The Research section of an academic department’s website serves as a window into the institution’s intellectual life — showcasing the discoveries, innovations, and questions that drive its mission. It tells the world what your department is working on and why it matters. Whether you’re launching a new site or refreshing an existing one, structuring your research content thoughtfully ensures it’s both engaging and easy to navigate.
How to Present Research Projects
Your research content should reflect the depth and diversity of the work being done while remaining accessible to a broad audience. Consider different approaches depending on the stage and complexity of each project:
- Short Write-Ups
For early-stage or straightforward projects, keep descriptions concise — just a few sentences that explain the goal and potential impact. Add one or two relevant images to make the content more visually appealing. - Detailed Write-Ups
For complex or completed projects, a more comprehensive overview may be appropriate. Include background context, key findings, and implications. Visual elements like diagrams, charts, and data visualizations can help convey depth and clarity. - Researcher Credits
Listing principal investigators, collaborators, or student contributors gives credit where it’s due and helps visitors connect the research to the people behind it. - Publications
Link related papers, abstracts, or preprints so visitors can explore the scholarly output in more depth. - Supplementary Resources
Include links to full-text PDFs, datasets, videos, or other supporting materials for readers who want to dive deeper into the details.
Preparing Content for Web Developers
Your web development team will handle the design and technical structure, but they rely on you to supply clear, organized content. Provide well-structured summaries of each project, explain how your research areas are categorized, and define any specialized terminology. This ensures that your site accurately reflects your department’s work and makes it intuitive for users to explore.
Structuring Your Research Content
Establishing a clear folder system will make content management far more efficient. Create a dedicated “Research” folder and use subfolders or clearly labeled files for each project. Within each, include:
- Image Files: Use high-resolution images named for easy identification — for example, ProjectName-Experiment.jpg.
- Text Files: Include all written content (summaries, detailed descriptions, researcher names, etc.). Whenever possible, use Word documents instead of PDFs — they’re much easier for developers to extract and format correctly for the web.
- Supporting Files: Add PDFs, datasets, or related resources. Make sure filenames correspond to the correct research project for easy reference.
Bringing It All Together
Effectively organizing your research content means finding the right balance between depth and accessibility. Visitors should be able to grasp what your department does at a glance — but also have the option to explore deeper layers of information.
By preparing structured, high-quality materials and collaborating closely with your web team, you can create a research section that does justice to the innovation happening within your department. A well-organized presentation not only enhances your website’s usability but also strengthens your department’s reputation for excellence and engagement.
At Pendari, we’ve been helping academic institutions tell their stories online for more than 20 years. We’ve seen countless approaches to presenting research content — and we’re ready to help you find the one that fits your vision best. Let’s get started.