20140731 edanz beppu writing grants in english that have impact seminar
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Jeffrey Robens, PhD Senior Research Consultant
Education Group Leader
Writing Grants in English That Have Impact
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
31 July 2014
Be an effective communicator
You need convince the funder that your study deserves to be funded
Consider a relevant problem
Logically organize your research plan
Effectively communicate your ideas
Before you begin
Section 1
Customer Service Before you begin Who is evaluating your grant?
Multidisciplinary
International
Different ages
Needs to be clear to those outside immediate field
Cultural considerations
Older: more conservative Younger: more flexible/liberal
Customer Service Before you begin What are they evaluating?
Three important aspects that will be evaluated:
1. Does this study need to be done?
2. Will the study be conducted well?
3. How will this study be useful?
Customer Service Before you begin Identify a problem
Thoroughly evaluate the literature • Primary and secondary
Identify knowledge gaps • Should be focused (one sentence rule) • Not yet addressed • Already addressed, but not successfully
Customer Service Before you begin Specify objectives
1. Realistic solution to the problem
2. Cost effective
3. Competence: you have ability to complete project
Three key points for the funding agency:
Customer Service Before you begin Finding grants
Public Government agencies
Private Foundations, charities
Mitsubishi Foundation1
Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation2
Search online and/or discuss with colleagues
Important! a
Find grants whose aims are similar in scope as your project
1. http://www.mitsubishi-zaidan.jp/en/ 2. http://matsushita-konosuke-zaidan.or.jp/en/works/research/promotion_research_01.html
Customer Service Before you begin Finding grants
https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-grants/grants05_2012.html
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
FY2012
Customer Service Before you begin Finding grants
https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-kadai/index.html 1. http://www.mext.go.jp/component/b_menu/shingi/toushin/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2012/12/13/1325360_2_1.pdf
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
Topic-Setting Program to Advance Cutting-Edge Humanities and Social Sciences Research
• Based on 2012 report to advance social sciences1
• Encourage collaborative research in three areas: 1. Interdisciplinary research with other sciences 2. Collaborations making societal contributions 3. International collaborations to advance social sciences
Customer Service Before you begin
Determine methodology
Table Organize your methodology
What will you need to do to reach your objectives?
Step What you need to do
Method used Time required
Who will do it
Required materials
1 Make questionnaire
Access archives 4 weeks Person X/Y Travel costs
2 Validate questionnaire
Test in sample population
8 weeks Person Y/Z Compensation
3 Enroll participants, demographics
Contact online, meet in person
4 weeks Person X/Z Travel costs
Customer Service Before you begin Statistical considerations
Participants Power calculation
for sample size
Data analysis Sample distribution,
endpoints, group number
Consult with a statistician!
Shows you have thoroughly thought about the results you will receive and how to analyze them
Logically organizing your research plan
Section 2
Research plan Essential information
Proposal summary
Background
Purpose
Plan
Results/implications
Budget/timeline
Dissemination
Credentials
Reference letters
Research plan Additional info
Research plan Well-defined research question
Break general question into 3–4 more concise questions
1. How are local government policies developed? 2. How are local government policies implemented? 3. How is efficacy of these policies monitored? 4. How are these policies updated?
“How do local government policies affect birth rates in rural Japan?”
Establishes focus
Research plan
• Review background
• State problem and objectives
• Describe methodology
• Expected results
• Significance and implications
1-page summary Usually 2–4 paragraphs
Proposal summary
Research plan Proposal summary
JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research Summary
Purpose and Background
Why this study needs to be done
Research methods How you will perform the study
Expected results and significance
Key outcomes and implications
Additional information: relevant publications, study duration, requested budget, contact information
Research plan
Important to remember!
Often only section read by grant committee before sending for review
Answer three key questions:
1. What will be learned? 2. Why is this worth knowing? 3. How will conclusions be validated?
Proposal summary
Research plan Background
General introduction
Aims
Current state of the field
Problem in the field
Research plan Background – General introduction
Introduce broadly to set context
• Establish interest in the topic
• Why is this topic important/relevant?
• Why is this topic worth funding?
Topic: Why birth rates in rural Japan are declining
Importance: Affects domestic food production
Research plan Background – Current state of the field
Thorough literature review
• What has been done previously?
• What are the current solutions?
• What are the problems/limitations of these solutions?
• What are the active debates?
Tip! Review variety of databases: Dissertation Abstracts
International, Periodical Index, Social Science Citation Index, Annual Reviews, Modern Language Association International Index
Research plan Background – Problem in the field
Important, but solvable, problem
Problem should be focused
Bad: “Why are birth rates declining in rural areas in Japan?”
Good: “How do local government policies affect the birth rates in rural Japan?”
One-sentence rule: You should be able to describe your research problem in one sentence
Research plan Study purpose
Concrete goals
• Not ‘fishing expedition’ • Goals used to evaluate progress • Not preconceived
Bad examples
• “Determine why birthrates in rural Japan are declining.”
• “Will show that poor implementation of local government policies is responsible for the declining birthrates in rural Japan.”
Research plan Study purpose
Discuss the 3–4 broken down questions
“In this study, we have four objectives:
1. Evaluate how local government policies are developed
2. Investigate how local government policies are implemented
3. Determine how the efficacy of these policies is monitored
4. Assess how these policies are updated”
Make it clear how you will solve the problem
Research plan Study purpose
Important points to remember
Emphasize who are the beneficiaries, and how will they be affected?
• Beneficiaries are Japanese residents in rural areas.
• Your study may help increase birthrates and revitalize their community/economy.
Research plan Study purpose
Important points to remember
If novel solution, need to emphasize why this has not been done before:
Turning points or breakthroughs allowing you to now address this problem?
“Recently, government records in many rural areas in Japan have become digitized, allowing for a large scale comparative analysis.”
Research plan Study purpose
Important points to remember
How will this study help to advance the field?
• Will it help answer a current debate?
• Will it help establish a new idea or an alternative viewpoint on an existing idea?
“This study will help resolve the current issue of whether government policies are directly influencing birth rates in rural Japanese areas.”
Research plan Proposed plan
Methodology
Before writing this section:
• Make a flowchart to show how study conducted
• Make a table showing who will do what, time allocation, and deliverables
Important points: Sample selection and size
Inclusion and exclusion criteria Statistical tests
Research plan Proposed plan – Flowchart
1 2 3 4 : Objective
1
2
3
4
5
6
Tim
e (m
o)
Research plan Proposed plan
Logically describe methodology: Same order as objectives
Who/what used
Be specific: e.g., which towns/records Justification: e.g., publically available
How it will be done
Describe techniques New techniques: why & validation
Data analysis
Quantification methods Statistical tests: significance and power
Research plan Proposed plan – Timetable
Year 1
Activity Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Sample selection
Collect data from local governments
Collect data from local hospitals
Data refinement
Statistical analysis of data
Preparation and submission of paper
Research plan Proposed plan
Important points!
Innovation May be other similar studies
• How is yours different/innovative? • Demonstrate yours is most effective
Competency Demonstrate expertise in proposed
techniques (e.g., previously published)
Appendices Do not put lengthy technical details in
your main text—difficult to read!
Research plan Expected results
Expectation based on logic/previous publication
“Because the inefficient implementation of government policies has been shown to influence literacy rates in rural communities in Spain13, we expect this may also be a factor affecting birth rates in rural Japan.”
Implications and future directions
“The results obtained from this proposed study will help local governments more effectively implement new policies to increase birth rates in rural areas. It will also be interesting to determine if other…”
Research plan Budget
Salaries Operating costs Travel
Equipment Information systems Consumables
• Review guidelines to determine what is covered • Show costs in a table
Consider all costs associated with this study
Research plan Example budget
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/ grant-proposals-or-give-me-the-money/
Justify all costs
Research plan Dissemination
What are your deliverables? (Optional)
Publication type
Book or journal articles? Expected journals
Readership Who is your target audience?
Timeline Will each objective be separate paper?
When and how long to write?
Research plan Credentials
Establish trust and confidence
Updated CV: • Publications • Honors/awards • Previously received grants
(especially if from same funder)
Related previous publications
Technical competency
Applicable collaborations
Research plan Reference letters
Who to ask • Young researchers: former advisors • Advanced researchers: collaborators,
journal editors, society members
When to ask
• Early, before you finish writing • Prepare one-page summary:
Summarize background/problem Present objectives/research plan Describe significance
Discuss • Discuss your research plan • Encourage questions/suggestions
Effective writing
Effective writing Improving readability
Use short sentences Limit your sentences to 15–20 words
One idea per sentence
Use active voice Simpler, more direct, and easier to read
ACS Style Guide: “Use the active voice when it is less wordy and more direct than the passive”. (3rd ed., pg. 42)
Effective writing Paragraph structure – assert and justify
Topic sentence Introduce what the paragraph is about
Justify Support your claim with evidence
Despite steadily rising enrollment rates in U.S. postsecondary institutions, high dropout rates and weak academic performance remain persistent problems among undergraduates.
For academic institutions, high attrition rates complicate enrollment planning and place added burdens on efforts to recruit new students. For students, dropping out before earning a terminal degree represents untapped human potential and a low return on their investment in college. Poor academic performance is often indicative of difficulties in adjusting to college and makes dropping out more likely.
Zajacova et al. Res Higher Ed. 2005; 46: 677–706.
Effective writing Additional tips to improve readability
Repetition • Identify key phrases in grant aims • Repeat throughout your grant proposal
Parallel structure
• Research problem and objectives • Within your paragraphs (assert and justify) • Summary and main text
Consistency • Use the same terminology throughout • Especially with multiple authors
Effective writing Additional tips to make an impact
Start your grant proposal with a thought-provoking statement
Questions “Are local government bureaucrats affecting
the birth rates in rural Japan?”
Conflicts “New local Japanese government policies were expected to increase birth rates in rural communities–yet these rates continue to fall.”
Bold claim “The rapid decline of rural birth rates in Japan is caused by the inefficient implementation of local government policies.”
Effective writing Additional tips to make an impact
Start your grant proposal with a thought-provoking statement
“Does culture, defined as the shared knowledge guiding social interaction and other behaviors within a social group, influence individual psychobioloigcal adaptation? Can the links between culture, individual behavior, and individual psychobiological adaptation be traced? This continues to be a fundamental question facing anthropology.”
Good example
http://www.as.ua.edu/ant/Faculty/dressler/Dressler%20Brazil%20NSF.pdf
Be an effective communicator
You need to convince the grant agency that your study deserves to be funded
Consider a relevant problem
Logically organize your research plan
Effectively communicate your ideas
Thank you!
Any questions?
Follow us on Twitter
@JournalAdvisor
Like us on Facebook
facebook.com/EdanzEditing
Download and further reading edanzediting.co.jp/apu_140731
Jeffrey Robens: [email protected]