Engaging communication tells a story. There are usually characters that people can identify with, and there is some sort of progression: A beginning, middle and end. In the story you tell of your research, you may be the main character, or the main character may be the end user of your invention, the animals or plants you study, or the people who stand to benefit from your theoretical or methodological innovation, but it is important to remember to identify a protagonist that can serve as the heart of your story.
Similarly, a story involves a journey or a progression from point A to point B. Something changes between the beginning, middle and end. Your science involves a progression, and your research question was likely driven by a question about the world, that can be made into an interesting story.
Science involves ups and downs, twists and turns and unexpected developments. Maybe these can be highlighted in the story of your work.
This TED talk demonstrates the importance of storytelling for science communication. In it, an arctic scientist uses storytelling to connect his audience with Northern wildlife in a way that would not be possible via conventional scientific articles or presentations. Watch the embedded video here, or if it does not play on your device or web browser, access it at this link to the TED website.
You may also want to think about how you can partner with the artists, designers, and writers in your university, community or department to become an even more effective communicator. This blog post by Jason Organ in the Public Library of Science (PLOS) Blogs shows the positive outcomes of a partnership between scientists and artists at Pixar to improve science communication. It serves as a useful reminder that art-science collaborations can help to distill complexity and increase the storytelling opportunities inherent in scientific discovery.
The next section will cover strategies for making your science communication more accessible, including personalizing your communication, understanding values, and considering different ability levels or preferred information styles when communicating your science.