Outlining Your Speech
Besides practicing, the best way to stay calm during a speech is to know what you are going to say and in what order you are going to say it. So, outline your speech.
Most people like to do the 3-point thesis: an introduction, 3 main points, and a conclusion. But if time is an issue, you can always increase the amount of time you spend on each topic. Or even add additional main points above 3. Or remove some main points.
An outline also helps with unexpected time constrants. If the speaker get side tracked (with an audience question, for example), and is aware of the amount of time left, then a point or topic can be skipped or summarized.
Some people like to review their discussion, and then try as best they can to discuss it. Others enjoy having notes while keeping to a strict time schedule. The best method incorporates a little of both. If you keep too many notes, you can dull and bog down the presentation. On the other hand, if you do not have any notes, then the speaker risks giving false information. Keeping a few notes and an outline lets you have structure without depleting your speech.
