HOW DO I WRITE A GOOD RESEARCH PROPOSAL? FIRST STEPS IN GRANTMANSHIP

HOW DO I WRITE A GOOD RESEARCH PROPOSAL? FIRST STEPS IN GRANTMANSHIP

Consideration before applying for funding - 1 Is this appropriate for research council support? Proposals must demonstrate excellence no prescriptive description Should be able to show: Research is novel, timely, creative, adventurous; Research is of international significance, Have a significant impact (on whom?). Research Councils are typically supporting 25% of proposals Are you confident your proposal will compete at that level?

Consideration before applying for funding - 2 Do you have all the expertise needed to undertake this research project? If not, then consider: Involving co-investigators from your own institution. A multi-institutional proposal with co-investigators from other universities within the UK. Collaborators from overseas. Collaborators from industry.

Consideration before applying for funding - 3 Are you sending this to the correct funding agent? Are you basing your request on eligible costs? Is there any unusual aspect to this proposal that might need particular consideration? If in doubt about any aspect of your proposal, please contact us and discuss it - we are always happy to advise

Defining your proposal Aim for quality rather than quantity we want your best ideas. Set out what you want to do and the resources you need to do it don t constrain to target size/cost. Don t fragment your research the whole is usually greater than the sum of its parts. However, don t lump things together just for the sake of it! Take advantage of appropriate strategic opportunities. But, don t try to twist research to fit call/signpost this rarely works. Don t be scared of multidisciplinary approaches.

Writing a case for support - 1 EPSRC will always make available information about how a proposal will be assessed. Use this to ensure you have covered everything when writing the proposal: The review forms and guidance notes for reviewers are all available on the EPSRC website at www.epsrc.ac.uk/forms/reviewers/default.htm Panel Assessment Criteria and guidance for panel members are similarly available. For targeted calls, the document will include the specific objectives of the call and assessment criteria. Note that some types of grant may have specific criteria and their own unique forms and guidance, or specific addition guidance.

Writing a case for support - 2 Use any assistance your university may have in place: Seek the advice and help of your research office. Look at how other successful proposals are written. Talk with more experienced (successful) applicants. University may provide access to science writers to help in preparing proposals.

Consider your audience Assume you are writing for an informed layman, but don t patronise. Set the context of the proposal. Avoid jargon. Assume nothing is self-evident, be explicit about: Where the novelty and excitement lies, How you will undertake the research, Risks and how you will manage them, Who will contribute to the research, The resources needed for this.

Help the Reviewers Reviewers are busy, so make it easy for them: Clarity rather than style (its not a writing contest). Logical structure that reflects the review criteria. Use a plain font and sensible font size. Avoid dense text make it readable by: Using margins and white space, Using paragraphs, Using diagrams, pictures, equations.

Additional Sections These are part of the case for support and need the same care: Workplan should show clear work packages that can be identified in the main case, who will lead on each, timescale and interdependencies. Justification of Resources clearly identify all the resources needed and why, ensure consistency with form and case for support. Pathways to Impact Keep it realistic, but identify potential impact, who will benefit and what you can do now to help realise the impact. Don t write more than you have to.

Pre-submission Checks Ask your Research Office to check costings and for general feedback. Get someone who is successful at getting funding from EPSRC to read through your proposal. Get someone who is on EPSRC Peer Review college to read your grant and assess it as a reviewer would. Note Your university may operate a formal internal review process.

Responding to Reviewer Comments This is as important, or maybe more so, than the proposal itself. Understand the criticisms. Restrict response to facts, not opinion. Stay dispassionate a rant may make you feel better but will not impress the panel. Answer all the factual comments. Do not use reviewer comments for rebuttal, balancing these is the panel role.