First things first: what is your narrative?

You can build a narrative with a hook and follow that with the ABT structure.

The hook

In a narrative about scientific research, the "hook" is a compelling element or statement at the beginning of the narrative that grabs the reader's or audience's attention and draws them into the story. It serves to pique curiosity and generate interest in the research being presented.

A well-crafted hook can make your scientific narrative more engaging and memorable. It can be a surprising fact, a thought-provoking question, a vivid anecdote, a powerful quote, or a startling statistic related to your research topic. The hook should be relevant to the research you're discussing and should set the stage for the rest of the narrative.

For example, if your research is about a breakthrough in cancer treatment:

Hook: "Imagine a world where cancer is no longer a devastating diagnosis, but a conquerable challenge."

This hook immediately engages the reader by invoking a powerful and hopeful vision related to the research topic.

<aside> 💡 Remember, a good hook is not just attention-grabbing; it should also be relevant to the scientific context and help to frame the importance of the research. It sets the tone for the rest of the narrative and encourages the reader to continue reading or listening with interest.

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ABT

The ABT (And, But, Therefore) narrative structure is a framework used for crafting compelling and coherent narratives. It provides a clear and engaging way to present information, making it suitable for various forms of communication, including scientific articles and presentations.

Here's how the ABT structure works:

  1. And: This sets up the initial context or situation. It introduces what is currently known or accepted. It provides the starting point for your narrative.
  2. But: This introduces a conflict, contradiction, or problem related to the initial context. It creates tension or raises a question that needs to be addressed.
  3. Therefore: This provides a resolution or solution to the conflict introduced in the "But" section. It explains how the problem is being addressed or resolved. It offers a new insight or understanding.

Applying ABT to scientific writing or presentations:

  1. And: In scientific writing, this is where you establish the current knowledge or the existing state of affairs. You might introduce the background information, existing theories, or established findings related to your research topic.
  2. But: This is where you identify a gap, a problem, or a contradiction in the current understanding. This could be a research question, a hypothesis, or an observation that challenges the existing knowledge.