Articulating your research focus via a capability statement: professional development for early career researchers.

Abstract

Background: A programme of research (PoR) is a cohesive and succinct expression of a researcher's area of interest, capturing their passions and commitments, as well as their capabilities. A PoR takes the form of a series of related research projects with a specific focus on a knowledge gap, related to the researcher's discipline. One way in which a PoR can be supported is through the articulation of a clear research aim and capability statement.

Aims: This paper aims to provide early career researchers (ECRs) with a process to develop their own capability statements, providing examples from a professional development activity undertaken by the authors.

Results: This paper provides a five-step process for researchers to develop their own capability statement and gives examples and prompts to support this.

Conclusion and contribution to nursing: Reflections on the value of this process are provided, demonstrating a gap in current ECR processes in articulating their own capabilities.