PLANNING YOUR
RESEARCH CAREER
• CULTURAL RESEARCH NETWORK
ECR WORKSHOP
• University of South Australia
• June 2006
• Vera Mackie, University of Melbourne
What are the expectations for
academic positions?
• Teaching
• Research (Creative Practice,
Commercialisation)
• Administration
• Service to Discipline
• Links to Community/Industry
• International Linkages
What makes a good C.V.?
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Update your C.V. regularly
Keep a folio of supporting documentation (offprints, reviews of
your work, citations, referee reports, grant assessors’ reports,
letters of appreciation, media reports…)
Keep a teaching portfolio (course guides, teaching materials,
student evaluations, evidence of professional development
undertaken)
Present information in a logical order, using headings and
subheadings (employment, committees, grants/awards/fellowships,
publications/creative production/commercialisation, community
service…)
Format for readability
Proofread carefully (spelling/typographical errors will give a bad
first impression!)
Prepare different C.V.s for different purposes
What are the elements of
track record?
• Publications/Creative Outputs/
Patents/Commercialisation
• Grants awarded
• Outcomes achieved
• Awards
• Citations
• Presentations as Invited Speaker
Reporting your track
record
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Keep your CV up-to-date
Don’t fudge! Don’t pad!
In applications for jobs, grants, fellowships always address the selection
criteria
If asked to list refereed publications, don’t pad with unrefereed
publications
Don’t list publications as “forthcoming” or “in preparation”
List only publications “published”, “in press”, “accepted”, “submitted”.
In the body of an application, comment on the significance and impact of
your publications
When reporting on grant income received, also report on outcomes achieved
Remember that track record is always judged “relative to opportunity”.
Mention anything that has affected your track record.
Building up your track record
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Develop a three-to-five year plan for your research
Identify long- and short-term goals for your research
Work with a mentor or in a peer mentoring group to facilitate the
achievement of goals
• Be clear in your own mind about the purposes of each activity ( community
service, public profile, using a conference presentation to receive feedback
on work-in-progress, building up track record for promotion application or
grant application.creating a link with a community/industry partner)
• Complete the cycle:
idea > research > conference presentation > publication > next idea >
• Consider preparing theoretical or reflective articles after engaging in
consultancies or other activities which do not lead directly to refereed
publications
• Use university small grant schemes to complete pilot studies or small,
focused research projects before embarking on applications to major
funding bodies
Getting Published
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Get to know the journals and publishers in your field
Get to know the expectations for disseminating work in your field
Always check the style guide before submitting to a journal
Always keep within the word limit (usually 6,000~8,000 words for journal articles,
maximum 100,000 words for books)
Always submit a complete, perfectly presented manuscript
Use conference presentations to test out ideas, get feedback, get your work known
Consider submitting papers for refereed conference proceedings
Consider starting with journals run for and by postgraduates (as long as they are fully
refereed)
Consider joining the editorial collective of a postgraduate journal for experience
A thesis chapter is not an article!
A thesis is not (necessarily) a book!
Submit a book proposal and cover letter to a publisher first (They will let you know if
they wish to see sample chapters or the manuscript.)
Never submit a manuscript to more than one journal or publisher at a time
Are you ready for an ARC
Application?
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Have you completed a higher degree? If not, consider giving priority to completion of a
higher degree. This will demonstrate your ability to undertake a major research
project, and will be the first step in establishing a track record.
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Have you recently obtained a doctoral qualification? Consider a postdoctoral
fellowship, either through the ARC Discovery or Linkage Schemes or through individual
university schemes which are advertised in the Higher Education Supplement.
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Is the project a self-contained project which can be completed in six months?
Consider applying for study leave/ an outside studies program/ a fellowship.
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Can the project (or the first stage of the project) be completed in twelve months,
with less than A$20,000 funding? Consider internal university grant schemes which
may be designed to lead on to ARC schemes.
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Have you achieved the stated outcomes on previous grants awarded?
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Are you actively publishing the results of your research?
Funding bodies, funding schemes
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Is this a major project of at least three years’ duration, which requires significant resources for travel, equipment,
research assistance, data analysis? Consider an ARC Discovery Grant Application, possibly after using the internal
university grant schemes to complete a preliminary investigation and build up a track record.
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Does the project require a partnership with an outside body (a non-governmental organization, community organization,
private company, government department, arts organization, etc.)? Will the partner organization provide cash or ‘in-kind’
support? Consider an ARC Linkage Application.
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Does the project involve the establishment of a facility or creation of research infrastructure in collaboration with other
universities and other organizations? Consider an ARC Linkage (Infrastructure) Application.
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Does the project involve international collaboration, in conjunction with existing ARC Discovery Projects? Consider an ARC
Linkage (International) Application.
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Is the project one which involves creative arts? Consider the Australia Council or other funding bodies such as the Ian
Potter Foundation, Myer Foundation, Asialink, etc.
Bodies such as the National Library of Australia and the State libraries offer short-term research fellowships and/or
creative fellowships.
There are also countless international funding bodies.
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