What is a Research Statement and How to Write it?

If you choose to work as an academician, then you must submit a research statement as a part of your application process. Basically, a research statement will allow you to present a summary of your research experience. In addition to that, you can also showcase your professional growth and capabilities of continuing your research that aligns with the work of a university or college in front of a panel of hiring officers. The selection committee will usually contain numerous eminent scholars or scientists in your field and hence you should present an error-free research statement or else, your application will be canceled. In case, you are confused about how to write a powerful research statement, continue reading this blog. From here, you can learn everything about a research statement, its purpose, and the steps for writing it in a well-structured manner.

What is a Research Statement?

One of the many documents that you present while applying for an academic job is the research statement. If you are hunting for job vacancies in the academic field or searching online to learn how to write a research statement, you may find it in the name of the statement of research interests. To say in a few words, a research summary is a synopsis of the following elements:

1. All that you achieved during your research
2. Things that you are working on at present
3. The direction in which you want to work in the future
4. The aptitude of your work

Moreover, you can also discuss the various issues in your research statement. For example

1. The history and potential of your funding
2. Requisition for laboratory space, equipment, and other resources
3. Probable collaborations of research and industry
4. Contribution of your research to the field of study

Usually, all research papers are technical. However, anyone in the academic department or outside of the sub-discipline can understand the contents of the research statement. Hence, whenever you develop your paper, keep the objective of writing your document in mind. If you go through all the finest research statements, you will notice that they have a few qualities in common. It includes:

1. High readability
2. Compelling
3. Practical outline of research

All these qualities are in line with the requirements, facilities, and objectives of the specific research department

However, a few features also weaken the value of the research statement. It includes:

1. Exceedingly high proposal
2. Ambiguous directions
3. A shift of focus from the objective of the research statement
4. Poor attention to the requirements and amenities of the department or position

The Purpose of Writing a Research Statement

If you know how to write a research paper, it can help you in several ways. Some of the most common ones include:

1. You can share a brief of your professional identity with that of the research committee or your hiring manager. Moreover, you can help highlight the graph of your journey as a researcher.
2. It gives the hiring committee the idea that you have followed a logical order while performing your research. Additionally, it also points out that singular and unique research is essential for your field of study.
3. Readers can understand the context of your research. For example, what is the value of your research in your academic field and how does it impact the field of study
4. It increases the scope of your future research in your academic field by combining your accomplishments with your current work
5. The hiring committee can assess the following details:
6. Area of your research and your expertise in the field
7. Strengths and capabilities of your academics
8. Compatibility of your research to the department or the academic institution
9. Your communication or analysis skills as a researcher or scientist

Know How to Format Research Statements

As far as a job in the academic sector in the USA is concerned, there is no strict format to develop a research statement. However, if you keep the goal of writing a research statement in mind, you can easily identify how to write a research statement format. Remember, you will be placing a research statement to an employment committee of a university or college. The juries may include eminent researchers in and out of your academic field. Hence, you will aim to introduce yourself through your research statement. To achieve this goal more successfully, you must encourage the committee to read your paper.

Now, to increase the readability of the research statement, you must format your paper in the following way:

1. Make a research statement of a maximum of 3 pages
2. Place informative content under each heading or subheading
3. Bullet the essential points
4. Choose a font size that makes the text appear clearly on the page
5. Maintain a reasonable margin around the page

How to Outline a Research Statement?

A research statement is not a long academic document. It must consist of the following 7 sections:

1.  An executive summary

In the first 1-2 paragraphs, include an executive summary. It should focus on the following details:

1. Your published academic papers, journals, or research
2. How do you plan your future research
3. The eventual career goals

2.  Details of your graduation research

In the next 2 paragraphs, highlight the specific research projects that you took up in your graduate school. It should include all your graduation dissertation and thesis.

3.  Particulars of your present research

The third section incorporates all research you have performed after completing your graduation. The reviewers analyze your skill as a professional researcher from this section.

4.  Interests in future research

Build this section in just one paragraph. Talk about the various themes, questions, and ideas that you want to explore in the future as a member of the academic institution, if your application gets accepted. However, you may add another paragraph if you want to talk about multiple projects that you want to pursue.

5.  Compliments to other researchers

In this section, highlight how your research matches the different areas of work performed at the university.

6.  Point out the potential research funding partners

Conclude your research statement with a discussion on the various research grants, scholarships, and other funding resources that you can apply for during your journey with the academic institution.

What to Include in a Research Statement?

When you write a research paper include the following details:

1. Persuade the jury that you are knowledgeable and the perfect candidate to perform the research
2. Include the unique selling points of your scholarly qualities. For example, you can talk about your papers that have been in reputed journals based on science, nature, or another academic field
3. Talk about all the things that you find interesting in your present research
4. Incorporate the primary results and how to develop the results
5. Include initial results and how to develop results.
6. Indicate how current faculty can turn out to be future partners.
7. Acknowledge others’ literary works.
8. Use vocabulary that highlights you as an individual researcher through your research work.
9. Include possible funding partners and industrial associations.
10. Add a synopsis of your research.
11. Put in background information to give the perspective of your research.
12. List prominent findings, outcomes, and implications.
13. Talk about both current and planned research.

How to Describe your Future Research Plans?

You cannot omit the future goals of your research when you write a research statement. Otherwise, the document will be incomplete. Therefore, when you describe a research statement, take care that you include the following details:

1. Primary issues you want to concentrate on in your research.
2. The relevance and significance of the problem to your academic field.
3. Your detailed career goals for the next half of the decade years, as well as potential impact and outcomes. Mention broad goals to highlight that if one area of your research does not get enough funding, you can continue with other research goals

Research Statement Writing Tips

If you want to write a successful thesis statement, then consider these tips:

1. Maintain a polite tone of writing throughout the document
2. Unless you describe anything from the past, use the present tense throughout your paper.
3. Single-space your paper,
4. Use font sizes of 11 -12
5. Employ descriptive headings
6. Avoid writing technical jargon. If you use any subject-specific term, make sure to define it.
7. Develop a clear, concise, and concrete statement.
8. Proofread your document slowly before you submit it.

Read more: What is a Statement of Purpose and How to Write It?

Apart from following these tips, consider another essential thing – be realistic. Don’t state unattainable goals or talk about them. Only mention the over-arching themes that you can solve or achieve. Leave out other miscellaneous ideas.

Conclusion

We hope you are now clear about what a research statement means and how to write it effectively. Whenever you are about to submit an application for your graduate school or academic job, prepare a well-structured research statement as per the guidelines shared above. In case, you have any doubts about research statement preparation or if you lack the significant skills needed for research statement writing, call us immediately.