‘She has received many honours’: Identity construction in article bio statements

In contrast to the prescribed anonymity of the research article, the bio which accompanies it is perhaps the most explicit assertion of self-representation in scholarly life. Here is a rhetorical space where, in 50–100 words, authors are able to craft a narrative of expertise for themselves. It is a key opening for academics, both novice and experienced, to manage a public image through the careful recounting of achievement. Yet despite the current interest in identity, the bio has largely escaped attention. In this paper we address this neglect through analysis of 600 bios across three disciplines, exploring the importance of discipline, status and gender in mediating the ways writers claim an identity. Our argument is that, despite its brevity, the bio is an important means of representing an academic self through the recognition of collective values and membership.

► We analyse the moves and process types in 600 bios to study identity claims.
► The research article bio is an assertion of academic self-representation.
► Status, gender and discipline all influence identity claims.
► Disciplinary membership is the decisive factor in constructing a credible persona.