This document provides a rubric for developing, responding to, and revising a research statement. It outlines what should be included in strong research statements such as contextualizing the research area and importance, describing specific research questions and plans, and addressing style, organization, and tone. The rubric also provides guidance on getting feedback from expert and non-expert readers to strengthen the statement and make it clear, relevant, and engaging for its intended audience. Writers are encouraged to start drafting their research statement now and revise it for specific positions based on feedback.

1. Research Statement: <br />Rubric for Developing, Responding to & Revising the Statement<br />Expanded adaptation of document @ grad.wvu.edu/r/download/88050<br />CONTENTEXCELLENT Minor RevisionSATISFACTORY Moderate Revision NEEDS WORK Major RevisionContextualizes research in the field: why is it important? how does it contribute? what does it contribute? Describes research area in general terms: names & contextualizes BIG question writer’s research tries to answer, addresses the “value added” and significance.Describes research area in specific terms: including overview of specific focus of writer’s research project and details of central research questions, methodology, results, and implications.Refers to relevant, related work, which may include writer’s own previous research, publications, presentations. Describes results obtained and lessons learned.Outlines distribution of research results and / or plans for distribution. Outlines plans for future research direction(s) and how this future research will further contribute to the fieldAddresses collaborative dimensions of research practices – including work with student researchers (grads and undergrads).Sets out a plan for securing resources needed: space, equipment, staff, field work.Addresses research-related qualifications / requirements set out in job posting.<br />STYLE: The Research Statement…EXCELLENT Minor RevisionSATISFACTORY Moderate Revision NEEDS WORK Major RevisionLanguage and organization engage the reader from opening statement to organization and transitions to guide the reader to read on to sentence construction - all clearly communicate writer’s thinking as scholar. First person. Active verb tense.Communicates writer’s interest, commitment and passion for research / research in the field.Awareness of the audience as future colleagues guides development of the document (type of academic or industrial setting; disciplinary/interdisciplinary post).Language: Level of discourse is concrete, descriptive, and informative, and overall exhibits consistency in use of language. Language suitable for an audience that will include non-expert with expert readers.FORMEXCELLENT Minor RevisionSATISFACTORY Moderate Revision NEEDS WORK Major RevisionOn display as scholarly, professional document with following features:Original narrative: fresh voice, clear vision, informed writing by an independent scholarOpening statement and closing summary could stand alone to present main message.Organization: a logic that is clear, easy to follow, transparent in setting out and supporting the central message.Polish: technically, grammatically and idiomatically correct; visually inviting.<br />As a reader of the research statement, review your responses on the matrix you’ve just completed (pages 1 and 2 above) and use a separate sheet of paper write out your ideas in response to the prompts listed below.<br />I would list the following as the 2-3 attributes that could be strengthened…<br />I would list the research statement’s 2-3 specific positive/strong attributes as…<br />Finally, as a reader summarize your understanding of the following key point to be made in a research statement: <br />(1) Did you find and do you understand the writer’s main statement of research focus? Whether you answer yes or no, summarize what you understand to be the writer’s research focus?<br />(2) Does everything written seem relevant to the main message? Whether you answer yes or not, point to two passages that most effectively convey the main message to you. If you answered no, point to 2-3 passages that need to be more clearly developed and / or to passages that need to be deleted.<br />(3) Does the evidence offered in support of key points seem either sufficient in content, specificity, and amount? If not, suggest what more evidence you need – or what evidence needs to be trimmed/consolidated because it overwhelms you as a reader.<br />RESEARCH STATEMENT WRITING PROCESS<br />Planning for Writing, Reading, Responding & Revising Like Real Readers and Writers<br />To fully understand you own current research projects/practices and your hope/plans for your increasingly independent future research, begin writing a first draft NOW.

2. Read job postings NOW for the full range of positions you might be seeking at a future date to gather information about trends and distinctions across career possibilities in terms of job requirements/expectations/qualifications.

3. When it’s time to create a Research Statement for a specific position, revise your draft to tailor to requirements/expectations/qualifications set out for that posting and place.

4. Find readers who will respond to the general questions set out in the Research Statement rubric and to 2-3 specific questions you have about revising the statement for that specific audience and posting. Readers should be expert and non-expert; questions and rubric should be shared with advisors as well as with other mentors who are reading your Research Statement.

5. When you have gathered feedback, ideally you will take two additional steps: talk with readers to clarify any responses for which you have questions and take 10 minutes NOW to write out ideas for revision that the responses have provoked.

6. Start revision a day after you’ve gathered feedback and written your initial ideas.

7. If possible, arrange for one more reading so that at least one other person is reading to be sure that overall content, style and form are unified, clear, coherent.