Graduate School: Three Minute Thesis Competition
Winners of the Fifth Annual Three Minute Thesis Competition at JMU, are as follows:
First Place
Jaclyn Tochin, Biology, M.S.
Does the Song of a Vocal Mimic Reflect Changes in Avian Acoutsic Communities Across an Urban Gradient?
Advisor: Dana Moseley
Second Place
Lara Leggio, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Au.D.
Counselling in Clinical Practice for Pediatric Cochlear Implant Audiologists.
Advisor: Yingjiu Nie
Third Place
Arta Sejdiu, Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication, M.A.
Positive and Negative Transfers of Rhetorical Awareness that Students Bring from High School to College: A case study at James Madison University.
Advisor: Kurt Schick
People's Choice
Telena Turner, Communication and Advocacy, M.A.
Performance of Work and Community by Women Employed in Rural, Predominately White, Small-town Schools.
Advisor: Kathryn Hobson
3 Minute Thesis
The Three Minute Thesis competition, originally developed by The University of Queensland, gives students the opportunity to develop and present their research in a compelling and concise narrative aimed at engaging a general audience. Students are challenged to synthesize the core concepts of their projects and make meaningful connections to real-world issues. The competition celebrates the creativity and scholarship of our graduate students while helping them develop vital academic and communication skills.
1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd place |
$750 | $500 | $250 |
Additionally, the first place winner is sponsored by The Graduate School to attend the regional competition at the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools. (February 17-19, 2022; Raleigh, NC)
General Information
JMU’s Fifth Annual Three Minute Thesis competition was held Friday, January 21, 2022. The competition was held in person, on campus.
JMU graduate students enrolled at the time of the competition, or who graduate in December 2021, from any discipline, were eligible to participate in the competition. Work presented must be from a current thesis or dissertation project, or other culminating creative or research project required by their program. The project must be far enough along to identify its practical impact and draw conclusions from the data.
3MT Rules
Official Rules
- Presentations must not be longer than 3 minutes. Any presentation that exceeds the 3 minute time limit will be disqualified. The timer is started when the presenter begins by speaking or moving.
- One static PowerPoint slide is the only visual aid allowed (no slide transitions, animations, or movement of graphics in the slide).
- Additional electronic media may NOT be used (e.g., sound and video files).
- Additional props are NOT allowed (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment).
- Presentations must be memorized and recited without the help of notes or cue cards.
- Presentations must be spoken-word (no raps, poems, or singing presentations).
Judging Criteria
Presentations must meet the official rules and participant eligibility requirements to be included in the competition. Each presentation will be evaluated based on the equally weighted criteria listed below.
Communication |
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Comprehension |
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Content |
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Engagement |
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How to Prepare
We want to help you do your best. Plan now to attend a Three Minute Thesis Preparation workshop to learn more and get started creating your presentation. The Graduate School will host workshops this fall.
The workshop will…
- Offer an overview of the Three Minute Thesis competition
- Provide help creating your spoken and visual presentation
- Provide you with tips on how to cover the key points of your project in only 3 minutes
- Review important guidelines to ensure your presentation meets the official rules
Registration for a workshop will help our facilitator to prepare and plan. We recommend registering and attending a workshop to get ready for the competition.
Preparation workshops were scheduled for:
- Tuesday, November 9, 3:00-4:30 pm
- Wednesday, November 17, 5:30-7:00 pm
- Friday, November 19, 1:30-3:00 pm
- Friday, December 3, 10:30 am - Noon
Each workshop will be held in Madison Hall, Room 4010.
Competitors are asked to create a video of their three minute presentation. This is great practice and preparation for the in person presentation, as well as an opportunity to preserve your work. Please review the instructions for creating your video here.
You can also check out these winning presentations and helpful tips:
Winning presentations by: Megan Pozzi, Joseph Donahue, Rob Duguid