What Do We Mean When We Talk About Data Storytelling?

We have witnessed rapid growth in data storytelling research. Scholars from multiple disciplines have contributed new theories and techniques surrounding data storytelling. However, with this prolific development, a fuzzy boundary of data storytelling comes. We argue that understanding how "data storytelling" has been defined and interpreted by academia is crucial for facilitating communication between researchers, encouraging the consistent use of concepts and measures, assisting newcomers in approaching and positioning their research in this area, and enabling the effective application of relevant techniques and tools. Thus, it is necessary to systematically reflect on "what is data storytelling" and promote a more thorough understanding of this concept. Specifically, we investigated how existing research has conceptualized "data storytelling." As a result, we identified 96 publications that provide explicit definitions. By coding these definitions in-depth, we identified five paradigms of defining data storytelling, as well as a broad spectrum of interpretations regarding the content, objectives, and techniques of data storytelling. Finally, we concluded with implications for future research, aiming to foster nuanced communication about "data storytelling," suggest research opportunities, and establish a more inclusive theoretical foundation for this research direction.