How to Achieve a PERFECTLY UNINTELLIGIBLE (PU) Presentation

By E. Brad Thompson

This book uses humor to demonstrate the many errors public speakers make, and thus to help presenters improve their presentations.  It is directed at all types of presenters, particularly Academics, Scientists, Ministers, Teachers, Lawyers and Students.

The reverse psychology approach of the book amusingly uses the view that the reader will want to make the mistakes deliberately, so as to obscure the delivered information just enough to intrigue listeners and make them feel that the speaker had something important to say. Various topics addressed include audio-visual aids, preparation, behavior of the presenter, and voice projection.

The book ends with a brief serious essay of what to do to make a truly impactful presentation.

Categories that this book falls under might include:

Humor, public speaking, "how to present your information."

How to…

Do it yourself, and

Effective public speaking.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Outskirts Press
• Release date: Aug 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9781977267795

E. Brad Thompson

Educated at Rice University, Harvard Medical School, University of Cambridge and the National Institutes of Health FAES, Brad Thompson is a Distinguished Alum., Rice Univ. and received the Distinguished Educator award of the Endocrine Society. He has published nearly 300 research articles on steroid hormone mechanisms of action. He admits, “At one time or another, I’ve made almost all the PU mistakes I describe.” See a short professional biography at https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/462857/e-brad-thompson  Brad is a sailor, triathlete, and gardener. He lives in Galveston and Bar Harbor with his wife Lynn. They have two children, Beth and Ted, and two grandchildren, William and Norah.

Book preview

How to Achieve a Perfectly Unintelligible (PU) Presentation

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2023 E. Brad Thompson

v2.0

The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

…BUT YOU REALLY OUGHT TO READ THIS…

SO, WHO NEEDS THIS BOOK?

VISUAL AIDS

CONTENT

NOTES ON RARE, SPECIAL USE, AND OBSOLETE FORMS OF VISUAL AIDS

PRESENTATION of DATA

AUDIO

YOU, THE PRESENTER

CONTENT (redux)

REMEMBER

YOUR PERSONAL PREPARATION

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

PLAN B, THE PERFECTLY MEMORABLE (PM) PRESENTATION

BIOGRAPHICAL

COMMENTS ABOUT PU

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

There is no introduction, because I suspect most of us just skip over them.

…BUT YOU REALLY OUGHT TO READ THIS…

Having no intro does create a problem, however, because there are several things of which the prospective reader needs to be aware and consider before getting into the bowels, if you’ll excuse the expression, of How to Achieve a P. U. Presentation. So here are those few things.

The term PERFECTLY UNINTELLIGIBLE is not just a casual call for sloppiness. Nay nay, it was chosen with care. Consider the two words independently and then together. Perfectly [Webster: adv, in a perfect manner.] Unintelligible [Webster: adj, unable to be understood or comprehended]. In this slim volume, you will find ways to make your presentation not just unintelligible, but perfectly so, i.e. a polished, well-planned event, with every moment deliberately constructed to achieve its desired aim. That aim is to be unintelligible, yes, but so perfectly that it actually seems to be intelligible. Unintelligible herein does not indicate mere inane gibberish. It means rendering content so that your audience is dazzled and awed, yet comes away without really knowing what it was that you said. In its highest form, the PU Presentation leaves one’s audience unaware that this is so until well after the event but nevertheless still convinced that you had something important to say and must be a giant in your field.

SO, WHO NEEDS THIS BOOK?

You may be thinking indignantly, Not me fer shur. I already do a great job of giving a PU Presentation, using my evolution-given natural skills. That may be so, and congratulations if you naturally have the instincts of a PU presenter. But even if you have already achieved such a high level, are you sure you are doing all that you can? You might be allowing that one piece of information invaluable to him/her/other in your audience to slip out intelligibly, so that it favorably affects their whole program. Instead of being so overconfident, why not take a moment and peek inside this book? Better yet, BUY IT! I’ll bet you will find some overlooked useful tips that will make your work even more obscure and unintelligible than you’ve already made it, while at the same time leaving the impression that you are immeasurably smarter than anyone else in the room. And is that not the goal towards which we all strive?

Per Aspera ad Astra!

SOME SPECIFIC TYPES FOR WHOM THIS BOOK IS INTENDED

1. ACADEMICS These come in several subspecies:

A. The tenured professor.

Though comfortably situated in a tenured position, he/she/other continually needs to reassure her/him/otherself that she/he/other is the smartest person in the room. (It just feels so good to feel