Finding the Golden Ticket: Finding the Golden Ticket: How to get your Research How to get your Research

FundedFunded

Sue WhiteSue WhiteProfessor of Social WorkProfessor of Social WorkUniversity of LancasterUniversity of Lancaster

Why do you want to do funded Why do you want to do funded research?research?• Because I have great Because I have great

idea and I need time, idea and I need time, or to employ or to employ researchers to help me researchers to help me to do itto do it

• Because my institution Because my institution tells me I have totells me I have to

• What is in it for What is in it for you/your Dept/your you/your Dept/your colleagues/the world?colleagues/the world?

Becoming an AcademicBecoming an Academic

• Don’t get it right just get it written!Don’t get it right just get it written!

• Believe in what you do. Only chase money of it’s what you want to research Believe in what you do. Only chase money of it’s what you want to research – be inventive, read the specifications properly, ‘tweak’ your ideas and use – be inventive, read the specifications properly, ‘tweak’ your ideas and use appropriate language – appropriate language – this can be hard in target driven departmentsthis can be hard in target driven departments

• Get your social science right – good intentions don’t attract moneyGet your social science right – good intentions don’t attract money

• Don’t be frightened of approaching major funding bodies like ESRC (ignore Don’t be frightened of approaching major funding bodies like ESRC (ignore the scare stories!) –the scare stories!) –go for modest sums they will take the risk if your idea is good and go for modest sums they will take the risk if your idea is good and theory/methods soundtheory/methods sound

• Be wary of negative senior/junior categorizations – they can sap confidenceBe wary of negative senior/junior categorizations – they can sap confidence

• Go to conferences and give papersGo to conferences and give papers

Become a referee Become a referee

One excellent way to learn more about what One excellent way to learn more about what makes a successful application is to makes a successful application is to review and referee proposals.review and referee proposals.

But remember, be constructive and think But remember, be constructive and think about your growing discipline – the ESRC about your growing discipline – the ESRC don’t reject applications WE DO! don’t reject applications WE DO!

There are three main aspects to There are three main aspects to any research proposal:any research proposal:

• The profile of the researcherThe profile of the researcher – why – why you/your team?you/your team?

• The academic case for the researchThe academic case for the research – what is – what is interesting, important and timely about your interesting, important and timely about your research idea and why are you the person to do research idea and why are you the person to do it;it;

• Justification for resources needed and the Justification for resources needed and the costs of these - costs of these - estimating the research time, estimating the research time, equipment, and so on that you would need to equipment, and so on that you would need to complete the project successfully, and drawing complete the project successfully, and drawing up a budget.up a budget.

Background of the applicant

Do you or your team possess:

• Relevant experience and expertise

• A successful track record in similar research

If the answer is ‘no’ then – why are you bidding?If you still want to bid – find a friend!Don’t waste time on futile bids

Making the Academic CaseMaking the Academic Case

• Know your potential funding bodiesKnow your potential funding bodies• Understand their priorities and requirements.Understand their priorities and requirements.• Different organisations have different criteria for Different organisations have different criteria for

awarding grants. awarding grants. • There are often deadlines for applications.There are often deadlines for applications.• Some funding bodies offer support for research Some funding bodies offer support for research

under particular programmes or research areas, under particular programmes or research areas, others are responsive to any proposal they others are responsive to any proposal they receive. receive.

Which funding body?Which funding body?

• Is the sponsor likely to offer funding at a sufficient level, and for long enough? If the sponsor will only provide partial funding, can the balance of funding and facilities you require be made available from other sources?

• Can you meet the application deadlines and are you certain of the application procedures?

• What is the likelihood of success?

• Will you have freedom to publish? Govt Depts and Dodgy democracy!

• Who will have ownership of the results?

• How far are you prepared to tailor your research to a sponsor’s requirements?

CollaborationCollaboration

• Collaboration within and outside your Collaboration within and outside your institution can strengthen your bidinstitution can strengthen your bid

• Make sure you are clear about Make sure you are clear about management and accountability management and accountability within the team.within the team.

Discuss your Research Discuss your Research Proposal Proposal

• Advice from colleagues who have previously Advice from colleagues who have previously made successful applications and/or who made successful applications and/or who have experience of refereeing proposalshave experience of refereeing proposals

• You may be able to consult a “bank” of You may be able to consult a “bank” of previous record applications to help you to previous record applications to help you to frame your proposal.frame your proposal.

• Useful to present an outline of your research Useful to present an outline of your research proposal in an informal seminar, to get proposal in an informal seminar, to get reaction from colleagues at an early stage.reaction from colleagues at an early stage.

Methods and AnalysisMethods and Analysis

Be clear and detailed – many proposals Be clear and detailed – many proposals manage to convince they are manage to convince they are relevant and sexy, but don’t detail relevant and sexy, but don’t detail the methods and form of analysis – the methods and form of analysis – read successful proposalsread successful proposals

EthicsEthics

Ditto – there are fairly stock phrases Ditto – there are fairly stock phrases used by ethics committees – find used by ethics committees – find somewhere to store a bank of them somewhere to store a bank of them e.g. data storage is an increasingly e.g. data storage is an increasingly important matter.important matter.

Make sure you know which external Make sure you know which external premissions you’ll need e.g. NHS premissions you’ll need e.g. NHS RECs, RGF.RECs, RGF.

CostingsCostings

• You can get help with these from You can get help with these from your institutionyour institution

• FEC – friend or foe?FEC – friend or foe?

AudienceAudience

• Provide a ‘summary’ in plain English – use a semi-journalistic style in opening paragraphs to grab attention – it must be memorable!

• Do not assume specialist knowledge – BUT DON’T DUMB DOWN

• You must convince both the expert referee and the less expert committee member that you have an exciting and feasible idea.

• Overstate, rather than understate, your point or question - add the conditions and caveats later

• Make sure the project will complement and not duplicate other people's efforts – so search the literature and cite it!

RefereesReferees

• You can nominate, but they won’t You can nominate, but they won’t necessarily approach your refereenecessarily approach your referee

• Make sure the person you nominate is well Make sure the person you nominate is well respected (don’t be shy!), generous, respected (don’t be shy!), generous, professionally secure, that you’ve spoken professionally secure, that you’ve spoken to them or sent a draft and you trust them to them or sent a draft and you trust them – professional jealousy should not be – professional jealousy should not be under-estimated!under-estimated!

Assessment CriteriaAssessment Criteria• Does the applicant meet the eligibility criteria?

• Does the proposal provide a good fit with the aims of the scheme?

• Does the subject matter fall within the funding institution’s remit?

• Does the proposal adopt an appropriate methodology?

• How significant and important is the project and what contribution will it make?

• Are there precise aims and objectives

• Does the proposal address all the evaluation criteria if they are provided?

• Is the timetable realistic?

• Is the proposal good value for money?

• Are there appropriate plans for dissemination?

• Does the applicant have enough demonstrated experience and knowledge to conduct the research successfully?