Another genre, intellectual biography, forsakes the need for basic chronological structure and develops a narrative of a life through the conceptual analysis of the subject’s motives and beliefs within the world of ideas. Those who write intellectual biography have overcome the interpretive angst of other educational researchers, what Rollyson (2005) has deemed “the biographical apologia,” who include pages of interviewee narrative and rich description but who refrain from interpreting motives and feelings. In contrast, the intellectual biographer recognizes and accepts the invasive yet justifiable analysis and overcomes the intrusive nature of inquiry with care resulting in self-reflective thoughtfulness and insight.
A third form of biographical research is defined as life history writing (and the narrative study of lives) with strong allegiance to the social science research traditions of oral history and narrative discourse and, specifically, great devotion to theoretical constructs from sociology and psychology. Case study paradigms emerge as life history writers address issues of generalizability, social interaction-social structure, and reliability and validity as well as the biographical quest of any study of a life. This research genre has taken many forms in the field of education, perhaps resonating most in the area of teacher education with the narrative study of teachers’ lives scholarship and, to a lesser degree, with the first-year teacher research that also remains loyal to aspects of intellectual biography (Goodson, 2008; Bullough, 2008).
In recent years a fourth genre, memoir biography (still distinct from autobiography and memoir) has begun to appear in the field of curriculum studies. Attention is devoted to the researcher’s motives in relation to the biographical subject and with emphasis upon the stylistic presentation of the biographer’s reflections and insights in relation to the factual account of the life. An interpretive narrative of the writer, alongside the presentation of the biographical subject, becomes part of the research. A life story is being told, yet in relation to the transactional experiences of the biographer that in turn influences and foreshadows similar experiences for the reader.
A fifth type, narrative biography, represents a dynamic portrayal of a life without the need for absolute facticity or a comprehensive account from birth to grave. Neither is this style burdened by the ultimate interpretation of the subject that must be accepted by the reader. Facts are recognized and some interpretations are accepted as being more significant than others; however, the biographer, though consciously aware of his or her personal emotions and reactions to the subject, acknowledges that the telling of the story is primarily defined by the subject in relation to the reader.
No definitive listing of biographical types can ever be constructed since, fortunately, new forms—content and process oriented—are continually being conceived and explored. Other more content-related designations include feminist biography (Alpern, et al., 1992; Ascher, et. al., 1984; Wagner-Martin, 1994) and black biography (Backscheider, 1997), all with emphasis upon identity and the restoration of the “invisible” subject.
Biography’s relationship to autobiography, memoir, and narrative research in education is well developed and will continually be redefined (Denzin, 1989; Epstein, 1991; Rollyson, 2008) Yet, with the emerging interest in biographical inquiry and with some growing interest in prosopography (group biography), little consensus of terminology exists; for example, it should be noted that while some qualitative researchers view the term as accurate, there are dramatic differences between biography and autobiography—much more than any slash or solidus can convey.
Alpern, S., Antler, J., Perry, E. I. & Scobie, I. W. (Eds.) (1992). . Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press.
Ascher, C., DeSalvo, L., & Ruddick, S. (Eds.) (1984). . Boston: Beacon Press.
Backscheider, P. R. (1997). . New York: Oxford University Press.
Bullough, R. V., Jr. (2008). . Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Denzin, N. (1989). . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Epstein, W. (Ed.) (1991). . West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press.
Garraty, J. (1957). . New York: Knopf.
Goodson, I. (2008). . Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Josselson, R. & Lieblich, A. (Eds.) (1993). . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Oates, S. B. (Ed.) (1986). . Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press.
Roberts, B. (2002). . London: Open University Press.
Rollyson, C. (2008). . Chicago: Ivan R. Dee.
Rollyson, C. (2005). Chicago: Ivan R. Dee.
Wagner-Martin, L. (1994). . New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.
By Craig Kridel, University of South Carolina
PhDLife Blog
Sharing PhD experiences across the University of Warwick and beyond
There are very few things as challenging as writing academic biographies (perhaps academic writing?). It seems simple, but things soon get awkward as you try to show how amazing you are without sounding arrogation or pretentious. Sophie shares her tips on writing a balanced bio…
It’s all going swimmingly until you read the Call for Papers: Please submit a proposal and brief bio.
What on earth is a bio (otherwise known as an ‘academic bio’)? And just how brief does it need to be? Writing an academic bio is a skill you can pick up like any other, and this article will take you through the basics of what to include, what to leave out, and how to craft this tricky piece of your academic arsenal.
Covering the Basics
Whatever discipline you’re working in, you’ll definitely need to include the following in your academic bio:
All this should go into the first sentence, so it reads something like this:
Joe Bloggs is currently a PhD candidate [meaning he’s passed his upgrade] at the University of Warwick.
You can also mention your department, although it’s not strictly necessary for most of us.
The Big Picture
The rest of your academic bio should tell the reader about your research interests. Start by setting out your broad research question , whether that’s finding new ways to create Omega 3 in algae cultures or exploring fashion statements at Charles II’s court. Then focus it further; are you looking at a specific type of algae culture, or a particular poet who was into fashion? This is the most important part of your bio: it tells other people attending the conference where you’re coming from, and may present links between your research areas.
You can end your bio here, or add another sentence situating your research within wider scholarship. Is it important to reference your specific style of criticism, or how you’re leading on from recently-published developments in the field, for example? If it’s important for the theme of the conference, you may wish to add another sentence on the future directions of your research. However, if this isn’t relevant or necessary, feel free to leave it out, especially if you’ve been asked to submit a brief bio – best to keep it brief and stick to your research interests.
What Not to Do
Inevitably, we all do things early in our career/academic life that, with hindsight, make us cringe. To avoid that uncomfortable feeling in the future, four common errors are:
One final tip is to use the third person. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but at some conferences, your bio will be read out as an introduction, so personally I prefer to start a sentence like Joe Bloggs above.
What do you think about this approach?
Any more tips for writing academic bios?
Text credits: Sophie Shorland
Sophie is a PhD student at Warwick, where she’s one of the organisers of the English Department’s annual postgraduate symposium for 2017. You can find out how to get involved in the symposium here , or check their Twitter here .
One thought on “ how to write an academic bio for conferences ”.
What a concidence. I’m sending the abstract and the bio for a conference at Warwick
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A biography research report requires extensive research on the person and a writer’s creative touch to put to life an otherwise mere list of facts. Even if the information is presented in a digestible format, the entire narrative does not abandon accurate data.
An academic biography is a concise description of a researcher and his career which is mostly used as an introduction to a conference or public event. This article discusses some important tips on writing an academic bio.
This blog post offers five different formulations to help you create an effective academic biography: the short-and-sweet bio, the brief bio, the detailed bio, the independent scholar bio, and the academic-adjacent bio.
Here's what it takes to write a biography in APA style. Format your paper according to APA requirements. Use 1-inch margins on all sides and a 12-point Times New Roman font. Sentences should be double spaced. The upper right hand corner should have a page header with a short version of the paper's title and the page number.
The biographical statement should include the author(s) full name. In addition, it is also appropriate to discuss your personal history, academic program and/or field placement, and interest in the article’s subject. The biographical statement may not exceed 75 words. Below is an example taken from the 2009 volume of the Advocates’ Forum:
Biographical essays, in particular, provide a unique opportunity to delve into the life story of an individual and share their journey with readers. In this article, we will explore biographical essay examples and learn how to tell a compelling life story in writing.
For example, if you’re submitting a bio as part of a fellowship application, the reviewers will be reading it and you’ll want to highlight your expertise and experience.
Whether you want to start writing a biography about a famous person, historical figure, or an influential family member, it’s important to know all the elements that make a biography worth both writing and reading.
Among the numerous forms of biographical research in education, five types are often noted: scholarly chronicles, intellectual biography, life history writing, memoir biography, and narrative biography.
Covering the Basics. Whatever discipline you’re working in, you’ll definitely need to include the following in your academic bio: full name, position (i.e. PhD student; PhD candidate), institution. All this should go into the first sentence, so it reads something like this: