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Storytelling for Scientists

Semester

Semester 2, 2024-2025

Type of course

Methodological and Practical Courses

Date

March 21, 2025

Location

University of Groningen


Duration

1 day

Maximum number of participants

25

ECTS

0.5 EC will be appointed for participation in the complete course

Staff

Melissa Vink (UU) and Yasin Koc (RUG)

Reading a scientific paper is sometimes boring. We may struggle to pay attention to a lecture or research talk, even when the topic is interesting and relevant. These are not only problems of content but also of form: the structure of the presentation may not be optimal. In this course, you will learn to structure and present your research in an engaging way.

Research suggests that most audiences find stories easier to comprehend and more engaging than traditional logical-scientific communication. The typical cause-and-effect structure of stories can keep us interested and excited for a long time, for example when we read a novel or watch a film. Our research may not have protagonists, dramatic plot twists and magic, but we can learn how to create tension, curiosity, and surprise in our research articles and presentations. 

In this course, you will learn how to communicate your research effectively using storytelling techniques. The focus will be on the written and spoken forms of communication. The techniques can be applied to scientific as well as popular forms of communication, such as research papers, conference talks, lectures, grant applications, media performances, popular science books, and blogs.

 

Preparations for the course will be communicated by email.