A Few Basic Tips on Delivering a Paper

Most presenters will time themselves reading their papers out loud beforehand to make sure they fall under the twenty-minute allotment -- timing oneself to use up only eighteen minutes or so is a safe bet. Speaking for less than twenty minutes is perfectly acceptable (though preferably not less than fifteen). When speaking, one should attempt to establish eye contact with the audience as often as possible and to speak in a loud, clear voice at a reasonable pace. Remember, too, that no one likes to hear people drone on in a monotone, so try for a bit of enthusiasm and tonal inflection. Pauses to enunciate important points you wish to make are also an effective technique. Standing, moving around slightly (particularly if you have a large audience and you want to address them all), and hand gestures to accompany your words are also all effective ways of drawing and holding an audience's attention.