Prepare and rehearse your presentation thoroughly. Create a PowerPoint slide show if your topic is conducive to this medium. Make the font legibly large and include easy-to-follow illustrations. Only include a few words per slide; memorize your presentation so you don't read off of your paper or your slides. Organize the information in a clear, concise manner. Know your audience and tailor your presentation to accommodate how much they may already know or what variety of knowledge they may have. Practice in front of your friends or family so you can time yourself out loud and get over your nerves.
Dress professionally on the day of the presentation. Wear a pressed, collared shirt if you are male and wear a coat and tie if you are in a higher-education program, such as law school or a Ph.D. program. Wear a knee-length skirt or slacks with a modest blouse or a simple dress if you are female. You want to look nice, but you do not want your clothes to distract your audience. Arrive early to set up any technical equipment.
Speak with a clear, confident voice. A trembling voice or hesitant, nervous body language can make your audience uneasy and hinder their attentiveness.
Open with something personal, like a story or the reason you chose this topic. Be wary of jokes, however, as a joke that falls flat can turn your audience against you from the start.
Tell your audience what you will be talking about. Tell them your thesis and tell them how you will prove it. Be clear and concise.
Proceed through your steps and/or slides. Take your time and think carefully about what you are going to say. People naturally tend to rush through presentations, so even though it may seem like you are going too slowly, you are probably going at just the right pace.
Take questions whenever they arise. Answer them as succinctly as possible. Write the question down and tell the audience member that you will address the question at the end if you don't want to interrupt the flow or if you need time to think about it. Don't get defensive if you feel attacked; maintain a professional demeanor.
Signal the end of your presentation using a phrase like "In conclusion" or "To summarize." Recap everything that you said to ensure your audience remembers. End by saying "Thank you" or "Thank you for your attention." Take questions if there are any and thank your audience again.