Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening. Dorothy Sarnoff 1914 – 2008 American soprano

Presenting projects and public speaking series

Public speaking: guidelines

Know the room.
Be familiar with the place in which you will speak.
Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.

Know the audience.
Greet some of the audience as they arrive.
It's easier to speak to a group of friends than to a group of strangers.

Know your material.
Practice your speech and revise it if necessary.
If you're not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your nervousness will increase.

Relax.
Ease tension by doing exercises.

Work from your personal brand
Visualize yourself giving your speech.
Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear, and assured.
When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful.

Realize that people want you to succeed.
They don't want you to fail.
Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative, and entertaining.
They are on your side!

Don't apologize.
If you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think you have with your speech, you may be calling the audience's attention to something they hadn't noticed.

Concentrate on the message -- not the medium.
Focus your attention away from your own anxieties, and outwardly toward your message and your audience.
Your nervousness will dissipate.

Turn nervousness into positive energy.
Harness your nervous energy and transform it into vitality and enthusiasm.

Gain experience.
Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking.
A Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need.

Assignment links

Completing a class assignment | Organizing challenging projects |
Project management (.pdf organizing form) | Developing case studies |
Spreadsheets and budgets | Setting your (school) budget |
Presenting projects/speeches | Public speaking |
Presenting your positive image/brand |