The oral reports have two purposes:  (1) to give the class factual information on topics related to the texts we are reading, and (2) to give you some practice in making oral presentations.

Guidelines:

• Oral reports and outlines will be graded on clarity, organization, relevance to the play or poem being studied, depth of research, and delivery.  They are worth a maximum of 10 points total:  6 for the class report, 4 for the outline.
• Consult at least two sources of information (the reference librarian and I can help point you in the right direction).  These sources should be listed at the top of the outline you turn in, and they should be in standard MLA form, as described in The Bedford Handbook for Writers (see pages 498-511).
• Organize the information you find into an outline, which should be a minimum of two pages in length.  Choose the most important facts from your outline to prepare your presentation.
• Your presentation should give the class information which it would not otherwise have by just reading the play.  Do not summarize the play or describe who the characters are; you are the class's expert on the topic you have been assigned, so your job is to focus on that topic inasmuch depth as possible in the time allowed to you.
• Presentations should be five to ten minutes long.
• When presenting your research to the class, talk to us, using your notes to refresh your memory.  Do not read from your notes.
• Keep in mind that what you are preparing is actually a lecture:  while you are giving your presentation, you are a teacher.

Good luck!