Crafting an impact narrative
Build a robust impact narrative using meaningful indicators and evidence.
Impact narratives are your opportunity to turn evidence into a compelling story that highlights the value of your research and its real-world benefits.
Use a narrative CV to highlight your role in the activities that created impact. Impact narratives and narrative CVs are tools for building trust, advancing your career, and showing how your research makes a difference beyond academia.
Impact narratives help communicate the outcomes and benefits of your research in ways that are meaningful, engaging, and evidence-informed. The process of writing an impact narrative is also an opportunity to reflect on what worked, what could be strengthened, and how you might maximise impact in the future.
What does an impact narrative look like?
Impact narratives can take many forms depending on their purpose and audience. At their core, they provide a clear, compelling explanation of how research led to change and why that change matters. These narratives may be short summaries or longer, evidence-rich stories, but all should connect research activities to meaningful outcomes.
Impact narratives can be used in a wide range of contexts, including:
- Promotions and academic career portfolios
- Grant applications and reporting
- Research awards and prizes
- Case studies and institutional showcases
- Websites, annual reports, and public-facing communications
- Infographics, videos, or visual stories for stakeholder or community presentations
- Policy briefs and impact reports
- REF-style case studies and other formal evaluation exercises
Because they are adaptable, impact narratives may highlight different levels of detail, emphasise specific audiences (e.g. community partners, funders, policymakers), or integrate storytelling elements to bring research impact to life. Different audiences care about different outcomes; therefore you should tailor the tone, content, and format of your story to ensure relevance and engagement. Keep your narrative concise, avoid jargon, and focus on making clear links between your research and the changes it helped to bring about.
The Researcher Impact Framework by Giovanna Lima and Sarah Bowman is an excellent resource to help you craft your impact narrative. Note that, as this is an overseas resource, it does not have our unique Aotearoa lens.
An example narrative structure
A strong impact narrative should clearly state what the research was about, who benefited and how, when the benefit occurred, your role in the change, and the evidence that supports your claims. When indicators and evidence are used together, they can create a powerful story that communicates the impact of your work.
Consider using the following simple structure to begin building your own impact narrative:
Challenge → Contribution → Change → Evidence → Significance
- Challenge: Describe the problem, challenge, or need your research addresses.
Write a short paragraph explaining the broader issue, who is affected, and why it matters. You may also highlight gaps in knowledge, systems, or practice that your research responds to. - Contribution: Describe what you or your team have done (or will do) to address this challenge.
Summarise your actions, specific role, and the methods or approaches used. Include what has been or could be developed, implemented, or tested, and acknowledge any collaborative or co-designed elements. Defining your role quickly clarifies what expertise you bring and frames the problem your research addresses. - Change: Describe what has changed—or is expected to change—as a result of your research.
Detail the outcomes or differences your research has led to, utilising indicators of change you may have identified. These may include changes in awareness, behaviour, policy, practice, systems, or conditions. Try to ensure the change is framed clearly as a result of your contribution, showing a logical and traceable pathway from effort to outcome. - Evidence: Describe what evidence supports the change you’ve described.
Incorporate evidence of change, being specific and transparent about how it demonstrates that change has occurred or is emerging. Include both qualitative and quantitative evidence where appropriate. Evidence backs up your claims, making the impact measurable and credible. By citing data points, policy citations, or testimonials, you show that the research has made a real-world difference. - Significance: Explain why the change matters and to whom.
Reflect on the scale, reach, or depth of the impact—how many people were affected, in what sectors, and how meaningful or sustained the change is or could be. Consider what your audience values most and speak to those priorities.
Best practice examples of impact evidence
UK REF2014 Case Studies
Database of nearly 7,000 impact case studies from all research disciplines. You can use this to gain inspiration around the type of impact your research might have, and the type of evidence you might capture.
UK REF2021 Case Studies
Database of the 2021 impact case studies from all research disciplines. You can use this to gain inspiration around the type of impact your research might have, and the type of evidence you might capture.
Australian EI Case Studies
Database of 245 example case studies from the Australian Engagement and Impact assessment 2018.
UC Research Impact Case Studies
Each case study from the University of Canterbury provides a big picture description of how the researcher works towards making positive change in the world, with early career researchers describing how they plan for change, even if that change hasn’t yet been delivered.