Session 3: Writing the Project Narrative

Lucy Deckard Academic Research Funding Strategies, LLC Ldeckard@academicresearchgrants.com

Sessions Session 1: Getting Started—Setting Agenda, Identifying Potential Funders and Taking Advantage of Available Resources (Friday, Feb. 1st from 9 am – noon)

Session 2: Developing a Competitive Proposal Part 1—Planning Your Proposal (Friday Feb. 15th from 9 am – noon)

Session 3: Developing a Competitive Proposal Part 2—Planning Writing the Project Narrative (Friday March 1st from 9 am – noon)

Session 4: Developing a Competitive Proposal Part 3—Writing the Other Sections (Friday March 15th from 9 am – noon)

Session 5: Developing Synergistic Partnerships (Friday April 5th from 9 am – noon)

Session 6: Developing NSF CAREER and Other New Investigator Proposals (Friday April 19th from 9 am – noon)

Session 7: Other Essential Knowledge and Wrap-up (Friday April 30th from 9 am – noon)

Assignment Check-in

Meet with your Director of Research Administration

Outline/write your Introduction & Overview Section

What’s in a Typical Project Narrative?

What you’re going to do (goals or aims)

Why it’s important and meets the criteria of the funder and program

How you’ll do it

Why you/your team is qualified and likely to succeed

The resources you have that will help you succeed

Typical Project Narrative – NSF Project Description (15 pages typ.)

Intro/Overview (~1 – 3 pages)

Goals, objectives, research questions, significance, innovation, etc.

Background (~ 2 – 4 pages)

Relationship to current State of the Art

Preliminary Data (~2 – 4 pages)

Research Plan (~5 – 8 pages)

Management Plan - for team proposals (~0.5 – 1.5 pages)

Education and Outreach Plan (~1 – 3 pages)

Broader Impacts (~0.5 – 1.5 pages)

Typical Research Plan - NIH

Specific Aims (1 page limit)

Research Strategy (12 page limit for R01; 6 pages for R03)

Significance (~1 – 2 pages)

Innovation (~0.5 – 1 page)

Approach (~9 – 10 pages for R01)

Specific Aim 1

Preliminary Studies

Experimental Design

Specific Aim 2, etc.

Typical NEH Fellowship Narrative Section

Narrative Section (3 page limit) Goal, significance, context

Background

Prior Work

Project Plan

Generally not separate named

sections

Typical ED Develop. & Innov. Project Significance of Project

Research aims, Context, Importance, etc.

Research Plan Methodology, Sample, Pilot Study, Measure, etc.

Personnel Who they and what their roles are

Why they’re qualified

Resources

Other Results of previous grants, etc.

Get to the exciting stuff here!

The Project Narrative: Getting Started

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FirstParagraph

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Generic Intro

Long, unconnected background

Strong, Unique Intro

Concise background that provides context

Get to the exciting stuff here!

The Introduction and Overview

Long-term research goal/Context

Project specific goal(s)

Significance/Need

Hypotheses/research questions/new knowledge

How your approach is different

Expected outcomes

Put Your Project in Context

The Big Question or The Big Need

Preliminary Work Funded project 1 Funded project 2

Project Goals/Specific Aims Project Objective 1 Project Objective 2 Project Objective 2

Common Mistake: The Generic Intro You are a reviewer for a DOE Biofuels Program, and you have to review four proposals this evening.

The first proposal starts: The U.S. is facing a critical problems with its energy supply. Biofuels offer great promise as a renewable, sustainable alternative to petroleum products….

The second proposal starts: Biofuels are an environmentally friendly and sustainable source of energy ….

The third proposal starts: To meet the Nation’s energy needs, it is imperative that we develop new, sustainable sources of energy. Biofuels have made large strides in recent years ….

What if the fourth proposal said…

A critical problem in making biofuels practical is

making step x in the synthesis process more

efficient. Our proposed project will address this

problem by using the following innovative

approach….

The first sentence is specific to this proposal

It identifies the kernel of their great idea within the first couple of sentences.

What is the kernel of your great idea?

What you will accomplish

The approach you will use

The problem you’re addressing

New tools or resources you’ll bring to the problem

The team you’ve assembled

Put it up front!

Example: NEH Fellowship First Four Paragraphs

Long-term Goal: Explore concepts of the relationship between mind and body in the nineteenth century

Goal of this project (a book): Nervous illness in America in the late-nineteenth century

Opportunity/Innovation: New source - letters from women suffering from “nervous illness”

Key Questions: What did late-19th-century Americans mean when they spoke of nerves…

First sentence is unique to this project

NEH Fellowship: First Paragraph

I am writing A Case of the Nerves, a book on late-nineteenth century “American nervousness.” Many believed in that era that Americans were too tense, suffering from neurasthenia or hysteria, and experiencing “nervous prostration.” Before Freud and his followers informed the American public that all was in the mind, especially in subconscious mental life with its profound link to the emotions and sexuality, American physicians emphasized the important role of the body and physical organs in what is today labeled mental illness. In particular, Americans read, heard, and thought about the controlling force of the nerves. As a cultural historian, I hope to explore the nervous body as those in the late nineteenth century envisioned it. The subject offers a critical intersection where the biological person meets the ideas and practices of the age.

Project goal is presented early

Provides context

On NEH website: Link

Overarching goal Significance

NIH Example: Specific Aims First paragraph

Capsid structures, variation and flexibility. This project brings together the skills of laboratories at Cornell University and at Pennsylvania State University Medical Center to provide a detailed understanding of the roles of structural variation and flexibility in the parvoviral capsid, and their effects on receptor and antibody binding and the controls of cell infection and host range. These are fundamental problems that apply to all animal viruses, where the capsid must protect the genome in the environment, interact with host molecules including cell receptors and antibodies, and undergo a series of regulated structural transitions during cell entry to eventually release the genome for replication. Viral capsid binding to host receptors and antibodies can have varying and often unpredictable effects on infection, and those interactions also control many other replication steps. Where these virus-host interactions are specific they can control the viral host ranges.

First sentence is unique to this project

From NIAID website (also on Workshop webpage)

Project goal is presented early

Significance

Explains who is doing the work (team)

Typical Successful Approach to NIH Specific Aims

One or two overview paragraphs giving the long-term goals, context, significance

Specific Aim 1 Hypothesis

Approach/Detailed Objectives

Specific Aim 2 Hypothesis

Approach/Detailed Objectives

Etc.

Requirements for Specific Aims

Must be independent e.g., if Specific Aim 1 fails, you can still do Specific Aim 2

Must be specific It will be clear if you accomplished the Aim

Avoid vague terminology such as “explore,” “investigate,” etc.

Must be hypothesis-driven (usually)

Common NSF Terminology Overarching Goal

What is your big, long-term goal?

Project Goals What are you trying to accomplish with this project?

Project Objectives What specific things do you have to accomplish in order to reach your goals?

Tasks What are the “action items” in order to accomplish your objectives?

Significance

This is key!

NIH: Dedicated section

Most funders: Must work it into your narrative

Defined in relation to the funder’s priorities and mission

Common Mistakes

Vague or unsubstantiated claims “This research is transformative.”

“This research is novel.”

Overblown or unrealistic claims

Too-narrow discussion of significance

The Background Section What is the current state of knowledge and how does this relate to your project?

What are the holes in knowledge and how will your research fill them?

Cite important work but don’t provide a comprehensive literature review covering the entire history of the subject

Keep relating discussion to your project

Common Mistakes Teach “Biofuels 101”

Need to discuss previous work addressing the particular issues related to biofuels addressed by your project

Too-long background section

Recitation of everything done without connection to the proposed project

Very brief, dismissive discussion of prior work by others

Preliminary Data/Prior Work

Sometimes folded in with Background, but be careful!

Summarize up front the significance of your data as it relates to your project

Beware getting bogged down in too many details

Be clear who did the work – beware passive voice and the royal “we”

Example First Paragraph

A number of preliminary studies performed by the PI and her lab demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed project. In summary, these results are: (a) integration of the proposed microscope system has already been started and is feasible (Figure 3); (b) the PI has demonstrated the ability to image live cells using contact mode AFM (Figure 4), and to conduct quantitative topography measurements using AFM cell images (Figure 5); (c) the PI has been able to conduct quantitative measurements of receptor-ligand adhesion forces (Figure 6); (d) the PI has successfully imaged fluorescent live cells (Figure 7); (e) accurate alignment of cell images using AFM and optical methods was demonstrated (Figure 8); This work is briefly described below:

Writing Your Project Plan/Experimental Plan Section

This is where things get complex!

Don’t Lose Your Reviewer!

Use figures, flow charts, tables, bullet lists, etc.

Use heading and subheadings to help reviewers locate the information

Bold, italics and underlining (used judiciously) can help reviewers find important points

No tiny fonts or illegible figure labels

Research Plan How will you accomplish your goals, step by step?

Give a concise overview before launching into details.

Develop an easy-to-follow structure For example

Objective Phases

Tasks

This research plan has three phases, with each focused on a specific stimulus (pH, temperature,or light) that will be used to control nanoparticle microstructure. Three experimental tasks will be performed within each phase: (1) polymer synthesis and characterization, (2) suspension preparation and characterization, and (3) polymer composite preparation and characterization. Many of the model stimuli-responsive polymers we will use are not available commercially and will need to be synthesized by my students or with the help of a collaborating group. Professor David Bergbreiter’s group in Chemistry at Texas A&M University [74,80] and Professor Xin Wei’s group in Chemistry at Texas Southern University [115-116] will provide assistance with polymer synthesis in the form of consultation and hands-on laboratory assistance. Each polymer’s molecular weight and stimuli-responsive behavior will be characterized prior to mixing with the model nanoparticles. Singlewalled carbon nanotubes, provided by Carbon Nanotechnologies (Houston, TX), will be the most used particles, but we will also study differences in microstructural control when silver nanowires (provided by Prof. Xia at Univ. of Washington) and CdS nanowires (provided by Prof. Regev at Ben Gurion University in Israel) are used instead of SWNTs. Nanoparticle chemistry and polymer responsiveness are expected to play a significant role in the range of microstructures that can be achieved. The characterization techniques summarized in the table below will be used in each phase of this project. Professor Dale Schaefer’s group at the University of Cincinnati will help with light scattering experiments [117] and the Characterization Facility (CharFac) at the University of Minnesota will provide cryo-electron microscopy assistance [118] Phase One is an in-depth study of pH-responsive control of nanoparticle microstructure and will take three years to complete. Phases Two and Three are proof of concept studies that will take approximately one year each to complete.

Example

Research Plan

Use headings to identify your tasks What, specifically, will you do when you get the money?

Schedules with milestones are often helpful

This is especially important if you are a relatively new researcher

Research Plan

Address any potential dead ends, roadblocks, show-stoppers and how you will deal with them

Avoid ambiguous terminology

- Not “we will explore this phenomenon”

- Say, for example, “we will determine if x affects y,” or “we will measure “x, y, and z”

Research Plan Include enough specifics to show you have a strong plan

Level of detail expected varies by agency

Don’t drown reviewers in non-essential details

If you need special resources (access to an instrument, a special cell line, etc.) explain how you will get them

Example Flow Charts and Schedules

Task 1: description

Task 2: description

Task 3: description

Output of task 1

Task 4: description of how it all comes together in this task

Project Outcomes

Output of Task 3

Output of Task 2

Activity

Sketch a flow chart of your research plan including all major tasks and subtasks

Indicate critical or high-risk tasks

Show special resources or collaborators if applicable

Schedule and Milestones What do you expect to have accomplished after 6 months? After 1 year? After 18 months? Etc.

Provides easy-to-find synopsis of your approach for reviewers

Demonstrates that your project is properly scoped

Shows that your project is well thought out

If multi-PI project, indicate who will do what

Example Flow Charts and Schedules

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Objective 1: Development of the hoosits

Integration and calibration

Optimization of frumpits measurement methodology

Objective 2: Assess XYZ

XYZ spectroscopy

MOA microscopy

ABC testing

Pandax studies

Objective 3: Integrate hoosits with XYZ

Instrument integration

Instrument testing

Demonstration

Activity

Sketch a flow chart of your research plan including all major tasks and subtasks

Indicate critical or high-risk tasks

Show special resources or collaborators if applicable

Describing Collaborative Projects in the Proposal

State the team members and what they bring to the project early in the proposal

In the project plan section, state who is responsible for each task

Make it clear how the team members will work together, and how the research benefits (management plan)

If team members are from different institutions be sure to start the budget process early and involve your Office of Sponsored Projects

Education and Outreach (NSF) What are your goals and objectives? What motivates your plan? What is the state of knowledge about this issue, the proposed approach, etc. (cite educational literature!) Do you have any preliminary results or prior related experience? How will you assess whether you are successful? How will you disseminate your results

Education and Outreach Assessment

Have clear, measurable education and outreach objectives Explain how you will assess whether you met these objectives Formative assessment

Conducted during the project to make it better

Summative assessment At the end of the project to see if you accomplished your objectives

Broader Impacts (NSF) NEW! Separate Broader Impacts section now required in the Project Description

What are the broader impacts of the science? Impacts beyond your particular subdiscipline

Benefits to society, the environment, the economy, etc.

What are the broader impacts of your education and outreach activities?

Preparation of the future workforce

Enhancement of diversity

Informing society

Dissemination (NSF)

How will others learn about your research?

How will other educators benefit from your education and outreach activities?

Go beyond publishing Open Education Sites

Your own webpage

Reach out to stakeholders

Potential Risks and Mitigation Plan

Sometimes included in Research Plan

What could go wrong?

How likely is this to be a problem?

What is your work-around? Try to anticipate reviewers’ concerns

Assignment

Continue working on your research plan flow chart

Panel of Reviewers Jon Horowitz, Molecular Biomedical Sciences, Veterinary Medicine Former Pew Scholar (Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences); (internal grants, NIH and DOD)

Mehmet Ozturk, Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, MRI awardee, Director of the Nanofabrication Facility, (internal grants and external for Semiconductor Research Corporation)

Wendy Boss, William Neal Reynolds Professor of Plant Pathology, CALS (Internal grants)

Tom Birkland, Associate Dean for Research in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, (NSF)