Handbook of Scientific Proposal Writing

✍ Scribed by A. Yavuz Oruc

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2012
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 230
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Investigators, their home institutions, and funding agencies play significant roles in the development and outcomes of scientific projects. Submitting a proposal to a funding agency is only one dimension of a multivariable and complex funding process, and understanding this is a good first step toward unlocking the puzzle behind why some research proposals receive awards while others are declined. The Handbook of Scientific Proposal Writing offers researchers and research administrators a broad perspective on the process of initiating and conducting funded scientific research projects.

Written for students and researchers in all fields and disciplines, this reference offers a holistic approach to conceiving and then converting new ideas into effective proposals. It focuses on the technical aspects of writing proposals rather than the fund-raising issues. Chapters provide full coverage of the scientific method, including information on how scientific research should be conducted.

✦ Table of Contents

Content: Scientific research: The fountain of progress A brief history and origins of scientific exploration What is scientific research? What makes a research activity more significant than others? The scientific integrity and intellectual merit of a research activity The scientific method: Common denominator of all scientific research Empirical, experimental, and theoretical research Interplay between basic and applied research Role of technology in scientific research Factors impacting outcomes of proposals Intellectual merit: An essential ingredient for all research proposals What is the broader impact and why is it important? Should every proposal have a "real-world application?" When should a research proposal be submitted? Calibration of preliminary research ideas Is every investigator equally qualified to win funding? Using online bibliometric tools for self-assessment of research qualifications Collaborating with other researchers Building blocks of a winning proposal How should a research proposal be organized? Proposal summary templates and samples Commonly used verbs in proposal summaries How to organize and prose an effective introduction Research problems and proposed work Approach and preliminary results Plan of proposed work Expected contributions and broader impact Qualifications of researchers Ten most common mistakes that make proposals fail What to do if your proposal is declined Getting on with conducting a funded research project Assembling a research team Carrying out the proposed work Reaching research milestones and publicizing results Reporting functions Working on several research projects at once Getting ready for next research proposal Promoting research in universities Synergy between education and research Graduate study and research programs Measuring faculty contributions and performance Top five mistakes universities should avoid Scientific research: A funding agency perspective A funding agency model for scientific research Proposal solicitation and submission process Classification of proposals Reviewer selection and panel assignment process Proposal review and evaluation process Ranking proposals Grant management and measuring effectiveness of funding Role of program directors in proposal evaluation and funding decisions Five mistakes funding agencies should avoid to improve their impact Index Each chapter includes a Summary, Biographical notes, and Questions