1. 3-Minute Thesis Competition
Preparation session 2
- venue and technology
- appearance
- body language
- voice, rhythm and pacing
- humour – or not?
- the slide
Greet audience
In the first session we looked at the competition rules and the judging criteria, and then I offered some ideas for the preparation of your talk. Today I’m going to offer some suggestions on how best to deliver your presentation.
(If Gabby/Jamie come) We are fortunate to have, UoN winner 2010 and runner up in the Australia/NZ final, Gabby Briggs/the winner of the UoN 3MT final Jamie Flynn - with us this morning who has kindly offered to give us some tips for the actual performance of the presentation.
Created by HThursby Learning Development, The University of Newcastle, CRICOS Provider 00109J

2. The venue Check  where the venue is  where you will stand
 where the audience will be
 where the slide will be projected
Check locations of heat, semi-final, final – be positive – you’re aiming to be in the final!
Stand where you will present. Get a feel of the space, and how much room you have to move.
Take time to look where the audience will be, and where the slide will be projected - in relation to where you will be. Will it be above you or is there a chance that you’ll block the view?
April 17, 2017
3-minute thesis: Preparing for the performance |

3. The technology Is the microphone…  A bug? Wired or wireless?
 Wireless hand-held?
 Static, wired, on a stand?
There may not be a mike – in which case, speak clearly - towards the audience back row.
Bug microphone - usually worn on a shirt collar or lapel. Be careful that it doesn’t become tangled in jewellery and there can be problems with the fibres in synthetic fabrics.
Hand held – keep a stretched out hand’s distance from your mouth and don’t let it get too far away. With this mike you only have one hand for gesturing. (if showing how big the ‘fish that got away’ was –then you lose sound).
Static mike – limits your freedom to move about. Distance as for hand held.
With all microphones – be careful not to touch them as they can make unpleasant noises - which can definitely distract the audience’s attention from what you are saying.
Find out which you’re going to use and have a practice.
April 17, 2017
3-minute thesis: Preparing for the performance |

4. Appearance
Activity: look at your neighbour for 2 minutes. What messages do you get from what they’re wearing and how they look?
• In Western society we make judgements acc. to what people are wearing and their general appearance. Would you think that a speaker with clearly visible metal studs and rings in and around their face would have the same credibility as the speaker without ?
•Hair - long fringes over your face can also be distracting , as can bright orange dreadlocks,
•Dark colours are generally regarded as ‘more authoritative and professional’ – orange and mustard yellow are generally regarded as ‘out’.
•Shorts and t-shirts may be fine for uni days but not for the competition. Smart casual or suit and tie for men. BUT – look at what the winners wore in 2010 and 2011.
•In general, if you dress conservatively you are less likely to distract the audience from what you’re saying.
• A good guide is what you’d wear for a job interview.
April 17, 2017
3-minute thesis: Preparing for the performance |

5. Appearance
A suggestion has been made that we wear what is acceptable in our particular discipline – for a presentation for example. What do you think?
April 17, 2017
3-minute thesis: Preparing for the performance |

6. Body language
3 Minute Thesis 2010 runner-up - Will Harrison, Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences
Non-verbal language can tell a lot about how you feel about your topic and how important it is for you to communicate effectively with your audience.
While you are looking at the presentation given by Will Harrison from the University of Queensland, think about whether he
• Smiles when greeting the audience
• has eye contact with them
• Looks confident
• Stands up straight or leans against the lectern.
• Uses useful gestures
• Looks at notes
April 17, 2017
3-minute thesis: Preparing for the performance |

7. Your voice Balarka Banerjee Matthew Thompson
Listen to the winner of the 2010 or the 2011 competition.
Does he
• articulate clearly or mumble • use language you can understand • appear natural as if in conversation with the audience
• use ‘um’, ‘er’, ‘you know’ … • pronounce his words correctly in every case • speak at a pace that you could keep up with
• pause to allow you to process the information • vary the tone and volume of his voice ?
April 17, 2017
3-minute thesis: Preparing for the performance |

8. Humour or not?
Alex Pui
If it can be made relevant and is done well, humour can bring a presentation alive. - can enhance and maintain the audience’s attention and interest.
But be careful: Use humor that:
maintains your personal dignity and that of audience members.
doesn’t embarrass anyone or damage his or her self-esteem.
- Is acceptable to the group and not offensive. Avoid references to ethnicity, religion, politics, and gender.
Make sure you know who your audience is and what they find humorous before using any jokes. Most humour comes out of particular cultures and may not be appropriate for some regions.
Try out your stories or jokes on a couple of friends and/or acquaintances to make sure they are humorous. Practice telling the stories or jokes before the presentation to improve your delivery.
Watch Alex Pui from the UNSW School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and make some notes on what you like or don’t like about it. How would you rate it on originality, communication of message, interest – would you like to know more?
Do you think there might be an audience that might not be impressed by Alex’s presentation?
April 17, 2017
3-minute thesis: Preparing for the performance |

9. The slide Gabby's presentation Uni of Melbourne Winner's slide 2011
4. JamieFLYNN (2).ppt
13. Katherine Bolton - 3 MT slide.ppt
9. Bernadette Drabsch.pptx
Gabby created hers after the content had been polished.
The slide supports your talk, has very little text – if any, emphasises main points, provides visual imagery.
Look at competition presentations which are on participating university websites and if possible, look at the projection. There are examples of slides on the QUT website. See references on final slide of this presentation.
April 17, 2017
3-minute thesis: Preparing for the performance |

10. References http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsBChas0FeU
April 17, 2017
3-minute thesis: Preparing for the performance |

11. Your thesis – in three minutes
For those who weren’t able to be at the first of these sessions, you are welcome to take a copy of the materials used.
Remember – the suggestions made in these preparatory sessions are just that – suggestions. Originality is valued in this competition so remember to make the presentation your own.
April 17, 2017
CRICOS Provider 00109J |