Brigham Young University
by Chanel Earl and Richard Sandberg
Physics 416 fulfills the advanced writing requirement for undergraduate physics students at BYU and is taught by a physics professor and a writing professor working together. Their collaboration has brought aspects of storytelling to the course in several ways. First, through course readings that emphasize storytelling in the sciences. Second, by approaching science writing through a lens of storytelling, using character (research topic), rising action (methods), climax (results), and resolution (discussion). Third, by using course time for weekly writing workshops on completed drafts. Lastly, by asking students to adapt their research stories to different audiences, from elevator pitches to longer academic presentations and a full undergraduate thesis. After emphasizing storytelling and offering the students a more robust writing process, we have seen improvements in the student experience and the quality of theses submitted.