletoyou.Q–CanIwinmorethanonecategory?A–Yes,itispossibletowinaplace(1st,runner-up,etc.)andwintheParticipant’sChoiceAward.

Q–WhathappensifIcannotattendthefinal?A–Thewinnerofeachheatisexpectedtoparticipateinthenextstageofthecompetition.Ifthewinnerisunabletoattendthefinal,therunner-upwillproceedtothenextroundofthecompetition.

ACCESSIBILITYFormoreinformation,ortodiscussaccessibilityrequirements,pleasecontactNatalieTaylorat(905)525-9140ext.23710oremailgrad3mt@mcmaster.ca.

CONTACTINFORMATION

Ifyouhaveinquiriesaboutthe3MT®competition,pleasecontactNatalieTaylor,SchoolofGraduateStudies,McMasterUniversityviagrad3mt@mcmaster.caorphone(905)525-9140ext.23710.