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University of Guyana- Graduate Symposium: 6 - 8 October 2021

 

5M Committee

  • Dr Mishel Moriah
  • Dr Tamirand Nnena De Lisser 
  • Dr Charmaine Bissessar

 

Five-minute thesis competition

​​​​​​​General guidelines

To enter the event 

The 5M Thesis Competition is extended to both PhD and Master’s Students who have completed their data collection phase. Students who are currently analyzing their research data or have already submitted/graduated (no later than 2019) are encouraged to participate. 

Participants may enter the event by responding to the call for abstracts for general participation to the SGSR Graduate Symposium.  All participating research students should submit a 300-word abstract for the Five Minute Thesis Competition. When submitting your abstract, be sure to select the checkbox for the 5M event. Please note that your entry in the 5M Thesis Competition will not bar you from submitting an abstract for the Oral and/or Poster Presentations.

The ideal Five Minute abstract should be written in an accessible style that would be more suitable for the target audience, namely, the general public.  The Selection Committee would determine whether the submitted abstract is relevant to the theme, as indicated on the submission form, and if it is of interest to the key stakeholders involved in the symposium. 

 

Multi-authored abstracts

Although multi-authored abstracts are allowed, in the event the abstract is selected as a finalist for the event, only one author may make the 5M presentation. 

 

Selection of Presenters

  • The Selection Committee is composed of members of the Abstract Committee, which is a subset of the Academic Committee.  
  • Please note that the committee would view the abstracts as representative of what the talk/presentations would be like.
  • The Committee would select eight presentations for the Symposium. 

 

Nature of presentations

  • Students might choose from one or a combination of the following forms of presentations:​​​​​​​
    • video
    • drama
    • art
    • oral/traditional
      ​​​​​​​
  • All presentations must logically follow the format of the abstract and structure of the thesis/project presented.

 

Unfolding of the event 

  • Students should work with or be guided by their supervisors in preparing their presentations. 
  • Two weeks before the presentations, presenters will be invited to attend a coaching session where they may view samples of similar thesis presentations and receive feedback on how to make their presentations creative and interactive. (https://www.ontheagilepath.net/2016/03/coaching-using-the-5-minute-coach-approach-impressions-and-questions.html)
  • By participating in this 5M presentation, students give us permission to record their presentations for online posting. 
  • Each participant is expected to speak or present for five minutes; visual aids (slides) and props are allowed. However, participants are expected to speak without notes. 
  • The presentations would be judged by a panel of researchers/supervisors/ external stakeholders.
  • Winners will be chosen by a combined vote of the panel and the audience. 

 

The prize

  • The winner will receive a commemorative plaque, media publicity, and a one-year complimentary UoG Graduate Symposium membership. ​​​​​​



​​​​​​​Five-Minute Thesis Competition Q&As

  1. How can I enter the event?
    2.

Respond to the Call for Papers to the SGSR Graduate Symposium.

Select the check-box for the 5-M Competition. 

Submit a 300-word abstract under your selected subtheme for consideration.​​​​​​​

 

  1. I will be submitting an abstract for the Oral Presentations, can I also submit an abstract for the 5-M Competition?
    2.

Yes, you are not barred from submitting abstracts for both presentations.

 

  1. Can the same abstract be used as entry for all presentations or will I need to submit a different abstract for the 5M?
    2.

Yes, the same abstract may be used. Be mindful however, that the abstract for the 5M Competition must be tailored for a non-specialist audience, while your abstract for a regular oral/poster presentation may be geared towards a more specialized group. 

 

  1. What is the aim of this competition?
    2.

The main aim of this competition is to prepare graduate students to speak about their research in a very short timeframe to a general audience in an accessible way. In addition, it allows 8 outstanding students to showcase their work to the general public.

 

  1. Are multi-authored abstracts allowed?
    2.

Yes, but only one person will be allowed to present.

 

  1. How many participants will be in the competition?
    2.

There will be 8 presenters in the competition.

 

  1. Will I really be limited to only 5 minutes?
    2.

Yes, you will be notified when you have 30 seconds remaining, and will be cut off at 5 minutes sharp. The moderators will be trained to ensure that the session runs smoothly.

 

  1. Are there examples of other 5-M Presentations?
    2.

Yes, please follow this link: https://youtu.be/8Qbqr17L6OY 

 

  1. Is there a limit to the number of slides I may use in my presentation?
    2.

No, as long as you manage your slides effectively so that your talk is kept within the 5-minute timeframe.

 

  1. Is power-point the only medium of presentation for the 5M?
    2.

No, you may choose from one or a combination of the following forms of presentations:

  • video 
  • drama
  • art
  • oral/traditional

 

  1. Are there any general guides to preparing my presentation?
    2.

Yes, SSS: Simplify, Streamline and Summarize.

 

  1. Where can I get additional information?
    2.

For additional information about the 5-M Thesis Competition please email symposium.sgsr@uog.edu.gy