(above: watchtower and moat, Imperial Palace, Tokyo)
1. Plan and rehearse; time your remarks to last between fifteen and twenty minutes. The time will pass faster than you think. Most people over-prepare; so, rehearse and time your presentation.
2. Use note cards; do not read from your paper. Triple-space your remarks: they will be easier to read and you will feel more relaxed. You'll be able to make more frequent eye contact with your audience, too (very effective!). Speak as if you were talking to the far wall; this will help you project your voice.
3. Content: your presentation should give us an introduction to and overview of your project. In your introduction, try to create interest: What is significant about the subject? Why should we care about it? If the world changed because of it, briefly say how. End with a statement that reviews the main issues and makes clear your position on the topic (restating your thesis, if you have one at this point, works well here).
4. At the end of each oral report, discussion (minimum of four minutes) will start with a question from the person who immediately preceded the presenter with the last person on the list starting the discussion for the first presentation.
