Life Story/ Science Story: Biography as a tool for science communication

Storytelling, and specifically biographical material, can be used to enhance science communication in schools by increasing interest and engagement, placing discoveries in the context of scientific history, providing good role models and showing the place of teamwork in science. But what qualities make a biography suitable? The literature review of this thesis provides a synthesis of existing research into storytelling and biography as teaching tools, discussing both advantages and pitfalls. Based on the existing literature, six components of a good biography are proposed, using the acronym CHAIRS for context, humanness, accuracy, interest, representation and synergism. Three biographies by noted science communicator Sheila Natusch are evaluated by these components. Roy Traill of Stewart Island and An Island Called Home are found to meet the requirements, while William Swainson of Fern Grove does not. Sheila Natusch’s biography Knowing Sheila: The Life of Sheila Natusch, which I wrote as the creative component of this thesis, is also evaluated and is found to meet most but not all of the requirements