Statement of Research
Research is using new or existing knowledge in novel ways to "generate new concepts, methodologies, and understandings in the relevant discipline…"1 Projects synthesizing existing knowledge should be done in a way that is either innovative or leads to innovative outcomes.
The CCS Research Repository (RR) recognizes that research may take many forms, from traditional research output (peer-reviewed articles, scholarly books, conference presentations, etc.) to non-traditional, practice-led or practice-based research output (performance art, software applications, patents, etc.).
Non-traditional work submitted to the CCS RR must demonstrate its contribution to the advancement of its discipline via a statement of research. The research statement should start with a very brief (one to two sentence) description of the project, then explore the background, contribution, and significance of the work. This statement should be a maximum of 300 words and include three sections:
-Research background
-Field
-Context
-Research question
-Research contribution
-Innovation
-New knowledge
-Research significance1
Research background
What is the current state of knowledge (academic or industry) about this topic?
-Where possible, name at least one key practitioner or researcher in the area or refer to an industry practice, policy, debate, etc.
Which issues remain to be explored? What is the research question underpinning this work? You may not have had a specific research question at the start of the project, but you should be able to articulate one by the time the project is complete.
-You do not need to use the exact phrase “The research question for this project was…” You can frame your work as “This project sought to discover …” or “This project asks how …”
Research contribution
How does this work contribute to new knowledge or insight?
-What does “new knowledge” look like in this work? Clearly articulate context, research aims, methodological approach, and contribution to the field.
Where is the contribution to knowledge in evidence (style, aesthetics, process, narrative, character, use of technology, etc.)? You should also acknowledge existing research in the field.
-A clearly stated key finding(s) of that which is new and will be of interest to and applicable by other practitioners/researchers.
What new understandings does this work create for the field more broadly?
Research significance
What is the significance of this work? Why does it matter? How does it further the field or discipline (which could include industry)? Who benefits?2
Please prepare your statement of research prior to submitting your work to the CCS RR. Please see the Research Statement Example for guidance; if you have questions or need help drafting your statement, contact Digital Scholarship Librarian Amy Lazet at alazet@ccsdetroit.edu.
- Guidelines for Non-Traditional Research Outputs (NTRO). (2020, November 26). The University of Newcastle, Australia. https://www.newcastle.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/693618/NTRO-Guidelines_v6.pdf.
- Lee McGowan. "Writing NTRO Research Statements." (2022). University of the Sunshine Coast. https://libguides.usc.edu.au/ld.php?content_id=48948215.