1898 R. G. Moulton iv. iv. 188 According to the scheme on page 140, the plot formula for this play might be S C R + S'.
1957 N. Frye 52 We may think of our romantic, high mimetic and low mimetic modes as a series of displaced myths, mythoi or plot-formulas.
2003 (Nexis) 28 June (Arts & Style section) es10 The story followed typical plot formulas, and her writing was average.