Grant Writing Worksheet: Structure and Argument

Transcription

1 WRITING SUPPORT SERVICES Overview Grant Writing Worksheet: Structure and Argument In a grant application, you not only tell the story about your research project, but also communicate why you are the right person to conduct the research. The spine of a solid grant pitch consists of an argument that answers three key questions: (1) What is the significance of your research? (2) How will you address, or fill a gap in the scholarship? (3) Why are you the right person to conduct this research? What background academic and/or professional has prepared you for this undertaking? You should also mention your supervisor/committee by name(s), if relevant, and include a brief timeline to demonstrate the feasibility of the project. The worksheet provides a general template for grant writing proposals. Ensure that you read the grant instructions, as each grant has specific guidelines. However, most grant applications consist of a few components not necessarily in this order: research problem and gap; question and significance; methodology; literature review and accomplishments; and references. Read the scholarship guidelines! Situate the research problem and gap What scholarly context/information/concept(s) does the reader need to know to understand your research problem? Open this section with a hook statement that catches your readers attention. In this section, jot down a few points about context that helps to situate your research problem/question/hypothesis and indicate the methodology that you will draw on: EXAMPLE 1: Major trends e.g. There is a developing consensus by many researchers on. EXAMPLE 2: Contextualization of the research problem (historical, biological, social etc.) Is there a key concept/term/claim that will help the reader quickly understand your research? e.g. The movement of South Asian émigré writers between India and the Britain during the interwar years reshaped Indian literature [ ]. Gap(s) in the scholarship Consider: An opening hook statement: Are there gaps in logic or flaws in reasoning in the research literature that your project will focus on? Is there a topic that has not been sufficiently addressed in the research literature? The gap in the scholarship: This research will address the gap by : e.g. However, few writers have been able to draw on any systematic research into. EXAMPLE 3: The significance of the research for the field(s)? Any practical/clinical implications? e.g. Research on the implications of is particularly important for.

2 Research question and significance Point(s) of discussion, debate, or dispute. Be sure to identify a primary research question. Do not include too many questions. In this section, generate three possible primary questions and rank them in terms of priority, significance and feasibility. Once you have located the most relevant research question, indicate out how addressing it will add to the literature on the topic. If relevant, locate a secondary research question. Research question Research question Research question The primary research question is The significance of the research question: Methodology In this section, write out the methodology you intend to use for your study: You might consider alternate methodologies to build an argument for the suitability of your approach. Do not go into too much detail unless absolutely necessary. EXAMPLE 1: Introducing the methodology e.g. Several approaches have been suggested for studying. Consider: Other approaches to the research problem: Strengths and weaknesses: Why is your approach appropriate? Possible limitations: EXAMPLE 2: Methodological weaknesses leading to your approach e.g. One major drawback with this approach is. A much more systematic approach would identify how X interacts with other variables that are believed to be linked to. Hence, this study proposes to. Key source(s) needed to summarize my research:

3 Literature Review A literature review is not a list summary, but a synthesis of the key works that justify the suitability of your research. Be sure to address the major studies related to your research and also indicate how your work differs from these. In this section, prepare a sketch of your review of the literature using transitional words and phrases to build your argument (hint: don t include too many studies): EXAMPLE 1: Transitioning between research studies: e.g. It is interesting to compare this finding with assertion that. EXAMPLE 2: Show agreement/consensus e.g. Similar results/findings were reported by. EXAMPLE 3: Show disagreement e.g. These findings seem* to contradict the widely accepted view that. *Note the use of cautious ( hedging ) language (e.g. seem, tend) Key source(s) needed to tell the story about the research problem: 1) 2) EXAMPLE 4: Rearticulate the gap in the scholarship to justify the necessity of your research: e.g. These results support the theory that ; however there is still a gap in understanding of. This study will address this by proposing. 3) 4) 5)

4 Accomplishments What relevant accomplishments support your suitability to conduct the study? Write out your relevant academic and professional accomplishments in the space below: EXAMPLE 1: Program/department/ supervisor/committee information (if applicable) to build your argument e.g. The Department of at the University of Calgary is consistently ranked as one of the best in the country. I will primarily work with who is currently the. is widely acknowledged to be one of the leading scholars in. EXAMPLE 2: Publications/conference/other awards e.g. I have submitted articles to My full-length monograph on has been accepted for publication with and will be published in. Other: Related Professional Experience Timeline Bibliography

5 Notes

6 FAQ Questions, answers & troubleshooting For more information, consult Additional Resources. \ Q1: What are the three most common problems that graduate students face when writing a grant application? Generally, graduate students do not adequately prepare to write a competitive grant application. A grant application can take up to an entire semester to develop, write and revise. Start your application early! Second, students do not consider their audience and rely on specialized language that jury members might not understand. The academics adjudicating your application might not be in your field. Reduce the jargon in your grant application to the bare minimum and when possible eliminate it. Third, applicants often do not situate their work around a gap in the scholarship. A proposal particularly at the PhD level puts forward a novel and significant contribution to a field. Finally, students do not properly edit their work. Plan to spend one-third of your time on research and reading, onethird of your time on writing and one-third of your time on revising, editing and checking facts. Q2: What supports should I use to help me prepare my grant application? Ask for feedback from your supervisors, colleagues and experts in your field. Attend the grant workshops offered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and watch online grant videos by Tri-Council officers. Finally, the Student Success Centre, Writing Support Services, offers writing workshops for graduate students, in addition to individualized one-onone support with writing consultants and academic development specialists. Q3: Should I hire an editor to revise my application? Some graduate programs might allow you to hire a professional editor. If this is permissible, you should first consider visiting the Student Success Centre. SSC staff members are professional editors, advisors, academic writers and authors many who have won Tri-Council awards and other scholarships. Although we will not edit your grant proposal, we do offer individualized support for graduate students working on applications. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Faculty of Graduate Studies, My GradSkills, the Student Success Centre Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Calgary FGS offers a number of resources for students preparing grant applications. To learn more, visit: My GradSkills, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Calgary The My GradSkills website features a number of informative scholarship workshops. Visit MyGradSkills: Graduate Leaders Circle, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Calgary The GLC is a group of Vanier and Killam recipients who offer Scholarship Cafés during the Fall Term. For more information see: University of Calgary, Student Success Centre, Writing Support Services The SSC provide one-on-one writing consultations and proposal writing workshops for graduate students. See Asher Ghaffar, Writing Support Services, Student Success Centre, University of Calgary