A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is an academic resume that presents scholarly achievements, professional experience, and community involvement. As a graduate student, it is wise to prepare a CV at the start of graduate school. The CV should grow in length as you advance through your academic career. As you progress, update the CV to reflect your experience. It will serve as a record of accomplishments and will ensure you are prepared for the employment application process.
In the following section, we present some suggestions about what information you may want to include when developing the CV. Items within each section should be listed in chronological order, starting with the most recent.
Contact Information:
Include name, address, phone, and email.
Education:
State your major, type of degree, including the date each degree was awarded for each post-secondary school attended. If you have not completed your degree, indicate the expected graduation date.
Teaching Experience:
List the courses that you have taught, co-taught, or assisted. State the institution, the position and your supervisor, if applicable. This section should grow in length as you progress through graduate school.
Research Experience:
State any assistantships or any other research experience. Include the institution, the position you held, the duties, and your supervisor.
Publications:
Categorize publications into articles, chapters in books, and other types. List each publication in the appropriate format.
Conferences:
Similar to publications, categorize the presentations into posters and papers. List each publication in the appropriate format.
Honors and Awards:
List each award, including the granting institution, and the date awarded.
Professional Experience:
List relevant industrial or professional experiences (omit irrelevant jobs you have had).
Professional Activities:
List committee memberships or lectures you have delivered. Include any editorial work you have done.
Professional Affiliations:
List any professional societies or associations with which you are affiliated.
References: Provide the names, phone numbers and/or email of your references. Be sure that they are prepared to speak well of you and ask their permission before including their names.
Ensure that anything you submit has been edited extensively. You may also want to consider reviewing the CV's of more established scholars in the field to assess which templates and styles you prefer. The CV is a testament of your accomplishment and it should be updated frequently.
Adapted from Kuther, T. (2001). Writing Your Curriculum Vitae. Retrieved 9 Sep, 2008, from http://gradschool.about.com/cs/curriculumvita/a/vitae_2.htm.
