Narratives for Science Communication helps to build a story from start to finish, identifies the key message a science communicator is trying to convey and simplifies the creation of subsequent communication materials. Identifying the key information about a narrative helps to drive the take home messages a communicator wants to send to their audience. The narrative structure is created specifically with the audience in mind to make the messaging the most effective for a particular group.

Badge details

Earning Criteria

Recipients must complete the earning criteria to earn this badge

A Digital Badge in Narratives for Science Communication is earned through studies incorporating the following key

topics and corresponding competencies:

Identify the key elements of a story

Learners will be able to:

1. Identify the key features of a narrative
2. Identify these features in a given story

Create and “And…But…Therefore…” Statement

Learners will be able to:

1. Understand the components of an ABT and their purposes
2. Identify quality ABT statement from a batch of “And…and…and” and
   “Despite…However…Yet…” Statements
3. Identify the ABT of a provided case study
4. Create an ABT about their personal research or on a provided list of topics

Translate key Messages into a Message Box

Learners will be able to:

1. Understand the components of the message box format (Audience, background, Issues,
   etc….)
2. Identify the message box components in a provided case study
3. Fill out a message box based on the ABT they created about their own research

Create a blog post

Learners will be able to:

1. Use their ABT and message box activities to write a blog post about their personal research that effectively communicates the main messages of their topic. It must be appropriate for their identified audience and contain all of the features previously identified for a strong narrative structure.

Evidence of Mastery:

Students will submit a clear, concise ABT statement, a fully developed message box, and a completed blog post on an area of personal research or on a provided topic, as well as submitting learning exercises of the following skills:

Understanding Narrative Structure:

• Watch edX course
• Complete Narrative Structure Handout

Tools to Develop a Narrative
-Differentiate ABT from alternative narrative structures

• Identify quality ABT statements

Identifying Key Elements
Provided a story, identify:

• ABT
  -Message Box Components

Creating a Narrative

• ABT
• Message Box
• Blog Post