Module 2 – Reflect and record: Analyse your experience and expertise
This module explains how to identify and analyse your expertise and skills.
In this module:
- Identify the expertise you’re building: Take a look at the broader skills and knowledge you’re developing through your research.
- Analyse your professional experience and expertise: Dive into the valuable insights and strengths you already bring to the table.
- Explore your learning preferences: Get to know what works best for you in your learning journey.
Your experience and expertise
Life can get so busy that we’re often focused on the next goal, skill, or project. But in the rush forward, we might overlook the valuable experience and expertise we’ve already built through work, study, and life.
Reflecting on what you already know and can do is the first step in recognising and making the most of your own strengths.
If you have access to the RDF Planner, you may wish to use it as you work through the activities here.
Create your expertise profile
When we think about research-related activities, we often focus exclusively on the product or outcome of the activity, not on the process of getting there. However, it’s often in the process that we meet new experiences and challenges – and that’s where learning and development really occur.
These two activities will give you some practice in thinking deeply about the full range of skills and expertise that you employ or learn when you are involved in a research-related activities.
Activity: Reflect on your recent work
Choose a recent research-related activity, like writing a report, presenting a paper, teaching, preparing a funding bid, planning a field trip, or something similar.
- Think about the process: What broad skills or expertise did you use or develop while doing this activity?
- Link to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF): Look at the RDF and identify which subdomains or descriptors connect to the skills and expertise you demonstrated.
- Reflect: are you surprised by how many skills were involved in this activity? What aspects or skills did you particularly enjoy? Are there areas for further development?
If you have access to the RDF Planner, you can log your activity in the relevant descriptors there.
Activity: Build your researcher profile
This activity helps you to think more broadly about the skills and expertise you have developed so far across your career.
You can download the Researcher Profile: Prior and Current Expertise template to record your thoughts, or you might want to use an online whiteboard, or simply pen and paper.
- List your research activities
Jot down your past and current research activities, such as writing reports, publishing papers, teaching, applying for funding, planning field trips, requesting ethical approval, or giving presentations. These are just examples, so feel free to add any others that are relevant. - Reflect and analyse skills developed
a. Think back on each activity and note the broader skills or expertise you developed or practiced.
b. Then, using the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF), identify which subdomains or descriptors these skills fall under. - Reflect on your profile
a. Take a look at your profile so far.
b. Where do you have particular strengths?
c. Are there areas where you would like to develop more skills and experience?
d. Think about experiences and skills you’ve developed outside of research—like from previous jobs or volunteer roles—that could fill them in. Add these achievements to your list and, again, match them to the RDF descriptors. - Optional: Use the RDF Planner
If you have access to the RDF Planner, consider adding these achievements and evidence to the relevant descriptors for a more detailed profile.
Module summary
You can build an expertise and skills profile by reflecting on individual activities or your career as a whole. This can help to reflect on your strengths and identify potential areas for development.
Now move on to the next module to learn about collecting and organising your evidence.