On Humor :)

My workshop in Mexico last week included a session on giving presentations. During the question-and-answer period, someone asked, “Is it good to begin a presentation with a joke?”

My answer: “Sometimes.”

Sometimes starting with a joke can work well. In particular, a joke can be effective if it relates closely to the presentation topic.

However, especially in talks for international or cross-cultural groups, jokes often are ineffective. Some reasons:

• Many jokes require familiarity with a particular culture. For example, if my British colleagues tell a joke that requires knowing the British game cricket, I won’t understand the joke.
• Many jokes are based on puns or other language play. Listeners who don’t know the language well often don’t understand such jokes.
• Sometimes people in different cultures consider different things funny. Therefore a joke that a speaker finds amusing can be unamusing or even offensive to people of another culture.

In general, it’s probably best not to include jokes in research presentations at conferences. Not only do jokes sometimes fail. Also, they take time away from presenting the research.

I do, however, like humor, especially in informal situations. For example, I like to tell colleagues about funny things that happened in my work.

Also, I enjoy cartoons about research and communication. And because cartoons are largely visual, they sometimes work even if a language barrier exists.

In closing, let me mention someone who has done many excellent cartoons about science: Sidney Harris. To see some of his cartoons, follow the link.