What Narrative CVs Tell Us About How Research Is Changing

June 16, 2026 | Jesse Ehrlick

The growing adoption of narrative CVs by funding agencies represents more than a change in application format.

It reflects a broader shift in how research careers are being evaluated.

For decades, research assessment has relied heavily on quantitative indicators.

Publication counts.

Citation metrics.

Grant funding.

Various measures designed to summarize research productivity and impact.

These metrics remain important and will likely continue to play a central role in research evaluation.

However, there is increasing recognition that they do not fully capture the complexity of modern research careers.

The Limits of Traditional Metrics

Traditional metrics are attractive because they are standardized.

They allow institutions and funding agencies to compare applicants using common indicators.

But they also have limitations.

Many important contributions to research programs are difficult to measure directly, including:

• mentorship and trainee development
• interdisciplinary collaboration
• leadership and service
• research capacity building
• contributions to institutional research environments

These activities often shape research ecosystems in meaningful ways, even when they are not immediately reflected in traditional outputs.

Research Is Increasingly Collaborative

One reason narrative CVs are becoming more prominent is that research itself is changing.

Modern biomedical research increasingly depends on:

• collaborative teams
• shared infrastructure
• research units and networks
• core facilities
• interdisciplinary expertise

In these environments, individual contributions can be more difficult to isolate.

A publication may reflect the efforts of dozens of people.

A successful research program may depend on years of mentorship, infrastructure development, and institutional support.

Narrative approaches attempt to provide context that traditional metrics alone cannot.

The Challenge of Storytelling in Research

One interesting consequence of narrative CVs is that researchers are increasingly being asked to communicate their work differently.

Rather than simply listing accomplishments, they must explain:

• why their work matters
• how they have contributed
• what impact their activities have had
• how different elements of their career connect together

In many ways, this requires researchers to become better storytellers.

Not in the sense of marketing their work, but in helping evaluators understand its broader significance.

Beyond the CV

Perhaps the most important lesson from narrative CVs is that they encourage a more holistic view of research.

Research careers are not built solely through publications or funding awards.

They are built through a combination of:

• scientific contributions
• mentorship
• collaboration
• leadership
• sustained engagement with research communities

Metrics remain valuable.

But increasingly, they are being viewed as part of a larger story rather than the story itself.

As research assessment continues to evolve, the ability to connect those pieces into a coherent narrative may become just as important as the metrics themselves.