Statement of Research Interests
From Wikicliki
This page was written because no one explained how to write this statement so I had to go and figure it out.
Contents
What appears to be the purpose of the letter?
- writing exercise to show that you can take on independent research
- demonstrate your writing ability,
- demonstrate independence as a researcher
- ability to earn grant money
- state your short-term and long-term research goals
- prove you meet their standards for tenure
- bring fame and glory to the department
Who is the reader?
- someone who isn't a specialist in your field
- the person will read too many papers in one day
Gathered Tips
- Should be one to two pages
- be personal, use I instead of We, talk about your cutting edge approach, unique insight, tech know-how, success in previous projects, etc
- do not over-tailor to the job - the research statement does not typically refer to the job but is more personal
- do not refer to other documents that they will have to flip to
- don't be over-grandiose
- don't be too negative - focus on what you did, not what others didn't, its about you not others
- make sure the core argument of your research is articulated
- try to articulate a publishing trajectory from past to present
- propose a second major project that is distinct and original compared to the first
- be careful not to focus just on you as researcher and focus more on the research itself (ego check, and I statement check) other words to be careful are: "i am interested" (dont over use or it can sound too self-involved)
- demonstrate your past knowledge and experience by raising intriguing questions and how you plan to explore them in the future.
possible format
- overarching theme and topic (situate it in some disciplines)
- summary of your dissertation research with more detail of the method, theoretical foundation and core arguments
- brief descriptn of contribution of the dissertation research to your fields
- ongoing research? summary of next research project. topic methods, theoretical orientation, statement of possible contribution to your field.
- summarise the wider impact of your research agenda.
See also
- https://career.ucsf.edu/sites/career.ucsf.edu/files/PDF/ResearcherResearchStatementTips.pdf
- https://www.cmu.edu/gcc/handouts/ResearchStatement.pdf
- Cover Letter
- Statement of Research Interests
- Statement of Teaching Interests
- Curriculum Contribution Statement