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ESTABLISHING TIMELINES
AND OVERCOMING WRITING
OBSTACLES
NAOMI L. C. LUBAN, MD
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Identify the grantor or funding agency
Talk to program officer / mentors / others funded by the agency
Make sure your idea is unique, not done before and “correct” for the grantor
Find and review a recent copy of a successful grant to use as a model (same kind/same agency)
Asks questions of the grantee and mentor
Getting Started
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The only thing that stands between the proposal writer and the funding agency is the proposal itself.
Key Concept 1
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Who is the real audience?
What do they want to know?
What do they NOT want to know?
Does the topic fit the mission of the grantor?
Considering the Audience
May differ for NIH vs. foundation grant
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A great hypothesis / idea must be interesting
easy to read / understandable
clearly delineated / focused
“neatly” presented
statistically sound
testable
Key Concept 2
Make sure no one has done this before!
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The abstract is the first and last thing read by
CSR – determines where reviewedReviewers – determine success vs.
failure
Make it the best it can possibly be Redo after completing the research design Overview / main points / importance Redo again after re-reading, editing
Key Concept 3
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1. Read “background” material- has anyone else done this?
2. Make an outline – headers / subheaders help you organize
3. Write the first draft
4. Revise for substance- add tables / figures
5. Revise for clarity- flow of proposed work- feasibility
6. Seek criticism, critiques- use peers but also
- use someone who knows nothing about your work, but a lot about grant writing
Six Steps to Follow Once Hypotheses are Developed
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Biostatistical assistance
Multiplicity of drafts
Time to prepare budget
Requirements from OSP?
Time for critiques
Months not weeks
Letters from consultant(s), collaborator(s), subcontractor(s)
May need to go through their OSP’s
Support letters
IRB issues
Calculating a Timeline for Preparation: Things to Consider
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Set up a time table that works backwards from the due date with specific goals/
planned accomplishments
Post on mirror at home and by computer at work
Revise forward, never backward
It always takes longer than you think
Key Concept 4
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Look for requirements that will take time to assemble
Make a list of exactly what you need
Call program officer if confused for clarification
Study the Sponsors Guidelines
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Comprehensible to an informed layman
Place your problem in context by common knowledge
Show how your work will advance the field
May require importance to the public health
If complicated project, this section can specify order and arrangement of future sections
The Introduction: Capsule statement of what is being proposed. Tone-sober self confidence
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Establish who you are
Identify how this project fits organizational directives
Lead logically to background
The Introduction or Specific Aims
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Specific Aims Example
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Be realistic in scale
Define phases, especially if some time will be spent developing an analytical method
Be explicit about assumptions or hypotheses
Consider posing the specific question(s) to be answered
The Background: Detailed explanation of proposed research. Tone-scientific,
technical and thorough
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Example of Background
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Example of Background
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Be clear about schedule of work Develop a time line / calendar
Project problems with solutions
Be specific about data analysis
The Proposed Research II
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Timeline Example
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Study Design Example
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Be certain that the research design/objectives and the research methods are evident
design or rationale - conceptualization of experiments (creativity)
methods – straightforward and detailed
analysis – convey data analysis and relationship to hypothesis
limitations and alternative plans
The Proposed Research III
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Analysis Plan Example
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Do not give up hope
Resubmissions are a way of life
Key Concept 5
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EDITING TIPS
NAOMI L. C. LUBAN, MD
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Warning Signals: Don’t Let This Be You
Problems identified The problem is not of sufficient importance or is unlikely to produce any new or useful information.
The proposed research is based on a hypothesis that rests on insufficient evidence, is doubtful, or is unsound.
The problem is more complex than the investigator appears to realize.
The problem has only local significance, or is one of production or control, or otherwise fails to fall sufficiently clearly within the general field of health-related research.
The problem is scientifically premature and warrants, at most, only a pilot study.
The research as proposed is overly involved, with too many elements under simultaneous investigation.
The description of the nature of the research and of its significance leaves the proposal nebulous and diffuse and without a clear research aim.
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Approach The proposed tests, or methods, or scientific procedures are unsuited to the stated objective.
The description of the approach is too nebulous, diffuse, and lacking in clarity to permit adequate evaluation.
The overall design of the study has not been carefully thought out. The statistical aspects of the approach have not been given sufficient consideration.
The approach lacks scientific imagination.
Controls are either inadequately conceived or inadequately described.
The material the investigator proposes to use is unsuited to the objective of the study or is difficult to obtain.
The number of observations is unsuitable.
The equipment contemplated is outmoded or otherwise unsuitable.
Warning Signals: Don’t Let This Be You
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Investigator The investigator does not have adequate experience or training for this
research.
The investigator appears to be unfamiliar with recent pertinent literature or methods.
The investigator's previously published work in this field does not inspire confidence.
The investigator proposes to rely too heavily on insufficiently experienced associates.
The investigator is spreading himself too thin; he will be more productive if he concentrates on fewer projects.
The investigator needs more liaison with colleagues in this field or in collateral fields.
Warning Signals: Don’t Let This Be You
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Other The requirements for equipment or personnel are unrealistic.
It appears that other responsibilities would prevent devotion of sufficient time and attention to this research.
The institutional setting is unfavorable.
Research grants to the investigator, now in force, are adequate in scope and amount to cover the proposed research.
Warning Signals: Don’t Let This Be You
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Maintain paragraph unit: topic sentence with 8 lines per paragraph
Use devices to indicate structure
headers / bullets / numbers
Use transition sentences between sections
Put in topic sentences that make sense
improves readability
Editing Tips:Organizing
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Keep sentences short
Avoid vague modifiers
Eliminate unnecessary propositions
Provide graphics to clarify ideas
Editing Tips: Clarity I
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Avoid jargon, clichés
Eliminate redundancy
Use active voice
Editing Tips: Clarity II
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Connect ideas with transitional phrases
Accentuate “to illustrate…moreover… consequently…” the positive
Eliminate negative words / phrases
Show confidence (but not too much)
Editing Tips: Edit for Confidence
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Subject-verb agreement
Pronoun agreement
Avoid split infinitives – double negatives
Use parallel construction
Editing Tips: Edit for Grammar I
What’s wrong with this slide?
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Verb tense
Established knowledge – present
Current methods – past
Presentation – present
Attribution - past
Editing Tips: Edit for Grammar II
We will show… prior studies by one group demonstrated