Here’s the uncomfortable truth: your research could solve a genuine problem and still gather dust.
Not because it’s flawed. Not because it lacks rigor. But because nobody outside your immediate field knows it exists. In 2024, over 5.14 million scholarly articles were published globally – a 22.78% increase in just five years. That’s roughly 14,000 new papers every single day. Your work is competing for attention in an impossibly crowded space.
And yet, some research breaks through. It gets cited in policy documents, covered by journalists, used by practitioners who need it. What’s the difference? Usually, someone figured out how to tell the story.
The science behind storytelling
There’s actual research backing up why narratives work. Science communicators can be more effective by using storytelling to connect with audiences emotionally while still maintaining scientific accuracy. And when people hear stories, their brains don’t just process information, they simulate experiences. More remarkably, neuroscience research shows that when we hear a well-told story, our brain activity mirrors the storyteller’s, as if we’d experienced the events ourselves.
This isn’t about dumbing down research or sacrificing accuracy. We can instead recognize something fundamental: Every dataset represents real people. Every finding exists in a human context. Climate data becomes meaningful when connected to farming communities adapting their practices or coastal towns planning for rising waters. Medical research matters more when we understand how it changes individual lives.
Fighting fiction with facts
The urgency around scientific storytelling has intensified. Misinformation thrives, partly because it already comes packaged as compelling narratives. Research on misinformation spread shows it can have “severe threats to public interests”, affecting everything from public health responses to democratic processes.
When legitimate research stays trapped in technical language and paywalled journals, it creates space for false narratives to dominate. During COVID-19, misinformation about treatments and vaccines spread rapidly, leading to documented harms. Researchers who actively communicate their findings are defending the integrity of scientific knowledge in public discourse.
Multiple stories, same research
Different audiences need different entry points. Policymakers want actionable implications and cost considerations. Practitioners need real-world applications. The public responds to stories that connect to their daily lives.
One study on childhood nutrition might become three things: A policy brief highlighting long-term economic benefits, a clinical guide for pediatricians, and a magazine feature about families navigating food choices. Same research, different stories – each one truthful, each one tailored.
How researchers can solve the puzzle
You’re already overwhelmed. Adding “become a science communicator” to your impossible workload isn’t helpful. But here’s what actually works.
Pick one thing. Not ten. Maybe it’s writing one plain-language summary per year. Maybe it’s giving one public talk. Maybe it’s working with your institution’s communications team early – before publication, not after.
Start with the core message. What’s the one thing people should understand about this work? Not the methods, not the p-values. The actual takeaway. Build from there.
Be honest about limitations. Transparency builds trust more effectively than overselling ever could. If your sample was small or your findings apply to specific contexts, say so. People respect that.
You don’t have to go it alone. Nor do you have to become a communications pro on the side. If you’re pressed for time, get expert help. For instance, Karger Amplify, a new studio-based service for scientific storytelling offered by Karger Publishers, works as that extension of your research support team.
Why this matters now
Research impact doesn’t happen by accident anymore. It requires deliberate effort to move findings from publication to application. The work that changes things usually has something in common: someone understood not just how to do the research, but how to share what it means.
If you would like to learn more, check out or recent LinkedIn Live streaming episode in the People & Sciences Live Series titled “The Power of Scientific Storytelling” featuring institutional communications expert Andy Tattersall.
A summary on the topic is also available on our LinkedIn Live newsletter Beyond Science issue 27 “The Power of Scientific Storytelling.” If like what you read, subscribe to the newsletter.
Scientific storytelling isn’t separate from research – it’s part of completing the work. You did the study to contribute something meaningful. Making sure it reaches the people who need it? That’s not marketing. That’s impact.
