What do statements of interest, teaching, and research mean when applying for an academic job? I'm looking at a job application that asks for the following:


C.V. (required)
Statement of Interests (required)
Cover letter (optional)
Statement of Research (optional)
Statement of Teaching (optional)


I find this confusing because I don't understand what a "Statement of Interests" is supposed to be, relative to the others.  Does anyone know what's expected in a document of this kind?  I'm a bit shy to ask the institution in question just yet, for fear that it's something well-known.
That is a rather confusing request, actually. However, what I think the job offer is looking for in a "statement of interests" is a description of the research areas you are interested in, while the "statement of research" would be a listing of projects you'd plan to start if you were hired. 

However, in many job postings, those two items would potentially be conflated into a single statement. So I'd recommend that you contact the department. I'd recommend doing this by phone, if possible—that way, you don't have to give as much identifying information.