Be prepared and stay calm. Make sure you are in the room early enough to check technical aids well before you have to begin.

Think about when you are going to distribute any handouts you may be using. Once given a handout, your audience will likely start reading this and stop paying attention to what you are saying. Therefore, you should tell your audience when the information on the handout is going to be discussed, or tell them they will receive a handout summarizing the main points after your presentation. This will reassure them that they will not miss anything, so they can focus on your presentation.

Adopt a comfortable yet authoritative pose, preferably standing and facing your audience. Mind your posture and do not put your hands in your pockets. If public speaking daunts you, make sure you have something to hold on to with one hand, for example, a rostrum or table.

Never read text verbatim from a piece of paper; present your story ‘impromptu’ or by heart (see Preparing your presentation). Make sure you know the story so well that you can tell it without having to resort to your written version. This version is for you to fall back on in case you lose track.

Do not speak too quickly. Be sure to enunciate clearly. Look at your audience, not at the floor or the ceiling. It might be helpful to find a focal point just over your audience’s heads.

Check your watch or the clock now and then; do not exceed your allotted time. Otherwise, your audience might come away with the idea that it took ‘forever’ instead of remembering your key message.

Use quotations sparingly; people quickly stop listening. If you do use them, select short quotes or excerpts that exemplify your point. Always announce that what follows is a quotation. Use only English quotes (translate foreign language quotes into English if necessary) and make sure that you know how to read them well.

Do not cram your presentation full of dates. Whenever you use a date, make clear why you are using it: “In 1869, so just forty years later, the government …” .

Explain complicated concepts, using an etymological explanation or synonyms, for example.

Humor works well in presentations, but your basic story needs to be serious and academic. Take care not to appear laconic, cynical or indifferent about your topic, because this will backfire. If the presenter does not even consider the topic important, then why should the audience?

Leave some pauses in your presentation. Take a breath or a sip of water, or change a slide. Gradually build up your argument. Do not be afraid to remind your audience why the things you are telling them are important or interesting.

Be aware that the audience may ask questions. Think ahead of time what these might be and how you could answer them. Answer fully without adding too many details.

Consider ending with a hypothesis or a question for debate.