Specific Aims or Selling your Science in One Page - PowerPoint Presentation

1. Specific Aimsor Selling your Science in One PagePedro Fernandez-FunezAssistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosciencepedro.fernandez@neurology.ufl.edu

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4. The Specific Aims are the template or master plan for your Research PlanIf this section works well, everything else will fall naturally in placeRussell and Morrison 2010

5. Capturing the votesReviewers not assigned to your proposal need to catch up during presentation. Abstract, Aims, Significance and Innovation will provide that informationInclude everything that is important and exciting, but without detailThe Aims provide a conceptual framework for the assigned reviewers. The flow of logic has to be so compelling that other reviewers can follow while someone else is talking

6. For a compelling flow of logic, all the components of this section need to be appropriately linked, which requires in-depth understanding of what each component is meant to conveyRussell and Morrison 2010Tip: outlining is your key to developing linkage and avoid unnecessary detail

7. Structure of the Specific Aims

8. Structure of the Specific Aims

9. The IntroductionRelevance of proposal to human healthCurrent knowledge, set up the gap in knowledgeGap in knowledge / unmet needAt this point, the reviewers should understand the medical relevance, be up to speed with current knowledge, and should understand that there is a gap in the knowledge base that constitutes an important problem

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11. What, Why, WhoLong-term goalObjective of this application: the expected product of the researchCentral Hypothesis:Link to objective, provides focus (direction)Objectively testableHow it was generated (prelim data, work by others)Rationale: what will become possible that is not possible now

12. The foundation: The Hypothesishttp://medicine.emory.edu/research/R_series.cfm

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15. Specific Aims paragraphConvey specific about the researchGrow from hypothesis, test its partsBrief, informative, attention-getting headlinesEach aim should convey WHY that part is proposed, not WHAT will be doneYour aims should answer the question: WHY am I proposing this part?Avoid descriptive words: compare, correlate, investigate, determine3-4 aims for RO1, 2 for smaller grants, not interdependent

16. Spelling out your aims

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19. No funding to generate Tg animalsNot hypothesis-driven. Open-ended discoveryNot hypothesis-driven

20. Interdependent aims

21. Specific Aims template (beware of templates)

22. The Payoff paragraphExpected outcomes of the researchPositive ImpactLinear progression of logicGAPObjectiveCentral HypothesisSpecific AimsExpected Outcomes

23. Consider a diagram of your aims

24. From the experts: Keep it simple – expect that your reviewers will be smart but not necessarily experts in your field.NIH reviewers are unlikely to review grants directly in their field of expertise

25. Revise, Revise, Revise As you write your ideas down, they will become clearerAs your ideas become clearer revise your aims pageWriting a grant is a wonderful opportunity to focus the efforts of your labWhat is most importantWhat has to get done quickly

26. Final thoughtsStart earlyGrant writing is hard workAdministrative stuff takes A LOT OF TIMEGet it done early!!!!!!Talk through your aims with your colleaguesRefine and revise your aims as you write the body of the grant – it is okay if they changeWriting a grant is fun – it is an opportunity to refocus and take your research to the next level !!!!Talk with your NIH Program Officer – they have great advice and are your advocate

27. Good Luck!!!!