ABSTRACT
Researching is a human experience, researchers are people too and the processes, cultures, attitudes and challenges associated with research are all part of that human experience. A sense of being an ‘imposter’ is a common description of a research identity. Whilst J. Sukulku and J. Alexander argue for a narrow definition, with Imposter Phenomenon affecting a ‘small subgroup of people who experience a clinical level of self-perceived intellectual fraudulence, D. Knights and C. A. Clarke take a broader view and identify two other types of insecure identities: ‘aspirants’ and ‘existentialists’. The networking strand is, perhaps, the most obvious area of uncertainty and confusion with regard to impact. In respect of the skills and attributes of researchers consider two models, one descriptive and one conceptual. The ‘descriptive’ Researcher Development Framework was developed by the UK Vitae organisation based upon research taking the views of researchers across all stages of a research career.
