Making the absolute worst 3MT presentation (and how to learn from it)

The dreaded (but revered) Three Minute Thesis (3MT). The very concept is mildly offensive to most PhD students. You’ve spent three, four, or maybe six years agonising over the infinite nuances of your research. Now, the university wants you to distill that life-consuming academic odyssey down to exactly 180 seconds and a single, unmoving slide? It’s the academic equivalent of trying to summarise the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy with a single interpretive dance. But why fight the absurdity? If you’re going to be forced onto a stage under hot lights, why aim for an inspiring standing ovation when you can aim for stunned, uncomfortable silence and the lifelong confusion of the judging panel? Here we give you a step-by-step guide to delivering a 3MT presentation so spectacularly awful that the judges will question their own career choices. And for those boring folks who actually want to win the competition... just do the reverse.

Tip #1: The "Wall of Text" visual assault

The rules say you get one static slide. But they didn't specify a minimum font size… Your goal here is to cram all 80,000 words of your thesis onto this single 16:9 rectangle. Use an 8-point Times New Roman font. Include at least four complex scatter plots, two unreadable tables, and a methodology flow-chart that looks like a bowl of spaghetti.

This sends a clear message to the audience: "My research is incredibly complicated, and you are not smart enough to understand it." When the timer starts, completely ignore the slide. Never look at it, never point to it. Let it loom behind you like an ominous, confusing monolith.

🔁 The (boring) flip side: Use your slide as a visual hook, not a teleprompter. The best 3MT slides often have almost no text at all (we can show you how). They rely on a strong, central metaphor or a striking image that complements what you are saying. Your slide should instantly answer the "why does this matter?" question without the audience having to read a single sentence. If they are reading your slide, they aren't listening to you.

Tip #2: The "Eminem" speed-run

Three minutes is simply not enough time to explain the sheer brilliance of your work. The logical solution? Speak at 400 words per minute. Do not pause for breath. Do not use inflection. Just unleash a relentless, monotonous torrent of jargon, acronyms, and p-values.

If you see the judges frantically trying to keep up, speak faster. Hit them with "heteroskedasticity" and "orthogonal eigenvectors" before they even know what hit them. If you finish your presentation gasping for air and sweating profusely at the 2:59 mark, you have succeeded.

🔁 The flip side: Less is more. A 3MT is not a miniaturised defense; it's a pitch. An average person speaks at about 130-150 words per minute, meaning your script should be roughly 400 words total. Embrace the power of the pause. Pauses let your key points land and give the audience time to digest complex ideas. Strip out the jargon entirely. Explain your research as if you were talking to an intelligent high schooler at a bus stop. If you want practical tips on how to deliver an award-winning 3MT presentation (without the nerves), just click here.

Tip #3: The "Human Fan" performance

Nervous energy is a powerful thing, and your body absolutely knows how to weaponise it. The moment you hit the stage, let it all out. Begin a slow, rhythmic sway from side to side. Not big enough to be intentional, not small enough to go unnoticed. Like a metronome set to "mild anxiety." Back and forth. Back and forth. The judges will start swaying with you involuntarily. You've hypnotised them.

For extra points, bring your hands into the act. Clasp them together in front of you and wring them like you're trying to squeeze juice out of your own palms. If sweat becomes visible, lean into it. Wipe your hands on your pants mid-sentence. Loudly. The audience will be so focused on your hands they'll forget you're even talking.

🔁 The flip side: Nervous energy is totally normal, and the audience expects it. The trick isn't to eliminate movement, it's to channel it with purpose. Plant your feet, take one slow breath before you start, and let your hands gesture naturally to emphasise key points. Intentional movement reads as confidence. Uncontrolled movement reads as "I am NOT in control" The good news? Most nervous habits disappear the moment you get genuinely excited about what you're saying.

Tip #4: The "Verbatim Abstract" intro

The timer beeps. It's go time. The best way to start is by loudly clearing your throat, adjusting your glasses, and reading the exact title of your thesis.

"Hello. My name is [Name], and today I will be presenting my research titled: A Spatiotemporal and Comparative Metagenomic Analysis of Subterranean Fungal Networks in Post-Industrial Urban Environments."

Follow this immediately with a list of your supervisors and funding bodies. By the time you get to the actual point of your research, the audience will have mentally checked out and started wondering what they're going to have for lunch. Oh, and the time is up.

🔁 The flip side: Hook them in the first 10 seconds (if you don’t know how to write a solid 3MT script, we can help). You have a tiny window to capture the audience's attention before they drift away. Start with a provocative question, a surprising statistic, a relatable anecdote, or a bold statement. (e.g., "Look at the person sitting next to you. One of you has a secret network of fungi living under your house right now.") Make them lean in. Save the boring technical details for your actual thesis defence.

Ok, ok, let's be real…you got this!

Distilling years of hard work into 180 seconds doesn't just sound impossible, it feels emotionally painful. It feels like you're being forced to abandon the most important parts of a project that's become your baby!

But the truth is, the 3MT is one of the most valuable exercises you can do as a researcher. It forces you to step out of the academic weeds and remember the big picture. Why did you start this research in the first place? Why should the world care?

While it's fun to joke about bombing on stage, everyone in that audience, especially the judges, actually wants you to succeed. They are there because they love science and they want to be wowed by your passion.

So, write that hook, delete the jargon, and embrace the challenge. The worst that can happen is you end up inspiring a satirical blog post.

Want to nail your public speaking and slide design for your next 3MT (or any presentation)? Join one of our group workshops on Science Communication and get hands-on training to make sure your presentation is the one the judges actually remember - for all the right reasons.