Ms Stephanie A Korcheck Research Coordinator for Proposal Development College of Education Workshop Objectives Understand how crafting a research proposal is very different from creating other scholarly works ID: 637750
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Slide1
Effective Strategies for Crafting Competitive Research Proposals for External Funding
Ms. Stephanie A. Korcheck
Research Coordinator for Proposal Development
College of
EducationSlide2
Workshop Objectives
Understand how crafting a research proposal is very different from creating other scholarly works
Learn the critical things you must do as you craft your proposalLeave with specific, practical strategies to make your proposal more compelling to funders
2Slide3
All funded research begins
with
a good idea…3Slide4
Critical Considerations
Be passionate about your project
It’s all about the “so what?” for potential fundersInterdisciplinary approachThink big! Think grandiosely! Your project will change the world!
4Slide5
What are the major differences between preparing a
journal article
and preparing aresearch proposal?5Slide6
Academic
Writing
Grant WritingScholarly pursuit: individual passionSponsor goals: service attitudePast oriented: work that has been doneFuture oriented: work that should be doneTheme-centered:
theory and thesis
Project-centered:
objectives and activities
Expository
rhetoric:
explaining to the reader
Persuasive
rhetoric: “selling” to the readerImpersonal tone: objective, dispassionatePersonal tone: conveys excitementIndividualistic: primarily a solo activityTeam-focused: feedback neededFew length constraints: verbosity is rewardedLength constraints: brevity rewardedSpecialized terminology: insider jargonAccessible language: easily understood
6
Porter, 2007Slide7
Stay Current
7
Discover news and RFAs at the earliest possible timeSubscribe to funder newsletters, announcements, press releasesAttend webinars Grant Resources Center (GRC)http://www.aascu.org/GRC/Default.aspxPivothttp://www.txstate.edu/research/ord/pivot.htmlServe as a reviewer Slide8
What is the first and
most important rule
of preparing your proposal?8Slide9
Know your Funder
Mission
Strategic PlanFunding PrioritiesAwarded ProjectsReview Process and Panel Members
9Slide10
Digging Deeper – Awarded Projects
10
Federal RePORTER databasehttps://federalreporter.nih.gov/Projects/SmartSearch NIH RePORTER database https://
projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm
NSF
Award
Search
www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/index.jsp
USDA
Current Research Information
System http://cris.nifa.usda.gov/ Slide11
Who’s Reading Your Proposal?
11
Often only three of full panelEveryone else, ONLY Abstract/Project SummarySeasoned grant reviewers will admit tomaking up their minds on the first page
NIH Video - “Peer Review Revealed”
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBDxI6l4dOA
Slide12
Preparing Your Proposal
Do you have enough time?
Step 1Step 2Step 3Proposal ChecklistGeneral Writing Style Guide http://www.education.txstate.edu/orsp/submit/writing-tips.html
12Slide13
Create a Work
Plan
www.education.txstate.edu/orsp/submit/develop-idea.htmlList how your project directly relates to what you know about the funder using their languageNote repetitive words/phrases in program guidelines & application instructionsEmail program officer a three-paragraph summary of your project’s “so what?”13
Before You Start Writing…Slide14
What are the
most important components of
a proposal?14Slide15
Project Title
Identify words/phrases that emphasize
project’s “so what?” and innovationUse identified words/phrases to create several titles10 words or lessDon’t waste words – “A Study of…”
Know your audience re: jargon
Look at titles of funded projects
Ask colleagues and family/friends to help winnow list and refine
15Slide16
Project Title
(continued)
Use Short Title in place of “this study” or “this proposal” in your narrativeExamplesStudies on the Development of Objective Techniques for Monitoring the Development of Visual Acuity in Infantsvs.Visual
Acuity in Infants: Objective Monitoring of its
Development
Short Title
:
Visual Acuity in
Infants
Project SUPERB: Scholars Using Psychology and Education to Reach Bilinguals
SoberCats Smartphone App to Decrease Binge Drinking in College Students 16Slide17
Abstract and 1
st
PageHardest, most time-consuming to craftMust “grab” reviewers, create enthusiasm!
S
uccinct
, compelling
descriptions in abstract
Problem/need
your project addresses
and why it is important –
situate
in current literatureHow you will conduct the research – research questions/goals, research design (methods, data analysis & interpretation)
Significance
& impact (so what?) – inform the literature, benefit participants, broader impact by changing policy and practice
17Slide18
Follow the Instructions!
If necessary, repeat Steps 1-3 on slide 12
Pay attention to the details – formatting requirements, page limits, required vs. optional documentsNarrative – present the required information in the order they request itEven if you don’t like it, think it doesn’t flow well, or want to use a different orderUse their headings
Why?
18Slide19
Don’t use language that raises doubts about your ability to complete the project
Be
confident, positive, and definitive about what you will do, how you will do it, what you will accomplishSoberCats will examine…We plan/intend
to examine
….
Project
SUPERB
’s findings
will
…
It is expected
that Project SUPERB’s findings will…Avoid conditional words – but, if, howeverUse active voice – no forms of “be” (am, is, was, were, are, been)passive: The project team is planning to
…
active
:
The project team
will
…
19
Do. Or do not. There is no try.Slide20
Important Tips
Appearance and layout matter
white space – allows reader to “rest”headings/subheadings – help reader mentally organize your project’s components
Use a footer, if allowed – see
Work Plan
and
Style Guide
for example
Bad/inconsistent grammar, spelling, and punctuation will distract reader from substance of proposal
Research Coordinator can proof final draft
20Slide21
Most Common Mistakes
21
Poor writing stylevague and unfocussedtoo dense, “academic”Mistakes in spelling and grammarmust have sufficient time to prepare application documentsassumption that sloppy
errors will translate into
research and/or award administrationSlide22
Resources
22
Colleagues who have been fundedCollege Research CoordinatorsOffice of Research Developmenthttp://www.txstate.edu/research/for-researchers.htmlProposal planning and writing resourcesDo’s and don’ts of talking with program officersSlide23
23
Questions?Slide24
24
Ms
. Stephanie A. KorcheckResearch Coordinator for Proposal DevelopmentOffice of Research and Sponsored ProgramsCollege of Educationsk18@txstate.edu; 512-245-2041http://www.education.txstate.edu/orsp
/
Presenter Information