Generally I really like this cartoon—today, not so much. There’s much to be said about the repetitiveness of presentations, but if you had to deal daily with what passes for intelligence and ability to pay attention in our general population, you’d soon realize that repetition is necessary, and the simpler way you provide information, the better.
Teachers know not to do this. They learned from administrators who read their power point presentations to us while we follow along with our printed copy of their power point.
I teach public speaking at a state university. While the “five paragraph theme” (which is essentially what the author has outlined here) is too simplistic for writing at the college level, there’s still some value in learning to offer a preview, the content, and a takeaway summary in a speech.
Why? If someone is reading a paper, an article, or even a comic, and their mind wanders away for a moment or they don’t fully understand something, they can go back and reread it. Not so in a speech. Some repetition in the spoken word is therefore desirable, as is giving the listeners some clues or signposts within the speech as to its organization.
Puzzled over 6 years ago
Thumbs up for the last panel.
ladamson1918 over 6 years ago
Generally I really like this cartoon—today, not so much. There’s much to be said about the repetitiveness of presentations, but if you had to deal daily with what passes for intelligence and ability to pay attention in our general population, you’d soon realize that repetition is necessary, and the simpler way you provide information, the better.
Thomas Thieme over 6 years ago
Teachers know not to do this. They learned from administrators who read their power point presentations to us while we follow along with our printed copy of their power point.
ChessPirate over 6 years ago
“First, I’m going to introduce the body. Second, I’m going to explain the introduction. Third, I’m going to repeat the body, but with fewer words…”
Coyoty Premium Member over 6 years ago
Intro, body, conclusion… Presentations are Sherlock Holmes stories?
ladywyntre over 6 years ago
I teach public speaking at a state university. While the “five paragraph theme” (which is essentially what the author has outlined here) is too simplistic for writing at the college level, there’s still some value in learning to offer a preview, the content, and a takeaway summary in a speech.
Why? If someone is reading a paper, an article, or even a comic, and their mind wanders away for a moment or they don’t fully understand something, they can go back and reread it. Not so in a speech. Some repetition in the spoken word is therefore desirable, as is giving the listeners some clues or signposts within the speech as to its organization.
Still funny, though.