Write for your audience One of the judging criteria looks for evidence that you can explain your research to a non-specialist audience. To do this you may like to: – Avoid jargon and academic language; – Explain concepts and people important to your research (you may know all about Professor Smith’s theories but your audience may not); – Highlight the outcomes of your research, and the impact it will have; – Imagine that you are explaining your research to a close friend or fellow student from another field; and – Do not devalue your research, what you are doing is exciting and you should convey enthusiasm for your subject.
Tell a story You may like to present your 3MT like a story, with a beginning, middle and an end. It’s not easy to condense your research into three minutes, so you may find it easier to break your presentation down into smaller sections. Try writing an opener to catch their attention, then highlight your different points, and finally have a summary to restate the importance of your work.
Have a clear outcome in mind Know what you want your audience to take away from your presentation. Ideally, you would like the audience to leave with an understanding of what you’re doing, why it is important and what you hope to achieve.
Do not write your presentation like an academic paper. Try to use shorter words, shorter sentences and shorter paragraphs. You can use humor, however be careful not to devalue your presentation. Revise Proof your 3MT presentation by reading it aloud, to yourself and to an audience of friends and family. This allows you to not only check your style, but it will allow you to receive critical feedback. Ask your practice audience if your presentation clearly highlights what your research is and why it is important.