Be sure you practice   (More than once!)

• Take advantage of anyone that offers to listen to you present your topic.
• If there is no one available, use the old talking to the mirror trick or record your presentation and listen to it in order to hear what your presentation sounds like.
• If your presentation has time constraints, be sure to time your talk to make sure it conforms to the guidelines–a presentation may seem a lot longer than it actually is when it is written but not spoken.

Do not write your presentation out word for word

• By looking out at the audience, you show that you know enough about your topic to feel comfortable with only minimal notes.
• WHEN USING POWERPOINT, KEEP SLIDES SHORT AND TO THE POINT.
  • PowerPoint slides are not supposed to act as cue cards.
  • These slides should contain minimal information in large type so they are easy for the audience to read and understand.

Make eye contact

• This is another technique that shows the class that you are interested in your subject, and that you are interested in people’s reactions.
• Eye contact also keeps you from reading your presentation and makes it much more interesting for those who are listening.

Model your presentation after a lecture by your favorite professor

• Assuming, of course, that this professor is interesting and keeps the class engaged.
• Use the techniques this professor uses to keep the class engaged and interested.
• Remember that you are only responsible for one day and that your professor has to do this every day – keep it in perspective and it won’t seem as stressful.

Breathe and smile

• Relax and pretend that you are having a conversation with the class members whom you know.
• Realize that when your classmates do their presentations, they will be just as nervous as you are.

For additional information you may want to visit these websites:

http://www.kumc.edu/SAH/OTEd/jradel/effective.html

http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/dept/Tips/present/present.htm

http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/technical/oral.htm