[MUSIC] Hi, and welcome. Storytelling is deeply rooted in the human mind. For tens of thousands of years, people have been creating narrative of various kinds. Stories have the power to help people understand the world around them. With a deluge of data coming at us everyday, stories can help us find and convey meaningful aspects of the data. The bottom line is that the capacity to tell and interpret stories is a key part of our cognitive capabilities. After this lesson, you will be able to identify ways that stories help people make sense of their world and grasp complex data. You will also be able to explain practices you can use to become a better data story creator. Let's begin. Hi, and welcome back. Stories package up information and details that allow us to vividly simulate, empathize and learn from other people's experiences, both past and present. Long ago, the story of someone encountering an attacking predator and escaping to tell a tale could provide a striking and memorable way for people to learn from the incident without the need or danger of facing the situation directly. I'll illustrate that idea with an example put in terms of the story arc and three Cs that we learned previously. Let's say the context is a man foraging in the forest. The challenge is that he finds himself between a mama bear and her cub. And after nearly escaping with his life, the conclusion or take away is never get between a mama bear and her cub. Consider that idea the next time you watch a horror or action movie in which you are intensely experiencing situations that you may not want to be in directly. Often, these are not in real circumstances. We will probably never face a zombie apocalypse. But there are many simulations available to be somewhat prepared if we ever do. Now generally speaking, there are some story telling rules and conventions to follow such as starting with a context and not the conclusion. Now sometimes these rules can be broken to tell a more compelling and powerful story. But generally speaking, the rules are there for a reason and it's important to master them before breaking them. One good practice to follow to become a better story writer is to be an active and close reader of other people's stories. Now similarly, to become a better creator of data stories, it's important to look at examples to see what works and what doesn't from other people. For that process, it's good to ask yourself a few questions. Such as, is the point this data story clear to me and potential audiences? Am I interested in the story and the way it's presented? And for these other stories, are there ways that they can be improved? By understanding the past and present of storytelling, we are better able to evolve new forms of stories that employ both emerging approaches for data analysis, along with longstanding techniques for presentation. Next, we will consider what neuroscience can teach us about how to make stories click for people. Thanks, and see you again soon.