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The2is Graduate Competition

New 2-Minute Graduate Presentation Competition

**New Application Deadline: 4pm, Friday April 9, 2021 **
Video submissions due by Friday, April 16, 2021

How do I apply?

Clock logo for The2is: a new 2-minute competition for graduate students

What is the The2is?

The2is (pronounced Thesis) is a new competition for Masters and Ph.D. students with the ultimate challenge: to explain their complex and highly specialized research and ideas to a general audience in a two minutes video, using two PowerPoint slides, music, and one prop.

The event will take place during a live YouTube presentation on Friday, May 14, 2021 and the audience choice award will be judged during this time. The award ceremony will take place via Zoom on Monday May 17, 2021. 

The winner of this event will be eligible to present their video at a Celebratory Showcase of other Ontario University winners in September 2021.

This event is presented by Traill College and Trent Academic Skills and is generously sponsored by Traill College, the Trent Graduate Students Association, and the School of Graduate Studies.

Logos for Trent University, Traill College, and Academic Skills.

Why The2sis Competition?

The skills developed while preparing for and competing in The2is are central to graduate students' growth as professionals. From job interviews, to networking with colleagues at conferences, to conversations with family and friends, graduate students are often in situations where they must describe their research, and its larger importance, in language accessible and engaging to a non-specialist audience. Forcing participants to balance complexity and depth with clarity and concision, The2is hones skills that will benefit graduate students as they move toward professional careers.

The2is also provides an excellent opportunity for conversation across disciplines and with a general audience. The event is advertised widely, and participants share key insights from their research with a diverse audience.

The video format allows participants to expand their digital C. V., an element that is so important in today’s marketplace. This would be an excellent addition to the graduate student’s LinkedIn profile.

Prizes

  • The Traill College Award of Excellence - To be announced
  • The Trent School of Graduate Studies Runner-up Award – To be announced
  • The Trent Graduate Student Association People’s Choice Award – To be announced

Eligibility

  • Students must be registered in a Trent Masters (Thesis-stream or MRP) or PhD program at the time of The2is and must have made substantial progress on their research and analysis. Course-based Masters’ students are ineligible.
  • PhD and Masters’ students who have defended but have not yet graduated are eligible to participate.
  • Presentations must be based on research that is directly related to the student’s graduate program thesis, dissertation, or MRP. The The2is presentation must represent the research of the presenter.
  • Presenters must provide a video-taped presentation, along with two PowerPoint slides, and allow the video and slides to be shared publicly. The video must be done in one continuous take with no cues cards or notes allowed.
  • Participants must apply by 4pm Friday April 9, 2021. 
  • The video and slides must be submitted by Friday, April 16, 2021.
  • Presenters must consent to The2is confidentiality/intellectual property guidelines.

Rules

  1. The video, maximum length of two minutes, is permitted. The video must be recorded in one continuous take.
  2. Any video over the two-minute mark will be disqualified. Videos must be in either .mov or .mp4 video file formats.
  3. Two static PowerPoint slides are required (no slide transitions, animations, or "movement" on the slides of any description is permitted). The slides must remain in view for the entire presentation with a change in slide at the one-minute mark of the video. The slide change will be performed by the The2is team.
  4. Props (e.g. costume, musical instrument, or laboratory equipment) are permitted.
  5. Music incorporated into the video is permitted.
  6. Presentations on the videos will be spoken (for example, no poems, raps, or songs).
  7. No notes are allowed during the recording of the video.
  8. The decision of the judges' panel is final.

How to Apply to Participate in The2is

  1. Review the eligibility and confidentiality information and ensure that you are eligible to participate in The2is.
  2. The  application form will ask you for information about your program and thesis topic. You should be prepared to provide a tentative title (we promise you can change it later), a 50-word abstract of your proposed The2is video, as well as a summary of how you have completed a significant portion of your research and analysis for your thesis.
  3. Fill in the Application form: The2is Application Form

Applications are due by Friday April 9, 2021 at 4pm. Final date for video and slide submission is Friday, April 16, 2021

Judges and Judging Criteria

The2is will be decided by 3 to 5 esteemed judges, including members of the Trent and Peterborough communities and Trent Alumni. Together, the panel represents a diverse range of perspectives.

Each competitor’s presentation will be assessed according to the criteria listed below. Please note that each criterion is equally weighted.

Communication (1/3 of total score)

  • Did the presenter use language and terminology that was clear and understandable?
  • Was the pace of the video talk effective?
  • Did the presenter use non-verbal communication (i.e. eye contact, voice modulation, body language, etc.) effectively?
  • Did the slides enhance, rather than detract from, the video – were they clear, legible, and concise?

Comprehension (1/3 of total score)

  • Did the video help you to understand the scholarly research project?
  • Did the presenter clearly outline the nature and purpose of the scholarly research?
  • Did the presenter clearly indicate what is interesting and important about the scholarly research?
  • Did the talk follow a logical sequence?

Engagement (1/3 of total score)

  • Was the video engaging and the topic presented in a creative manner?
  • Did the talk inspire you to want to know more?
  • Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their work?
  • Did the presenter capture and maintain your attention?
  • Did the music and prop enhance the message and help with engagement?

Resources for Participants

The2is is a new event for 2021; however the following videos of past winners of the Trent 3MT® competition may be helpful to applicants.

Trent 3MT® Videos: Past Winners

Resources to Help You Create Your The2is Video

Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Guidelines

  1. The information presented during The2is must represent the work of the presenter.
  2. Judges and audience members are not asked to sign non-disclosure agreements. If participants' research is being/has been conducted under contract with an outside sponsor, they should discuss the related contractual terms of confidentiality and intellectual property with their supervisor(s) before presenting the research project.
  3. All public sessions of the competition, including, but not limited to, video streaming of the presentations, are open to the public at large. These public sessions may be broadcast to interested persons through media which may include the Internet.
  4. Any data or information discussed or divulged in public sessions by presenters should be considered information that will likely enter the public realm, and presenters should not assume any right of confidentiality in any data or information discussed, divulged, or presented in these sessions. This means if your research includes confidential or culturally sensitive material you should think very carefully about how you can present this information. We advise that you discuss your competition entry with your supervisor(s) before entering The2is.
  5. The School of Graduate Studies and Trent University may make photographs, videotapes, and/or audiotapes of the presentations or material prepared for use in presentation at The2is. The digital representations may be used in future marketing of the event or may be used for future educational purposes.
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