Research interest keywords are the primary signal Scholr uses to match you with supervisors. Choosing them well makes a significant difference in match quality.
What makes a good keyword
Good keywords are specific enough to describe a research area without being so narrow that they exclude relevant supervisors. Compare:
- Too broad: "biology", "computer science", "engineering"
- Too narrow: "single-cell RNA sequencing of T-cell exhaustion in melanoma"
- Well-calibrated: "single-cell genomics", "cancer immunology", "T-cell biology"
Use terms that a professor would use to describe their own lab — the matching algorithm compares your keywords against supervisor profiles and publication abstracts.
How many to add
Add between three and eight keywords. Too few reduces match coverage; too many dilutes the signal. If you're applying across multiple sub-fields, add keywords for each area — Scholr will find supervisors with overlap.
Where they're used
Beyond matching, your research interest keywords are inserted into AI-generated outreach emails and document drafts. More specific keywords produce more accurate, less generic output from the AI features.
Updating your interests
You can update your keywords at any time from the Profile page. Changes take effect immediately for new searches — existing saved supervisors are not affected.