Writing for the Public: Scientific Storytelling

By Stephanie Robert

Storytelling is an ancient form of communication. Before written language existed, oral storytelling was the primary method of sharing knowledge and experiences between generations. For example, in this country, Native Americans developed a rich body of stories to explain everything from creation, birth, and death to the coming of the Europeans. Without written records, their stories entertained while informing, effectively creating a lasting memory that could be recalled and retold.

A common attribute shared by successful scientists is their ability to tell a story. As a biochemist, I am completing doctoral studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), focusing on the mechanisms of brain tumor associated seizures and epilepsy. One quality I most admire of my PhD mentor is his ability to paint a picture with words that captivate both fellow scientists and non-scientists alike. Believe me, I am taking notes on more than biochemical mechanisms.

I realize that effectively communicating research is fundamental to science; yet, to many of us scientists, creating a narrative with data seems foreign and unfamiliar. When writing for the public, this means rising to the challenge of getting on the average person's level. That is why the novelist John Steinbeck, in researching his naturalist's guide, The Log from the Sea of Cortez, wrote: "We have not known a single great scientist who could not discourse freely and interestingly with a child.”

Luckily, there are a multitude of online resources offering tips on effective science communication, however, I have found that the most valuable resource is learning from mentors who have themselves mastered this skill. Working together on many abstracts, publications, and oral presentations, my PhD mentor molded me into a scientific storyteller, and I encourage every young scientist to seek out a mentor that can do the same. This skill is not only important for grant writing and publications, but it is our responsibility to communicate effectively with the public and share our discoveries with them.

As scientists, we must learn to be storytellers. We must not only gather data, but also develop a narrative of what our discoveries tell us about the world. Science is our story, and it is incredibly important that we learn how to tell it, because it really is an amazing one.

A few resources:

12 Tips for Scientists Writing for the General Public 

http://www.americanscientist.org/blog/pub/12-tips-for-scientists-writing-for-the-general-public

Scientific storytelling helps researchers communicate their findings in a competitive publishing environment
http://www.scilogs.com/from_the_lab_bench/scientific-storytelling-helps-researchers-communicate-their-findings-in-a-competitive-publishing-environment/

Storytelling of Science (YouTube series with some of today's famous scientists)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpeVWqjQEoc