In his research, Branigan defines narrative as a mental process where we organize fragmented visual and auditory data into a cohesive experience. Key Concepts in Branigan's Narrative Theory

: He views storytelling as a special form of "assembling and understanding data," distinguishing narrative from simple lists or inventories.

: A satirical, incompetent space captain whose "stories" usually involve his own exaggerated heroism or his pursuit of Leela.

: A "fish out of water" action film where a Chicago detective (Jim Brannigan ) travels to London to extradite a mobster.

: The first American runner with autism to win Paralympic gold in the 1500m.

The phrase "Brannigan — put together a story" appears to refer to the narrative theories of , particularly his work on how viewers "put together" a story from cinematic data.

: Branigan argues that narrative is a fundamental feature of human perception used to represent and explain experience.