Narratology refers to both the theory and the study of narrative structure and the ways that these affect our perception. It the simplest of terms, narratology has sometimes been refered to as the art of story-telling. This art refers to the writing techniques involved in scripting everything from a novel, a screenplay, and an essay to a thesis. While in principle the word, narratology, may refer to any systematic study of narrative. In practice its usage is rather more restricted. Narratology is applied retrospectively as well to work predating its coinage. Its theoretical lineage is traceable to Aristotle (Poetics) but modern narratology is agreed to have begun with the Russian Formalists.