The “Research Interests” section of an academic or research-focused Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a concise component that signals your scholarly identity to a hiring committee. A well-crafted statement serves as an immediate introduction to your work, setting the stage for the detailed accomplishments that follow.
What Are Research Interests on a CV?
The “Research Interests” section on a CV is a high-level summary of your scholarly focus, distilled into a few keywords or short sentences. Its primary function is to provide a quick snapshot of your academic expertise, allowing a selection committee to assess your alignment with their department’s research directions. It acts as a signpost for your entire CV.
Distinguish this brief section from the more detailed “Statement of Research Interests.” The CV section is a summary for immediate impact. In contrast, the research statement is a separate document, one to three pages, that elaborates on your past projects, current work, and future research agenda in detail.
Where to Place Research Interests on a CV
For high visibility, this section should appear near the top of the document. The most effective location is directly following your name and contact information and before the “Education” section. This positioning helps frame your academic history within your stated scholarly pursuits.
This placement ensures a reader immediately understands your field and specific areas of focus before delving into your qualifications. For PhD applicants, it serves as a quick introduction to your proposed area of study. Check the specific application guidelines of the institution, as they may have unique formatting requirements.
How to Formulate Your Research Interests
Crafting this section involves balancing breadth with specificity to create a clear narrative of your scholarly identity. Your statement should reflect your history and forward-looking aspirations, making it informative to a committee reviewing many applications.
Start with Broad Themes
Begin by identifying the one or two major fields or questions that define your work. These broad themes provide an accessible entry point for readers who may not be experts in your specific niche. For example, a biologist might start with “Evolutionary Ecology” or a historian with “19th-Century American Social History.”
Incorporate Specific Sub-fields
After establishing the broad theme, add layers of detail by mentioning the specific sub-fields, methodologies, or theoretical frameworks you employ. This demonstrates the depth of your expertise and gives a more granular picture of your work. The biologist interested in “Evolutionary Ecology” might add “with a focus on plant-insect coevolution and chemical ecology.” The historian could refine their interest to “19th-Century American Social History, specializing in urban labor movements and print culture.”
Connect to Future Research Goals
Your research interests should reflect your past projects and also signal the direction of your future work. This forward-looking statement shows you have a clear plan for your research trajectory. Phrasing can allude to this future direction by connecting current work to new questions you intend to explore.
Use Keywords Strategically
Incorporate keywords that are well-known within your discipline. This is beneficial for both human readers and any automated applicant tracking systems used to screen CVs. Using standard terminology from your field ensures that your expertise is immediately recognizable to the search committee.
Tips for an Effective Research Interest Section
An effective strategy is to tailor your interests to the specific department or faculty to which you are applying. Research the institution’s current projects, faculty specializations, and recent publications. If your work complements their existing strengths, reflect that in your statement.
Aim for a balance between specificity and accessibility. Avoid overly technical jargon that might be unclear to a multidisciplinary search committee. Your statement should be clear enough for a colleague in a different sub-field to understand your work.
Be concise. The “Research Interests” section should be a short paragraph or a series of 3-5 bullet points. This brevity forces you to be selective with your language. Use strong, active verbs where possible to make your statement more dynamic.
Examples of Research Interests
STEM Example:
“My research focuses on computational neuroscience, specifically developing neural network models to understand memory consolidation during sleep. I am interested in applying these models to investigate age-related memory decline and explore potential interventions using non-invasive brain stimulation.”
This example is effective because it starts with a broad field (computational neuroscience), narrows to a specific topic (neural network models of memory), and then connects to future applications (aging and brain stimulation). It clearly outlines a research program that is both grounded and forward-thinking.
Humanities Example:
“Victorian literature and culture, with an emphasis on the intersection of science and spiritualism. My work examines how new scientific paradigms, particularly in physics and psychology, influenced narrative form and the representation of consciousness in the late 19th-century novel.”
This statement works well by identifying a major field (Victorian literature) and a specific niche (science and spiritualism). It uses keywords like “narrative form” and “representation of consciousness” to signal engagement with contemporary literary theory.
Social Sciences Example:
“Political economy of development in sub-Saharan Africa. My research investigates the impact of foreign direct investment on local labor markets and institutional quality, using mixed-methods approaches that combine econometric analysis with in-depth case studies.”
This example communicates a broad area of study (political economy of development) and a geographic focus. It highlights methodological expertise (mixed-methods) and specific variables of interest, presenting a clear and comprehensive research agenda.