I'm not I used to soil my pants whenever I had to present something, but I'm getting better, but still, I can't help but walk off with my armpits soaking...

I have some presentations to present at school for a few of our group projects, and I'd have to say, I'm not a bit nervous at all. Well it's always like that ain't it, you don't feel a bit scared but once you step on stage and face the audience...you're scared to death

So are any of you guys good at it? What's the secret to a good presentation without soiling yerself?

The only answers I can think of is practice rehearsing, know your material well, and practice.

I know there are people out there that seem natural at presenting, I envy you

I was just like you in High School, always nervous, and always fearing oral presentations on projects, and papers I had to write.
I used to just stand there, nose in my paper, and read hoping I won't get noticed, stumbling over words, to just read faster, and let my turn end.
But by doing so I messed up alot, and my presentation grades plummeted.

But I did get better at it, because once I went to the military, and became squad leader, and then a lance corporal I had to speak to many marines, and thus always brief them on the mission.

There really isn't much to it, and I learned so;
1. Remember you're in front of people you work / study with every day, and they know you by now.
2. If you look them in the eyes think of it as you are explaining to them directly what you're talking about.
3. Speak with confidence, and don't think about the way you look.

If you are still having trouble, then look at your friend, or the teacher, and speak as if you were speaking to him / her, and telling them about something interesting.

Rehearsing at home, and reading over the material won't help you, because when you get on stage, the atmosphere is very different.
Best way to deal with it, is first present it to your friends / family, get a small crowd, and practice.
Practice makes perfect!

Good luck!

Ugh, I hate public speaking. I'm not any good at it myself so I can't help you there.
My knees always start to shake and I stutter my words a lot.
But its always a major relief when it's all over with!

I've never had any problems with public speaking, so I end up doing it most of the time (when it's necessary of course! Not really looking for it )

Now that I think of it, it's probably because I've been singing in a choir (and have done a few solos) for almost 10 years: after performing a couple of times on stage you just stop getting nervous ^^U

Dunno if this would be of any help, but I've always been told that, if you get intimidated by the audience, it's easier if you fix your gaze on the wall in front (so you're not really "looking" at anyone)...

Gah, I really suck when it comes to public speaking. Whenever I'm in front of a large group of people I can't help but feel nervous and I somehow develop a speech impediment and stutter. I really haven't gotten use to public speaking but I noticed deep breaths help /whoo.

I'm very shy when it comes to say something in public, especially for reports and presentations. I know it's not good to be stressed or hesitant but I can't help it... I haven't find a way to overcome this problem before the presentation but when I'm doing it, I try to hide my shyness and always do my best to try speak "normally" without hesitation. I'm getting better and better as I do presentations (Yes, my future job will require me to speak with a lot to people, it's like a challenge for me and I accept it). If the topic of the presentation/report is something I'm interested in and know almost everything about it, I don't need notes most of the time and I'm able to not feel nervous. On the contrary, if I'm not interested in the topic, there is a chance I can screw something up during my speech... Fortunately, it doesn't happen everytime.

Before presentations/reports, here are my thoughts : I just have to prepare my presentation before the deadline, then I just do my speech, answer some questions and go away :P Simple as that. I don't care about what people think (well, I don't want to say crappy things so I have to pay attention to what I'm saying but not everytime ^^") and that helped me to speak more "normally". I just do my job and that's all ^^

Hehe... hiding my shyness is hard... my face goes red... and i always cut out some words because im afraid to use them... hehe peer pressure.. zzz

I think I end up doing too much of public speaking, especially the impromptu kind. XD

If you have to memorize a speech, all you have to do is stay calm. Focus on the speech itself, on what you can remember. If you can't remember the exact words, substitute synonyms and continue - because if you stop and then start saying "Um" or "erm" and such, people will KNOW you're doing something wrong. XD
It also helps if you talk slowly! Pronounce each word carefully and clearly and pause where needed. The slower you talk, the faster you can think and recall what's next - at least, that's how it works for me.

The only answers I can think of is practice rehearsing, know your material well, and practice.

You're on the right track! :D If you're afraid, don't let it bother you! I'm not saying you shouldn't be afraid; I'm saying that it's OK to be afraid, as long as you don't let that distract you. Being afraid is natural. I've been in impromptu contests, and I'm always scared rotten before delivering my answers - fear happens to everybody. The best thing to remember is that it's OK and natural to be afraid; just don't let it take over you and make you forget everything or make mistakes. :)

What paladin said.
practice is key. you really need to know your material before you deliver it. when you practice, make sure to gesture, and to place emphases where you want it. also practice looking away from your notes, to where the audience would be. your outline should be brief and have the main points with a few extra points, you should never write a speech and recite it verbatim, the written language ane spoken language are very different, and therefore you won't sound natural reading something you wrote. don't memorize your speech either, just remember what the points you want to get across are. when delivering it, be sure to breath and speak from your diaphragm, and concentrate on your material and the audience, looking at them often. you want to know what the audience is getting from your speech, so you know if you have to clarify anything. you will have a rush of adrenaline, due to the fear of giving the speech. use this to add enthusiasm to your speech, but be careful to not speak to quickly, or loudly. gesture liberally. this will help you to relax, and to captivate your audience more easily. the most important thing is to just be yourself, if your not it will distract the audience from what you are saying, to how you are acting.

i've given many public discourses, and the majority of them have been prepared in less than an hour. i focus on my material, and make it interesting, to not only the audience, but also to myself, so that i am engrossed by what i am saying. whatever a person speaking is feeling is transferred to his audience. that is why goerge bush, although terrible at speaking, gives effective public discourses. he is confident and relaxed while he speaks, therefore the audiences who watch him are also confident and relaxed. you have to have them emotionally attached or their mind will wander, the average person thinks 10 times faster than he speaks, so while your saying whatever, it is very easy for them to start thinking whatever else, you have to make them think about what your saying.

along those lines; pausing, and questions are very important. pause for emphasis, but don't drag it out too long. question to make them think about where your going with your speech.

all these things are just a start to being an amazing speaker, but they are the most key things to speaking well.

It's normal to get nervous. You might try not to look at the attendants. For me, it helps a lot.

When I have to have a speech in front of crowd, I'll try looking at the wall behind them and talk with it.

Weird, isn't it. But sure useful.

You guys, if you are nervous, read up on Dale Carnegie on Google.

he has the best plans you can to curb your fear of performing live.

Me? I am damn good at it, really, I am not boasting, for the past 3 years I am in college and university, whenever I am in a group, I am almost certainly a group leader, or the head presenter.

I have contested in public debates for the last 2 years, and have indeed contested to be club president for the Hospitality School Club, which consists of over 340 members of the hotel school.

Not that I am boasting seriously, but I love public speaking, I used to be afraid, and Dale Carnegie's method of learning and speaking, and how to method your speech to people's understanding greatly developed my stature when speaking publicly, along with many practices and daring efforts, including going out to talk with people all the time, helped much.

It is all a manner of confidence, try not thinking you are not good enough, in fact, think that you are so good, nobody is daring enough to listen to you, boost your ego, cause you need it.

I lie to myself. That's the best thing I've ever done in my entire life. Well, it's not really lying, I just pretend that I'm saying just to myself or to someone that won't make me nervous. It usually works on me but sometimes I get too nervous and I try to sympathy myself by looking at the audience's curious eyes>_<"

I feel okay when i presenting something in front of the people...hm...the key~~ maybe self confidence, practice alot, and be sure you already know well about the topics (so you will not be like a robot with internal memory = brain, and speaker = mouth when you are talking...everyone will bored if you talk with a straigh tone... ;p)...

i practice like this sometimes : stand in front of the mirror, so you can see yourself... and then act like you in 'stage' and start the presentation...(maybe someone will say you crazy (my bro like to say it)...but dont care... ^^)... do it until you already sure that you can do the presentation in front of the other...and your voice is not weird, or you dont make a fault spelling when you talk...
a loud and clear speaking will attract the audience, so if your voice is not loud, you have to practice more (but if you use a microphone, the case is different... ^^)...

well, i dont know if this method can be use by other people, but its good for me...^^

afterall, i hope this can help... ^^
good luck!

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