THE ROLE OF ENGAGEMENT TALK AND REFERENCES IN SCIENCE DOCUMENTARIES

Abstract:

Science documentaries — those distributed on streaming platforms, public television, and educational channels — are crucial for widespread public education. However, their success hinges on two major communicative tools: Engagement Talk and Reference Density. Engagement Talk refers to linguistic devices used by narrators to connect directly with the audience (e.g., questions, imperatives, first-person plural pronouns). Reference Density refers to the frequency and type of citation (e.g., visual text, expert interview, archival footage) used to ground scientific claims. This article explores the linguistic structure of these communicative techniques and examines their critical role in maintaining audience retention and cognitive processing. Understanding these rhetorical strategies not only improves documentary scriptwriting but also helps bridge the gap between complex scientific concepts and successful public comprehension, ultimately leading to stronger educational impact.