ABT Framework Student Resource Page Round 45 – Emory

August 27th	Session 1	Introduction – Overview, basic ABT tools, in-class exercise
September 3rd	Session 2	The singular narrative, ABT build process, in-class builds
September 10th	Session 3	The cABT, abstract analysis, in-class builds
September 17th	Session 4	Hero’s journey, archplot v. miniplot, in-class builds
September 24th	Session 5	Narrative metrics, in-class builds
October 1st	Session 6	Working circle day, abstract analysis #2, in-class builds
October 8th	Session 7	GUEST LECTURER: Dr. Dianna Padilla, in-class builds
October 15th	Session 8	GUEST LECTURER: Dr. Nancy Knowlton, in-class builds
October 22nd	Session 9	Presentation preparation, in-class builds
October 29th	Session 10	Narrative is leadership, in-class builds
December 3rd	Session 11	Presentation Symposium

Homework

DUE DATE	ASSIGNMENT
August 26th	Submit *project description* – 1st Draft
September 2nd	Submit *ABT* – 2nd Draft
September 3rd	Sign up for *Working Circle Host* day/time
September 9th	Submit *Dream ABT* – 3rd Draft
September 23rd	Submit General-to-Specific *ABT* – 4th Draft
September 24th	Bring “cleaned” text for Narrative metrics analysis to class
October 7th	Submit cABT and Dobzhansky
October 21st	Submit Fine-tuning *ABT* – 5th Draft
October 30th	Submit Final ABT – 6th Draft
Nov 9th – Nov 13th	Submit initial recording and draft of PowerPoint slides
Nov 16th – Nov 18th	Submit 2nd draft recording
December 1st	Submit Final recording

Before the first class

Download the syllabus here: MSCR 515 – fall 2026.

Download the ABT Blue Card – Have it open or printed out and ready for each class.

Finish your Project Description homework assignment.

Session 1 Resources – Intro

Coming soon.

Session 2 Resources – Singular Narrative

Coming soon.

Session 3 Resources – Dream and Abstract Analysis

Coming soon.

Session 4 Resources – Archplot Vs Miniplot

Coming soon.

Session 5 Resources – Narrative Metrics

Coming soon.

Session 6 Resources – Working Circle Practice & Abstract Analysis #2

Coming soon.

Session 7 Resources – Hero’s Journey, Business, & Proposals w/ Park Howell & Dianna Padilla

Coming soon.

Session 8 Resources – Narrative Spiral w/ Nancy Knowlton

Coming soon.

Session 9 Resources – Presentation Preparation

Coming soon.

Session 10 Resources – Narrative is Everything

Coming soon.

Working Circles

If you’re new to Working Circles, start by watching this:

WHAT A WORKING CIRCLE IS … It’s 3 to 5 people coming together for a half hour to help shape the narrative of the project of the initiator of the circle (the HOST). That’s all it is. A one shot event. If it’s productive, you can run it again, no worries. And more importantly, it’s going to be your long term opportunity for continued narrative training, long after the course is finished.

WHO CAN JOIN A WORKING CIRCLE? The circles are intended ONLY for graduates or current participants in the ABT Framework Course. As part of the ABT Framework course, you will be asked to HOST one circle, then PARTICIPATE in two.

THE #1 GOAL OF WORKING CIRCLES: A DIVERSITY OF VOICES The enemy of effective communication is insularity and isolation. Your goal with WORKING CIRCLES is to reach the people of your Outer Circle. As great and comfortable as it might feel to spend time with the members of your Inner Circle, they aren’t the path to effective communication. The bottom line is you need to seek a diversity of voices. If you work on night skies in Colorado, the last thing you want is four other people from the NPS night skies program in your circle. What your dream scenario would be is a circle that consists of something like a geologist, an accountant, a child behaviorist and a screenwriter — people who don’t have an in-depth knowledge of your material. They are the ones who will be able to look past your CONTENT to help you with the only thing the group has in common — FORM.

THE 3 MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES OF WORKING CIRCLES

1 INNER/OUTER CIRCLE – again, you need the minds of people who DON’T already know your content

2 THE SOCIAL DYNAMIC – you can’t do this stuff alone in your office, you need the group dynamic

3 NARRATIVE INTUITION – this is the perfect mechanism for continuing to strengthen your narrative intuition, long after the course

Working Circle Reference Green Card – Use this to guide you through how to host your half hour Working Circle.

The Scribe Document – Your designated Scribe should have a copy of this shared on the screen and use for note taking.

To complete the class, you must sign up to host 1 Working Circle and sign up to participate in 2 Working Circles.

Sign up to host a Working Circle

Pick an available half hour time slot on. (link coming soon)
Fill in your first name, last name, and a short title for your Working Circle based on your ABT.

Host responsibilities

Email your participants your ABT before the Working Circle so they have time to review it – we’ll send you the list of your participants’ email addresses 3-5 days ahead of time.
You can send your participants a revised ABT of what you originally submitted to class or use a brand new ABT all together.
During the Working Circle, use the ABT Green Card and follow the half hour schedule.
You’re the moderator of the discussion, so do your best to make sure everyone gets a chance to speak and provide input.
We’ll send you and your participants a Zoom link for your Working Circle 3-5 days before you’re scheduled to host, so no need to worry about that.

Participant responsibilities

Sign up to participate in a minimum of 2 Working Circles. Sign up link coming soon.
Review the ABT that the host sent you ahead of time and come up with your version of the 5 Word Problem (this will be discussed in class) for the host’s ABT before the Working Circle starts.
One participant should volunteer to be the notetaking Scribe. The Scribe will share their screen so that everyone can view it and have a Word document up to take notes. You can find a premade Scribe document in Word here.
(Optional) Participants can rewrite the host’s ABT and present the rewritten ABT to the host during the Working Circle. This approach is for participants who want a little extra practice and to give the host more options and ideas for rewriting their ABT. So far we’ve had reports back that hosts are incredibly grateful when participants do this.
Be prepared to use the ABT Green Card and all the tools you’ve learned in class to help the host clarify their narrative.

Social Media

ABT Agenda– Randy Olson’s Substack.

@ABTAgenda – Follow Randy on Twitter.

ABT Time Podcast – All things ABT, start to finish. In this weekly hour long post Randy will discuss observations, applications and implications of this powerful tool that is at the core of his narrative training program and effective communication of all forms.

The ABT Agenda Newsletter – We send out a newsletter a few times a year with new ABT related events, news, and course updates. If you sign up, we promise not to spam you with tons of junk!

ABT Booklist

Communication Books by Randy Olson

They Say, I Say by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein – A book for an ABT like approach to argumentation.

Step by Step to Stand-up Comedy by Greg Dean – A book that takes a structured approach to joke writing with a focus on the AND and the BUT (i.e., Setup and Punchline).

The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler – If you ever wanted an in depth look at storytelling, THIS is the book. Draws heavily from Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey and is based on Vogler’s 7 page memo that reshaped Hollywood.

ABT Framework Student Resource Page Round 45 – Emory

Contents