Developing IFS Research Proposals

www.ifs.sewww.ifs.se

AuthorAID Proposal Writing Workshop June 2011

Read the Guidelines...and

Get the Reader on your Side

•Proposal evaluators are, like scientists, extremely busy people

•They are human beings

•Writing a good proposal is not just a scientific exercise, it is a psychological exercise also.

Writing Project Proposals

Get the Reader on Your Side

Clarity of expressionAvoid abbreviations, jargon, colloquialismsShort words are better than long onesAvoid repetition, redundant expressionsLogical OrderBe precise......

No spelling mistakes, please!

A good proposal is always readable, well-organized, grammatically correct,

and understandable.

Summary of Evaluation CriteriaSummary of Evaluation Criteria

• Applicant's training and experience• Realistic goals and time plan• Well-formulated hypothesis/research question• Up-to-date knowledge of the field• Sound experimental design/ research methods• Relevant to local and regional priorities and

needs• Likely to produce new knowledge• Available and requested resources

The IFS Research Grant The IFS Research Grant

Application FormApplication Form

Project TitleProject Title

Title should be informative and clear. A non-specialist scientist should be able to understand from the title what your research is about.

Project TitleProject Title

Use a working title for later modification

Appealing to an audience that has a general (and specialised)

knowledge of the field. It encourages the reviewer to keep reading.

The Summary

• Should be short• Normally the most important part of your proposal • Should be the best-worded, most concise and most appealing part of your proposal• Is sometimes the only part of the proposal that is carefully read by reviewers

Suitable Summary content is:

Your credibility (you and your organization’s abilities to carry out the research) – a capability statement

Background/problem or need you wish to address

The research objectives

The procedures and methods that will be used

Special resource needs of the project

The likely outcomes and benefits to be derived from the research

Training and Experience

• Sections 8.1 – 8.5• 8.1 Do you have a record of publications in the

proposed area of research?• 8.2 Describe your results relating to your

proposed project• 8.3 Do you have strong institutional support?• 8.4 Are you in contact with other researchers

working on similar topics?• 8.5 Have you indicated that you would like to

establish contacts with leaders in the field?

Training and Experience

8.1 Do you have a record of publications in the proposed area of research?

•If needs be, cite reports, papers in press etc.

•If needs be, cite the less relevant publications

•Don’t leave this section blank.

Training and ExperienceTraining and Experience

• 8.2 Describe your results relating to your proposed project

•Another opportunity to demonstrate your experience in the research topic. How does the proposed research relate to your experience?

•If no relevant experience, where does the topic come from?

Try not to leave it blank!

Training and Experience

• 8.3 Do you have strong institutional support?

Mention the mandate of your institute. How does the research topic link to the mandate and work in your department?

Say how your colleagues might help you with e.g. any techniques with which you are not so familiar.

Do not give the impression you are working alone at your institute. If you are, say why.

Training and Experience

• 8.4 Are you in contact with other researchers working on similar topics?

This section indicates the level of national and international collaboration

Please include contacts’ direct E-MAIL address!

Training and ExperienceTraining and Experience

8.5 Have you indicated that you would like to establish contacts with leaders in the field?

You will find these people in publications and....

Googling helps to find these people also…

Please indicate their direct E-MAIL!

Literature SurveyLiterature SurveyUp-to-date knowledge of the fieldUp-to-date knowledge of the field

• Sections 9.2 – 9.3• Have you convinced the reviewer that you are

familiar with the state of research in this field? Both locally and internationally?

• Your research should lead to new knowledge that complements what has already been done

• Should further elaborate why the problem is important not just in your country but if relevant, in other parts of the world.

Say what is known and not known

Objectives

What you want to achieve by your research/activities (normally what specifically will be achieved if the hypothesis is shown to be true - e. g. to provide some specific, new knowledge that can help the farmers in your country)

Should specify the measurable outcomes of your project.NOT the goals which are more conceptual, ultimate and

abstract (e.g. food security, poverty reduction)

Realistic objectives and time plan

• Sections 9.4, 9.6, and 9.12• Can the work be done in the time allocated?• Are the objectives of the project likely to be reached?• Many projects fail because they are overly ambitious

Desired outcomes resulting directly from your researchShould address need or problem statementShould be brief, focused, to-the-pointNo more than two to five objectivesEach should flow logically to the nextNo one objective should make or break the others or the overall project

Project Objectives

What is it good for?

It is a statement of an objective in such a way that it can be tested by experimentation

A hypothesis – prediction or explanation of the relationship between one or more independent variables

A hypothesis translates the objective into a clear, precise prediction of expected outcomes.

All variables relevant to the study should be identified when formulating a hypothesis

A well-reasoned hypothesis focuses the mind on what has to be done in order to meet the objectives of the project

Scientific Hypothesis

Objectives/Hypothesis - exampleObjectives/Hypothesis - example

Objective:To increase maize yields by application of green manure

Scientific Hypothesis:Application of green manure will increase yields of maize

Scientific HypothesisScientific Hypothesis

Better hypothesis for this objective:

• The use of green manure in maize cultivation will be economically competitive or superior to the current fertiliser regimes used by farmers

• The use of green manure will be environmentally sound

• Check the logic of the sequencing of activities

• Check that the activities reflect all your objectives

• Consult a statistician – do not leave it until after the experiment......

Methods/Experimental PlanMethods/Experimental Plan

Reasonably accurate or notional?

• 11.1 Equipment – cost and suitability• 11.2 Expendable supplies• 11.3 Literature – books, reasonable internet costs• 11.4 Local travel (justify in 11.6). Do not include

conferences or scientific meetings• 11.5 Extra manpower costs (justify in 11.6)

• Major budget lines justified?? (see 11.6)Some applicants simply state e.g. USD 5,000 for field costs – no justification....

BudgetBudget

Finally, share your proposal with your colleagues for

feedback

Preparing for the next time – Preparing for the next time – Revising your projectRevising your project

If not funded, don’t give up!

Ask sponsor for reviewer’s written comments, if available (IFS provides written these).

Ask if it would be worth submitting another proposal in the future.

When revising, be responsive to reviewer comments.

Thank you!

International Foundation for ScienceKarlavägen 108, 5th floor

SE-115 26 StockholmSweden

web: www.ifs.seE-mail: info@ifs.se

tel: +46 8 545 818 00