Narrative CVs are a new format of CV requiring written descriptions of contributions and achievements and have been adopted by many funders as part of wider efforts to improve research culture and research assessment.
Most Narrative CVs are based on the Royal Society's Resume for Researchers and allow researchers to demonstrate a greater variety of contributions which extend beyond their portfolio of outputs and research impact.
- What is a narrative CV - Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI)?
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The Narrative CV is a content-rich approach similar to the style of a cover letter or personal statement. Critically, narrative CVs explains how researchers have contributed and had impact in their work.
The R4RI format (PDF) encourages researchers to detail how they have contributed to:
Generation and flow of new ideas, hypotheses, tools or knowledge. E.g. skills acquired from past research, projects, key outputs such as data sets, software, conference presentations and research and policy publications and published works.
The development of others. E.g. project management, supervision, or mentoring, line management, contributions to the success of a team and collaborations, leadership in shaping the direction of a team, organisation, company or institution.
Wider research and innovation community. E.g. collaboration across disciplines, institutions and countries, commitments such as editing, reviewing and committee work, aiding improvement of research integrity or open research culture, or strategic leadership in influencing a research agenda.
Broader society. E.g. engagement across the public and/or private sectors or with the wider public, research which has contributed to policy development or public understanding, policy, practice and business, and other research users.
The narrative CV is supported by a statement ('Additions' section in UKRI) which provides the opportunity to detail any career breaks, secondments, volunteering, part-time work, and other relevant experience that might have affected progression of a researcher.
- Why have narrative CVs - R4RIs been introduced?
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Narrative CVs have been introduced as part of wider efforts to improve research culture and to reform research assessment. This approach is consistent with the key principles of the San Francisco Declaration of Research Assessment (DORA) . This approach aims to help to drive change in Open Research practice and improvements to the wider research culture by evidencing contributions in a better way through the:
- Reduction in emphasis on proxy metrics, focusing instead on quality, significance and impact of researchers' contributions.
- Adoption of a single, flexible framework to reduce bureaucracy.
- Opportunity to describe a wider breadth of contributions with the aim to:
- Improve inclusivity - reducing focus on linear, continuous careers and opening up career pathways and transitions between academia and other sectors.
- Reduce barriers between sectors - allowing applicants to provide context for assessors to understand the significance and impact of their work.
- Build a stronger research and innovation system - encouraging researchers to invest time in a wide range of activities, such as developing others and public engagement which contribute to the wider system, ensure these often 'invisible' activities are visible, recognised and rewarded.
- Tips for crafting a narrative CV
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Top tips for writing an effective Narrative cv
- Always refer to the guidance for the specific call you are applying to.
- Tailor your Narrative CV to highlight the contributions that best evidence the specific funding application you are applying for.
- Use active words (led, managed, developed) and write in the first person to describe how you have contributed to achievements - when talking about different projects/achievements make sure your role is clear.
- Complete in a narrative style, similar to a covering letter
- Provide evidence to support your statements such as papers, datasets, conference presentations, posters, collaborations established, software developed and more.
- Ask for feedback from others, the R&I Researcher Development team are happy to review and advise on the content of Narrative CVs.
- Other useful resources
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Grants Academy UoA Annotated guidance for preparing a UKRI R4RI
University of Glasgow narrative CV course - available on an open access basis and provides written materials and short video presentations.
UKRI Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI), a Narrative CV Approach UKRI webinar (21 March 2022)
UKRI Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) guidance
University of Edinburgh Narrative CVs | Institute for Academic Development
University of Leeds: Creating your Resume for Researchers or Narrative CV