Oral Presentation Anxiety: Researchable Topics for Students
Explore various researchable topics on oral presentation anxiety for students. Gain insights into public speaking anxiety and discover effective strategies to overcome it.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Realyn Manalo
4/7/20253 min read
Many students experience oral presentation anxiety because they believe they must transform into someone else the moment they step in front of an audience. They often try to sound more formal, act more confident, or speak in an unfamiliar way. Ironically, these efforts to appear “perfect” increase stress and create a sense of disconnection—not only from the audience but also from their own message. Even when a presentation is well-prepared, forced delivery can weaken its impact.
At the heart of this anxiety lies a deep fear of judgment and error. Yet, effective speakers are not those who perform flawlessly but those who speak authentically. Rather than hiding their nervousness or rigidly memorizing speeches, confident presenters focus on being honest, present, and relatable. As students shift from seeing public speaking as a performance to viewing it as an opportunity for connection, their fear gradually diminishes. In that shift, true confidence—and real communication—can finally begin.
Who Can Use These Topics
This research is ideal for students and professionals pursuing the following courses or strands:
College Programs:
BS Education Major in English or Communication Arts
BA Communication
BS Psychology
BSBA Major in Marketing Management (for public speaking and pitches)
BS English Language Studies
BS in Development Communication
Senior High School Strands:
Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS)
Arts and Design Track (for performance-based courses)
General Academic Strand (GAS)
Why This Topic Needs Research
Oral presentation anxiety is a persistent issue that deserves urgent, multi-dimensional research attention. Several research gaps have been identified:
Mixed-Method Approaches and Teacher Perspectives: While student anxiety triggers were identified, broader research involving mixed methods and instructor viewpoints remains limited (Morsi & Zaki, 2024).
Long-Term Anxiety Reduction Programs: Structured, course-integrated interventions to build sustainable speaking confidence among EFL learners have yet to be fully explored (David, 2025).
Technology and Peer Mentoring Innovations: The potential of virtual reality tools and peer mentoring systems for improving self-efficacy and reducing anxiety is underexamined (Zhang & Yik, 2024).
Virtual Audience Behavior Dynamics: The effect of virtual audience behaviors on speaker anxiety, beyond familiarity alone, remains an underexplored dimension (Barrett et al., 2023).
Targeted Interventions for Language and Stage Fright Issues: Focused intervention programs to tackle language-related disruptions and stage fright are still lacking in many academic institutions (Docena et al., 2023).
Adaptive Technology-Enhanced Strategies: Holistic, technology-integrated approaches tailored to varied student profiles and learning contexts need further development (Kho & Ting, 2023).
Structured Exposure and Supportive Classroom Strategies: The impact of consistent exposure, skill-building workshops, and supportive pedagogies on reducing speaking anxiety requires deeper study (Bordios et al., 2022).
Feasibility & Challenges by Target Group
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References
Barrett, A., Pack, A., Monteiro, D., & Liang, H. N. (2023). Exploring the influence of audience familiarity on speaker anxiety and performance in virtual reality and real-life presentation contexts. Behaviour & Information Technology, 43(4), 787-799.
Bordios Jr, R. V., Miranda, A. C., Abdul, A. R., Almirol, J. B. M., & Mascud, J. A. (2022). Level of Anxiety in Speaking English Among College Students. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 4(1), 52-63.
David, B. K. (2025). EFL STUDENTS’LANGUAGE ANXIETY IN IN CLASS ORAL PRESENTATIONS (Doctoral dissertation, UIN RADEN INTAN LAMPUNG).
Docena, V. T., Buenaventura, K. H., Lobingco, W., Manlimos, S., Nacionales, J. J., & Claridad, N. (2023). Investigating oral presentation anxiety of freshmen English major students in a Philippine higher educational institution. Journal of Language and Pragmatics Studies, 2(3), 173-189.
Kho, M. G. W., & Ting, S. H. (2023). Overcoming oral presentation anxiety: a systematic review of Tertiary ESL/EFL Students’ challenges and strategies. Qeios.
Morsi, W. K., & Zaki, M. M. (2024). Oral Presentations’ Anxiety among Egyptian Undergraduates: Causes and Remedies. IJELTAL (Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics), 9(2), 425-439.
Zhang, H., & Yik, L. H. (2024). Exploring the Causes, Performance, and Solutions of Academic Presentation Anxiety among Chinese International Students.