Let's start by saying that this page is not complete. I just didn't have the information in one place, and so this is a start. That said, everything on this page has been tested and works. Someday I'll perfect this, I suppose, but for now it is a work in progress.
Rule number 1...you need to brine your turkey if you don't buy one that has already been brined or salted. For instance, if you buy a kosher turkey, it's been salted and brined in the koshering process. I've tried a bunch of different ways to brine and what has worked for me is wet brining...float the turkey in salted water (1 Cup salt per gallon of water if you are a few hours out...1/2 Cup salt per gallon of water if you can do it overnight, no more than 12ish hours). To be safe you want to keep it cold. Assuming you DON'T have a huge refrigerator with enough room to hold a turkey in a large pot, I have found that a cooler works really well. Cover the turkey in the brine and then throw ice on top of it. I also throw some pickling spices or Italian seasoning and brown sugar in my brine because I like the flavor, but that is VERY optional.
Rule number 2...do NOT stuff the turkey. Really. It won't work well, the turkey won't cook evenly and if you do it badly, you'll get everybody sick. You need to get the center of the stuffing to 165 degrees and by that time the breast of the turkey will be drier than the Gobi. Just do your stuffing as dressing (in a casserole dish...use chicken stock to give it flavor...and you ARE going to bury it in gravy right?).
Rule number 3...you MUST have a meat thermometer. OK, you could use that pop-up thing, but it's pretty worthless. If it works, it will give you over-cooked turkey (the manufacturers are doing their best to not get sued) and at worst...WAY over-cooked turkey if it doesn't pop-up. I have several thermometers, instant reads, digitals, but the one I use for the turkey has a probe that allows me to read the temperature without opening the oven.
Rule number 4...always let the turkey rest after roasting, but before you carve it. You don't need blazingly hot turkey and if you let it rest for 30 minutes or so, you'll have HOT turkey that will also have its juices mingled throughout. If you pull it out of the oven and just carve, you'll have a bunch of juice on the platter and dry meat. Although the aforementioned gravy will help, it is better just to let the meat seat on the platter for a half hour. Tent it with foil if you want to be REALLY together.
Rule number 5...get it to temperature. Technically, it doesn't matter how you do that. 350 degrees for much of the day is the "traditional" way to roast turkey, but I like the fast roast method. It takes less time and gives a good looking bird. I first read this method in Cooks Illustrated, November 2004 and have been doing it that way ever since. But the goal is 165 degrees in the thick part of the breast, 170-175 in the thick part of the thigh. I put the probe in the breast and check it at about 160. If the drumstick is somewhat loose (shake hands with it), you're done. If not, give it some more time.
Fast Roast
Basically, you crank the heat and put the turkey breast side down for X minutes, then flip it over breast up for Y minutes (insert the probe thermometer if you're using one), then pull it out when it's done and let it rest.