Writing effective doctoral research adverts

People don't read adverts, they only look at them. And that makes all the difference. Doctoral recruitment pieces aren’t, of course, traditional adverts — which will rely mostly on visual elements, a logo, an image, a few words — but the principle is similar in that every word matters.

Students will scan through listings copy, looking solely for stand out words that are relevant to them. That’s why it’s important to keep the length of copy to a minimum: it’s easier to see those stand out words.

Only when students have been convinced of the relevance will they read the text (and the related background information provided elsewhere) in detail.

Plan the text first. An essential structure to follow is: what, why, who.

The ‘what’ is covered by the straightforward, explicit title for the research area.

The ‘why’ should be about the big picture and real-world impact. Why is this research area important? Does it relate to a grand challenge facing the world, a key technical challenge, the potential for social good, a commercial opportunity

Then, consider what level of detail is needed at this initial stage of sparking attention and interest (in other words, is there anything that needs to be said about what the research involves — the approach/technology to be used)?

As per the advice that follows below, the ‘who’ is also important, not just Loughborough, but the supervisor and the support.

Focus on the title. It might be the only part a site user actually reads. They will be scanning the text initially for the few words that are relevant to their interests. A title can also chime with personal motivations in terms of global issues and challenges.

So make sure the broad subject area (what makes it valuable/exciting to be part of?) is included rather than only describing the (sometimes narrow) technical or theoretical route to be followed.

Use keywords. Students will be using a search, either via the University site, a site like FindaPhD, or a browser. It’s important, then, to ensure the text includes the specific keywords you know the audience you are targeting are most likely to search for (the keywords you think they will choose, not necessarily the words you would prefer them to be thinking of).

Sometimes the use of keywords — and repetition of those keywords — is more useful than readability in this context.

Tap into motivations. Most research students are motivated by their specific, personal interests in the research subject itself. This is the reason the what and why need to be upfront, not any general background about Loughborough.

Surveys among research students suggest they’re looking most of all for transferable skills: research projects that set them up for a career (not more specialist, esoteric work but skills that keep their options open).

Where it’s relevant, talk about the soft skills needed beyond academic qualifications (and will be developed as part of the research work).

Flag any particular career routes the research will lead to.

Make sure all the language used is clear. Avoid unnecessary complexity at this stage. That doesn’t mean oversimplifying or dumbing down, but using language
that your UG or recent graduate audience will instantly relate to.

Ultimately that means making a judgment on the terms and concepts you would expect students to know. But at this stage, as a general rule, it’s best to keep broad concepts rather than the technical detail. Keep in mind that you need to be understood by an international audience whose first language may not be English.

Short sentences always help with clarity, particularly when it comes to complex topics.

Highlight sponsorship. Funded research posts are less common and highly valuable, so it’s important that the sponsorship is flagged heavily.

It’s not only the financial support involved that matters but the associated prestige and opportunities for networking and access to future careers. Research students are thinking about what an initial project will lead to.

Remember the supervisor is important. Again, research students are thinking about their career. They know having a highly-experienced, ‘name’ supervisor is going to be good for their CV.

At the same time, they also know that what really matters is having a good working relationship. Asked to name the most important qualities in a supervisor, the majority pointed to ‘personality’ and ‘empathy’.

In terms of the ad listing, this just means it’s useful to both flag the knowledge and experience of the supervisor — and mention the importance of support, being available and approachable. It’s also why clear language is important: it’s a signal of interest and consideration for the reader, and contributes to creating a warmer, more open tone for the copy. Something as simple as using the first person plural (‘we’ / ‘us’ / ‘our’) helps to signal an approachable environment. Include hotlinks to supervisor profiles, their professional website or blog.

Use consistent messages about Loughborough. You shouldn’t need to spend time re-inventing the wheel when it comes to core messaging around research
quality and its culture of support (and consistency is important for communicating the University’s reputation). 

Suggestions are provided in the next two toggles below.

The studentship is for XX years and provides a tax-free stipend of £XXXX per annum for the duration of the studentship plus tuition fees at the UK rate. Due to funding restrictions, this is only available to those eligible for UK fees.

[Or] Due to security reasons, the studentship is only open to...

Make sure you are familiar with the studentship eligibility criteria and include a web link to the relevant Research Council in the advert. 

International candidates are eligible to apply, and the Doctoral College can provide an international fee waiver where required. However only 30% of student intake on any individual UKRI grant can be awarded to international candidates. You must confirm with the grant holder whether there is capacity to accept International candidates before making an offer.

(The EPSRC DTP grant is managed by the Doctoral College).

Note that award lengths depend on the UKRI scheme. 3, 3.5 and 4 yr variations are all possible – please ensure you are advertising the correct studentship length by checking with the grant holder.

Loughborough University has an applied research culture. In REF 2021, 94% of the work submitted was judged to be top-rated as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent'.

We are a community based on mutual support and collaboration. Through our Doctoral College there are continual opportunities for building important research
skills and networks among your peers and research academics.