What Do We Mean When We Talk About Data Storytelling?

Data storytelling has seen rapid growth through a proliferation of examples, as well as theoretical and technical advancements contributed across multiple disciplines. In this paper, we present a comprehensive survey of data storytelling research from 2010 to 2025. By analyzing the conceptualizations of data storytelling collected from related publications, we reveal the field's perspectives on the What, How, Why, and Who of data storytelling. We further investigated the operationalization of data stories. We identified 12 data story forms that provide concrete examples of how data stories have been presented. We derived a set of spectrum-based dimensions that capture important properties of data stories. Along each spectrum, applicable forms and design alternatives were discussed to analyze how they shape data storytelling experiences, along with data storytelling design trade-offs. Additionally, we examine how traditional narrative elements, like plot and character, have been adapted in data stories to support the operationalization of a data storytelling narratological perspective. Finally, we concluded the survey with a synthesis of our major findings and implications for future research.