Crafting Your Research Agenda

If you're a researcher, sooner or later, you'll feel the need to craft a research agenda. You may be asked to submit your research agenda when applying for faculty or PostDoc jobs, but even if you're not, at some point you will need to articulate who you are as a researcher and where you're going. So, even if you don't have to have a research agenda right now, it's better to have one sooner than later.

So, what is a research agenda? Simple - it's your plan for your research, the trajectory for your anticipated projects, grants, and publications. But, it's not just a list or timeline for these items. Rather, it's a comprehensive document that outlines your focus area(s) as a researcher, including research questions and goals and how these all fit together to define you as a researcher. Sometimes, if a research agenda is requested of you, the inquirer is looking for a two-page summary or sometimes a 10-page comprehensive description.

But regardless of whether someone has asked for it, it's wise for you to create a written research agenda to help you clarify your research goals and plans and to help you keep your eye on the prize. As you've likely noticed, the research world is full of opportunities and many of them look great, but saying yes to too many disparate research opportunities can leave you with a body of work that doesn't make sense to anyone besides you. So, use your research agenda to help you know what to say 'yes' to.

When putting your research agenda together, below are some tips:

• Identify one-three strands in your research: When outlining your research agenda, you want to identify at least one solid research focus, but no more than three. Some researchers suggest that you have at least one of your research foci be dependable where it's easy to see how you can succeed at it. A second research focus might be a bit more high risk.
• Integrate: If you have more than one research focus, you need to clearly justify how all these pieces fit together. Why does research focus #1 bolster your work in research focus #2? You have to do the work to make sense of yourself as a researcher to your research community.
• Demonstrate your expertise: It's not enough to show that you have great research ideas or that your planned research fills a much-needed niche, you must also show your track record in the area so that anyone reading your research agenda can have confidence that you will be successful.
• Dream a little: Do not forget in your research agenda to look far enough into your research future that you can dream a little. What will you have accomplished in 10 years? Share your vision for yourself and your research in your agenda.

Research agendas are great communication tools that allow others to better understand what research is all about. But, they can also serve as your guide, as you navigate your research goals.

Resources
The role and purpose of a research agenda - Higher Ed Professor
Writing the Research Plan for Your Academic Job Application - Jason G. Gillmore