Public Speaking Tips for Students
Public speaking might be the scariest among all the hurdles you face as a student. But with practice, you can become the presenter of your dreams. Here are six tips to help you out.
✨ 5-second summary
To become a better public speaker:
- Understand your fear
- Prepare well
- Use slides wisely
- Learn from others
- Know your audience
- Ask for feedback
Public speaking is perhaps one of the most underrated fears. Standing in front of a crowd while conveying your message confidently can be terrifying.
Nevertheless, it's also among the most necessary skills to succeed in the competitive world of academia. Among all the hurdles you face as a student, the biggest may have nothing to do with academics, research, or publishing.
Here are six tips to help you out if the mere thought of public speaking makes you nervous.
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Browse programs →1. Understand why public speaking scares you
Understanding and reflecting on your fear of public speaking is the first step to changing the fact. If you're unsure where your anxiety stems from, here are some common reasons that might resonate with you.
In a 2017 article from Psychology Today, Theo Tsaousides, PhD, explains the main reasons public speaking scares up to 25 % of the population:
💡Physiology
Firstly, physiology may be to blame. Physiologically, humans are programmed to run from a threat. Does a large room filled with lots of people sound threatening? To many, yes.
Some people, by their natures, are more anxious than others. This, combined with the human physiological response to run and protect ourselves from scary situations, causes some to loathe public speaking.
💡Public perception
Tsaousides also cites thoughts such as how others perceive you as a significant barrier to public speaking, especially in front of people you know.
You generally want people to like you, so the fear of negative judgment can amplify nerves and make it harder to speak confidently, even when you're well-prepared.
💡Experience
Finally, Tsaousides says that your general skill level and experience with these situations play a factor, too. Few people have natural talent as public speakers, and without experience, you lack confidence. On the flip side, the more you practice, the better you'll become.
The takeaway from all of this isn't intuitive and arguably a bit paradoxical: you have to do more of it, which sounds terrifying, to feel less terrified. Go figure.
2. Prepare your strategy
Public speaking might trigger your nerves, and that's okay. However, you still need to have a strategy once you're up there.
The first step is to rehearse what you're going to say, at least in the beginning. Have the first few paragraphs of your presentation memorized.
If you experience shaky hands or a twitchy body when you're anxious, hold onto the back of a chair or the podium. As you get more comfortable, you can ease up.
Before you start speaking, get a good look at the audience. Smile, say thank you, crack a joke, or share something lighthearted to break the ice, and have at it.
Bottom line? Don't go in cold until you're a pro.
3. Use visuals wisely
Try not to read from slides while speaking. If you're using PowerPoint or Google Slides, ensure that your slides:
- Don't obscure your points
- Have as few words as possible
- Include relevant images
When slides are overloaded with text, your audience tends to read ahead and stop listening to you. This creates a disconnect and makes your delivery feel redundant.
If you're just reading what's already on the screen, people may wonder why they need to listen at all.
Instead, use visuals to support, not replace, what you're saying. A clean, minimal slide keeps the focus on you and your message. Relying less on your slides will boost your confidence and further develop your public speaking skills. Keep it simple!
4. Learn from others
At the next presentation you attend, take notes not just on the presentation, but on the presenter's public speaking style.
Ask yourself questions like:
- Where did they stand?
- What made you want to listen?
- Were the slides interesting or dull?
Think about what you liked and can be improved, and apply it to yourself.
5. Know your audience
To be great at public speaking, you must consider your audience.
General rule of thumb: unless you're presenting to other students with as much understanding of a topic as you have, prepare your presentation as if you're presenting this subject to your grandparents, provided, of course, they have no idea what you're talking about.
Don't assume that your audience knows your process or that they will just enjoy a personal, relevant story without knowing the full context.
👉 Consider the questions that you might hear.
Fellow students might ask some in-depth questions, so be ready. Be prepared not just to share your work, but to tailor it to whomever is listening.
6. Ask for feedback
If you can, do a trial run with your advisor and some peers. Ask for input, help, and criticism on your speaking skills.
If you can't ask for feedback before the actual event, ask someone you trust who's there for their honest feedback. Why? So you can do better next time. Yes, there's always a next time, and there are always possibilities to improve your public speaking skills.
Conclusion
Public speaking might always feel a little intimidating, and that's okay. The key isn't to eliminate the nerves, but to understand them, prepare strategically, and build confidence through experience.
By knowing your audience, refining your delivery, and actively seeking feedback, you'll become a more effective communicator over time.
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