Science communication through storytelling?

The story is a magnificent way of communicating your ideas, we all have a story to tell, and all of us also like to listen to a story. Whenever we learn we try to share it with our near and dear ones like a story. Sometimes we envision our life like a story and like to share each chapter of this story with others. The same goes with the art of storytelling as well, but with more creativity and skill in it. Stories have remained a universal language from the beginning of time. It has been an integral part of every culture and society.

We have grown up listening to stories that could be remembered more than any incident in our lives. As a student we have struggled in understanding complex concepts or theories but when the same things used to be taught by our teachers using a story or a real-life incident it was better for us to understand it. The way we make sense of the world is also dependent on the stories we hear. Why? Because our brains are hardwired for stories and telling a good story is the best way to engage and communicate your work to the audience. The simple key ingredients to writing a story for science communication are the following:

1. Stick to the facts: This means that we must get information through verifiable sources which are reliable, preferably checked with multiple independent sources and the facts that the audience needs to know. We must also check if there is an objective measure of verifying the facts.
2. Keep it simple: This test is something every writer struggle to pass. The writing should be jargon-free and simple words and sentences must be used. But most scientists do it without realising it and some do it just to prove that they are scientists. Both should be avoided. We should know who is the audience for us if they are scientists or laypeople and we need to make our story that way. For instance, if you are writing a piece of science communication for vaccines, try avoiding details of all the chemical ingredients and jargons used in it. You need to tell the audience what is necessary for them. Also, note that you should use active sentences and avoid beating around the bush.

3. Tell a story, not just facts: Every scientific piece of information is a story. A research paper, an editorial in a newspaper are nothing but a story. Stories make science more engaging and accessible for a larger population. It is recommended to evoke emotions in the story as emotions can easily make your story stand out and could be remembered by the audience.

4. Practice makes perfect: You are not expected to become a screenwriter overnight but practice will teach you the do’s and don’t’s of your story. Reading more stories and visualizing your work through stories are the best way to be a successful story writer.

The above mentioned key ingredients are the indispensable part of any narratives communicating science. You could find out numerous articles on science communication through storytelling on the internet but if you have the above-mentioned points in your story, you are all set to write a good one.