
Cover Letter for Internship: Examples & Guide
An internship is a great way to kick-start your career. But to get there, you need an internship cover letter that’s not like the other 378 on the manager’s desk.
A complete guide to writing an academic CV for graduate schools, fellowships, research programs, or grants. Use our academic CV templates and awe the committee.
Let’s face it, today’s academic realities are pretty harsh. So many talented scholars fighting for so few truly worthwhile fellowships, research programs, or grants. And with the constant cuts in federal spending on higher education, things are only going to get worse.
You can’t change the economy. But you can dramatically boost your chances of standing out from all other applicants. Just follow the advice from this guide to writing an American academic CV.
In this guide you'll find:
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Meredith Gershowitz
CURRICULUM VITAE
2023/01/25
Meredith Gershowitz
Senior Lecturer on English
Director of Creative Writing
The State University of New York, Albany, NY
295 Johnson Rd., Corona, NY 11368
551-251-4884
m_gershowitz@suny.edu
linkedin.com/in/meredithgershowitz
EDUCATION
2011 Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Literature
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
The Department of Creative Writing
Thesis Title: “The Hybrid Hero of Early Modern English Literature: A Synthesis of Classical and Contemplative Heroism”
Thesis Supervisor: Martina Knox
2004 M.A. in English, Graduated Summa Magna Cum Laude
The City University of New York, NYC, NY
The Department of Modern Languages
Thesis Title: “Philip Larkin’s Distinct Post-War Aesthetic: An Analysis of Compositions and Narratives in ‘Jill’ and ‘A Girl in Winter’”
Thesis Supervisor: James Nutini
2003 M.Litt. in English, First Honors
University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Senior Lecturer on English
Director of Creative Writing
The State University of New York, Albany, NY
Department of Creative Writing
2016–
Teaching a total of 12 undergraduate and 11 graduate courses. Supervised 7 MA theses. Director of the Creative Writing Board since 2018.
Visiting Lecturer on English and Drama
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Department of Modern Languages
2012–2016
Taught a total of 22 undergraduate and 13 graduate courses.
PUBLICATIONS
Books
The Rustle of Language. New York: Hill and Wang, 2018.
Sexual Politics in Post-2000 American Drama. Woodstock and New York: The Overlook Press, 2014.
Book Chapters
"Difficulties with Girls." In Philip Larkin, edited by Stephen Regan. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, and London: Macmillan Press Ltd., 2015.
"Southern Gentle Lady Do Not Swoon." In Langston Hughes: The Man and His Work, edited by Michael Tomaszewski. London and New York: Faber & Faber, 2012
Selected Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
“Livy and the Pax Deum,” Modern Philology 111, no. 2 (April 2016): 170–193.
“Conundrum: A Story about Reading,” New England Review 38, no. 1 (2015): 212–230, Project MUSE.
“I Have Screwed the Pig That Was in the Icebox,” Verso Magazine 8, no. 4 (2013): 91–109.
“Don't Go Back to Dalston,” Poor Indie Music Review 69, no. 5 (June 2012): 420–434.
"The Crash Was an Accident. You Have to Let me Go," University of Stockholm Press 18 (March 2011): 37–53.
Other Publications
“The Prophet of Dystopia.” New Yorker, April 17, 2017.
“Snap Makes a Bet on the Cultural Supremacy of the Camera.” New York Times, March 8, 2014. https://www.nytimes.com/this-is-a-fake-url/technology/snap-makes-a-bet-on-the-cultural-supremacy-of-the-camera.html.
“The Squishy, Sugary History of Peeps.” Vox, April 11, 2012. http://www.vox.com/culture/fake-url-everybody/3012/4/11/15209084/peeps-easter.
AWARDS AND HONORS
2018, National Humanities Medal
2018, Ruskin Society Book Prize, Winner
2017 PROSE Award for Textbook/Best in Social Sciences, Honourable Mention
2015, Choice Outstanding Academic Title, Winner
2011, PROSE Award for Single Volume Reference in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Honourable Mention
2003, Fulbright / The City University of New York Award in Humanities
CONFERENCES
2018, The Limits of an Institution, International Conference, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain; Paper title: "New York City's Art Museums and Activism: The Evolving Relationship."
2017, Prophecy or Randomness, The City University of New York, New York, NY; Paper title: “Carrie Ligon and the Questions of Identity.”
2016, Conflicting Futures, Lee Hansley Institute, Raleigh, NC; Paper title: “A Story About Space: Questioning Terry Eagleton’s Critique Methods.”
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Teaching Assistant
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
2005–2011
Teaching Assistant
The City University of New York, NYC, NY
LANGUAGES
Hebrew: Bilingual
French: Advanced
German: Intermediate
Arabic: Can Read With a Dictionary
A curriculum vitae (CV) is a document that provides a detailed overview of your academic and professional background. It's a comprehensive record of one's educational achievements, research experience, teaching engagements, publications, honors, professional memberships, and other academic qualifications.
If you’re applying for a scholarship and have been asked specifically to send a scholarship academic resume instead of a CV, see: Scholarship Resume Examples and Writing Tips
Still a student? Writing an academic resume for school admissions or internships? Switch over to: Student Resume Examples and Writing Tips
Read on for an overview of an American CV for academic purposes. But before we jump into that, a quick note—
Academic CVs vary in content, chief focus, and length.
Obviously, a CV for graduate school won’t have all the sections a professor's CV has. A research CV for scientists will highlight other sorts of professional achievements than an academic teacher CV.
There’s no one-size-fits-all template.
This guide’s purpose is to provide you with basic concepts and rules every academic curriculum vitae has to follow.
Before you even start writing a CV, take your time to properly format your academic CV. Admission committees and other academic decision makers can be truly nit-picky when it comes to details. So—
Make sure your CV is scholarly and elegant. Avoid amateurish gaffes that would make you look like a rookie.
Expert Hint: The final formatting question. Should you save your application in PDF or DOC? After you finish writing, save your Academic CV in PDF to keep formatting intact. The only exception is when the institution to which you’re applying only accepts academic CVs in Word. Unsure about that? Shoot a quick email or make a phone call and ask to stay on the safe side.
Now—
What goes where on a professional academic curriculum vitae?
Don’t have all of the above? If you’re, say, writing a graduate student CV or even an undergraduate student CV, applying for a PhD, or seeking to get a part-time research assistant gig your at your campus, don’t worry.
Just skip those sections where you haven’t earned any experience yet. You’ll get there in a few years!
When it comes to outlining your academic CV, there’s one rule that never changes:
Education is always at the top, just below the header with your contact information.
Below that, you organize sections by competitiveness. The more prestigious the accolade, credential, or achievement, the higher you place it. But remember that academic CVs might vary depending on the type of position or program you’re targeting.
What exactly are you applying for?
An academic research CV for scientific grants should highlight research over teaching. A PhD candidate academic CV will have a more elaborate education section, while a postdoc academic CV will emphasize publications.
In other words: the template above works as a universal reference point, but feel free to adjust it so that it fits your specific needs.
Time to break down how to create each section of your academic curriculum vitae for greatest impact.
The academic CV header is a very straightforward section. All you need is to include your full contact information.
Expert Hint: Adding a LinkedIn profile address is also optional. Do so if you’re active on LinkedIn and your profile is up-to-date. Business and science scholars tend to add a LinkedIn handle more often.
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For experienced researchers and lecturers, this part is redundant. But, undergrad CVs for grad school applications might benefit from this section.
Also, you should add a personal profile on your CV only if asked for in the guidelines of the institution you’re applying to.
The research objective highlights the specific research interests and goals of the candidate. It is a brief paragraph that outlines the area of research the candidate is passionate about and intends to pursue. This section is especially relevant for individuals applying for academic or research-oriented positions.
The academic CV personal profile shows the candidate's attributes, skills, and qualities relevant to the academic context. It offers a glimpse of the candidate's personality and work style beyond academic achievements and research interests. It's usually more specific, providing quantified achievements, similar to those seen in a resume profile.
Here’s how to write them:
BA graduate in Psychology at Anytown University with a one-year study abroad experience at the Padua University and three semesters of experience assisting on-campus research projects. Made the Dean’s List for three years. Seeking to undertake doctoral research on Educational Psychology and Applied Developmental Science.
Dedicated academic with over 15 years of experience instructing and mentoring students at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Successfully guided 30 BA theses, 15 MA theses, and 5 PhD dissertations, fostering students' research acumen. Authored and co-edited 5 influential monographs on cutting-edge developments in cognitive neuroscience. Published 40+ articles in renowned scientific journals, advancing the field of brain research.
The education section of an academic CV plays a pivotal role in presenting your academic background, research potential, and commitment to your chosen field. The most important aspects an education section on an academic CV shows are:
As to how to write it. You should list your educational path in a reverse-chronological format.
Include, in the following order:
No further details required.
You might include your thesis title and supervisor, but that’s about as elaborate as you might get here.
2004 M.A. in English, Graduated Summa Magna Cum Laude
The City University of New York, NYC, NY
The Department of Modern Languages
Thesis Title: “Philip Larkin’s Disting Post-War Aesthetic: An Analysis of Compositions and Narratives in ‘Jill’ and ‘A Girl in Winter’”
Thesis Supervisor: James Nutini
Expert Hint: Spelling out “Doctor of Philosophy,” or “Master of Science” will make you come across pretentious. As if you had that printed on your doorplate (you don’t, do you?).
Remember: on an adjunct professor resume or CV, there’s usually no place for this section.
Only contracted tenure goes here. And, only stints of 1+ year employment. List other types of teaching experience in the, well, “Teaching Experience” section below.
If you have had professional appointments (congratulations on your big break!), limit yourself to the following necessary details only:
Although bullet points seem perfect here, you should write paragraphs outlining each appointment. An academic CV, being an essential tool for academic positions, will emphasize your writing skills and ability to present information in a scholarly manner, which, in this case, is shown through each paragraph.
Like in every other academic curriculum vitae section, use the reverse-chronological order.
Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Senior Lecturer on English
Director of Creative Writing
The State University of New York, Albany, NY
Department of Creative Writing
2016–
Teaching a total of 12 undergraduate and 11 graduate courses. Supervised 7 MA theses. Director of the Creative Writing Board since 2018.
Expert Hint: I want to stress it so hard it causes mental fatigue: don’t use bullet points here. Or anywhere else. This. Is. Not. A. Resume.
The publications section presents your original research, academic articles, book chapters, conference papers, and any other scholarly publications. It demonstrates your commitment to advancing knowledge and contributing to your field of study.
Stick to one standard citation style (APA, MLA, or Chicago).
Organize publications on your academic CV by volume, peer-review and prestige:
Books
The Rustle of Language. New York: Hill and Wang, 2018.
Sexual Politics in Post-2000 American Drama. Woodstock and New York: The Overlook Press, 2014.
Book Chapters
"Difficulties with Girls." In Philip Larkin, edited by Stephen Regan. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, and London: Macmillan Press Ltd., 2015.
"Southern Gentle Lady Do Not Swoon." In Langston Hughes: The Man and His Work, edited by Michael Tomaszewski. London and New York: Faber & Faber, 2012
This part has gotten all the more important recently.
Considering the planned heavy cuts on federal spendings on higher ed, your academic CV needs to prove that your research so far has been valuable enough to attract funding.
If you have received both academic honors and external scholarships or research funding, consider creating separate subsections to distinguish between them.
Expert Hint: Add the grants or scholarships you have rejected as well. You’re still a legitimate recipient. This is particularly important in artist CVs or CVs for fellowship applications.
And especially invited talks outside of your campus.
Why?
In a word: competitiveness.
To get an invite to do a talk on another campus is insanely prestigious. Not saying there’s anything wrong with TAing or RAing but, let’s face it, all PhD students, let alone postdoc scholars, have done it at some point in their careers.
But—
If you’re writing a junior academic CV for research projects or a part-time academic teacher CV, you might want to consider pulling your research/teaching experience above conference talks.
Always think about your target audience and what they expect from you.
Don't mistake your teaching experience with your professional appointments. Here are some tips on how to effectively present these teaching experiences on an academic CV:
As for your research experience. This is where you'll present your academic research posts in—You guessed it—reverse chronological order. Remember to briefly describe the research projects you were involved in, including the project's title, the research team or principal investigator, and the duration of your involvement.
Languages on an academic CV are a must. Describe all languages you know well enough to read basic academic texts in them. You can use the IRL scale (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), CEFR (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) or go for descriptive evaluation (basic, intermediate, advanced, native).
Listing skills on an academic CV is customary for technical fields such as computer science or engineering.
References are included on an academic CV only if explicitly asked for. You enter them at the very bottom. No need to explain your relationship with a reference unless you’re writing a CV for an undergraduate and only have one reference.
Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
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Here’s a recap of what’s most important in producing an Academic CV, regardless of your field and seniority level:
Questions? Concerns? I’m here to listen and assist. Drop me a line in the comments and I’ll make sure to get back to you straight away!
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