Situation-Complication-Resolution
Movement Pattern
Situation (stable)→Complication (disruption)→Resolution (new stability)
Definition
A three-part structure that establishes a stable situation, introduces a complication that disrupts it, then proposes a resolution. The complication is what transforms a description into an argument.
Examples
Example 1
"For decades, antibiotics reliably treated bacterial infections (Situation). But antibiotic-resistant superbugs are now spreading faster than new antibiotics are developed (Complication). Phage therapy — using viruses that target specific bacteria — offers a viable alternative (Resolution)."
Science writing — the complication disrupts stability, the resolution restores it
Example 2
Situation: "The company had a reliable revenue model for 15 years." Complication: "Then a competitor launched a free alternative." Resolution: "We pivoted to enterprise features that free tools can't match."
Business strategy — SCR is the backbone of case study narratives
Example 3
Situation: "Public libraries have served communities for over a century." Complication: "But digital media, budget cuts, and pandemic closures have left them fighting for relevance." Resolution: "Libraries that reinvented themselves as community innovation hubs saw a 40% increase in usage."
Public policy — the complication transforms a description into an argument
AI Detection Note
AI produces clean SCR structures but often makes the 'complication' feel manufactured or overstated, and the 'resolution' too tidy.
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