Research Contributions
The Research Contribution (RC) component of an Evidence Portfolio (EP) describes the contribution and recognition of a staff member’s research and research-related activities.
- The RC component is worth 30 percent of the total score for the EP.
- Each EP can contain up to 15 items in the RC component.
- TEOs should help their staff to identify their 15 best research-related activities and research outcomes to be recorded as research contribution items, and then categorise these items according to the 12 research contribution types.
- The contribution types are an organising principle only. It is not expected that EPs will include activities in every contribution type. More than one item may be included in any one contribution type.
- It is expected that all EPs will include evidence of peer esteem and contributions to the research environment. Where appropriate, some will also include evidence of community or end-user impact.
- All items in the RC component must describe research-related activities and research outcomes that have occurred within the assessment period (1 January 2018 – 31 December 2024).
- Research impacts must have occurred in the assessment period to be included in the EP, but these do not need to relate to research undertaken in the assessment period or submitted within the EP.
- Fellowships that began outside but continue into the assessment period are eligible for inclusion in EPs.
- All types of RC will be considered on their merits. This means no one specific type will be weighted higher than another.
- New and emerging researchers are not required to have RC items to be considered for the C(NE) Quality Category. However, if they have research contribution items these should be submitted because it may allow them to be considered for a higher Quality Category.
- Each panel has developed panel-specific guidelines that may provide discipline- or subject-area specific advice on the completing the RC component of EPs.
Evidence of research contribution items
The evidence required for RC component items must be sufficient to validate that the item:
- occurred within the assessment period
- can be attributed to the staff member submitting the EP.
It is also expected that the evidence supports the description of the item provided in the EP. The staff member would normally have sufficient information that would allow the TEO to validate the item.
The type of evidence would vary, depending on the research activity. The TEC will accept a range of information and evidence, and will not set specific limits on this.
Below are examples of how to do three of the most common:
