Defending a thesis is no small feat. It requires transforming complex research into a short and compelling narrative that a diverse audience can easily understand. An effective thesis defense calls for strong presentation skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are going to explore a specific thesis format called the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT). It\u2019s an academic competition in which doctoral students present their research in a 3-minute time frame. The competition was first held in 2008 at the University of Queensland in Australia becoming a great success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This format is now used by universities around the globe. It\u2019s an excellent opportunity for the students to practice their presentation skills, and let\u2019s not forget about a monetary award, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why has this format drawn our attention? First of all, because of the challenge. A student is asked to present the results of their academic research that took months or even years in just 3 minutes and to a broad audience\u2014quite a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We thought that these thesis defenses could be valuable for improving presentation skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we will analyze five exemplary 3MT defenses, focusing on key presentation principles that make them stand out. We\u2019ve chosen excellent presentations that can arm you with extra tools when you have to go on stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thesis defense is one of many areas where you can use presentation principles. Check out our guide<\/a> on creating great thesis defenses and another read<\/a> on how presentation crafting skills can help you in academia in general, and you\u2019ll be fully armed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Thesis Defense by Maria Caluianu (UCL, London, UK)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n