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I am applying for a faculty position. The position is not intended for one particular project but rather part of a research group in political science.

In addition to overall ambitions for this position, the job application I am looking at wants "Major Sub-projects" and a "Publication Strategy"? It is not clear to me what project they are talking about that would have sub-projects. Unfortunately, I reall have no idea what they are asking or how to word these areas.

So, my initial instinct is that I have an overall idea, and I point towards the main areas of research to which this idea can branch and explain it in a couple of sentences.

And publication strategy? This is where I am lost, lost. I would like to continue to publish in high-ranking, relevant journals. Possibly turn everything into a book at the end? Do I need to bring a timetable and mention how many articles I can push out? Or which areas should I touch upon? For example, I would like to publish comparative works as well as case specific (in political science). I am uncertain about how to address this.

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  • This lacks details and so is hard to answer. Is it a faculty position? Are you hired for a particular project? "Sub-project" of what exactly? The question needs more context. Even knowing the field would help a bit.
    – Buffy
    Commented Feb 12 at 22:31
  • It is a faculty position, not a particular project but a part of a research group in a political science department. Sub-project of what? Well, I really don't know. What I assume is they want me to provide some overall approach and propose sub-projects. It is kind of what I am asking, because there is literally no explanation whatsoever in the add.
    – rhyso
    Commented Feb 13 at 5:55

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Consider creating a "research portfolio" touching on these issues

As a general tip, if you are going to pursue an academic career long-term, it is a good idea to create a general "research portfolio" and "teaching portfolio" to describe your approach, history, results, etc., in research and teaching. The research portfolio would typically describe the main avenues of your research and include your research record and future plans. It would usually also include discussion of how you aim to gain impact for your work, which might include a discussion of "publication strategy" (e.g., what types of journals will you target, will you augment academic publication with any corresponding publications on blogs, social media, etc.). This is something you can develop and refine over time as your career progresses. It is a useful document for planning and articulating your approach to research, research impact, etc., and it can be useful both for development during your career and for application purposes.

If I were asked to give a "publication strategy" in an application process for an academic position, I would probably just provide my research portfolio and direct the selection panel to the relevant pages where I discuss my approach to research impact. As to "major sub-projects" (what a strange categorisation) I would again just provide my research portfolio and direct the selection panel to the relevant pages with a description of my research avenues and interests; I might accompany this by mentioning any other projects that are not listed there. Providing a full research portfolio has the advantage of both answering their immediate query but also showing them that this is part of a broad strategic plan you have for your long-term development and academic success. I would also accompany this with the job-application-magic-words: "If the panel feel that I may be a suitable candidate for the position, I would appreciate an opportunity to provide more detail on my major research avenues and sub-projects at an interview."

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