This concept map, “Barriers and Facilitators to Adopting Narrative CVs by Underrepresented Researchers,” is one of three resources from the Breaking Barriers to Research Funding Applications project led by the University of Surrey, funded by UKRI/BA EDI Caucus. Authored by Hannah Frith, Fabio Fasoli, Noelia Noel, and Susan Hutton, it presents a visual diagram developed from semi-structured interviews with 20 underrepresented researchers, showing how barriers and facilitators to narrative CV adoption interconnect.
The map highlights barriers researchers face at an individual level (the unfamiliar writing style, time demands, difficulty emphasizing strengths, cultural/language barriers) and at the funder level (unclear expectations, distrust of the process, concerns about bias), alongside positive features of narrative CVs and practical facilitators funders/institutions can provide. An accompanying glossary defines each barrier and facilitator.
This is a practical visual tool for understanding the specific obstacles underrepresented researchers encounter and what support would help.