FISH 521 Research Proposal Writing Welcome Synopsis Introducing

FISH 521 Research Proposal Writing Welcome!!

Synopsis • Introducing the class – Need and aims – Logistics – Proposal (NSF format) • Introducing yourself – Advisor, project, expectations • Getting started • Panels – Draft mind map • Homework – Background reading – Organization – Complete mind map

Instructor • Dr Lorenz Hauser – School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences – Marine Studies, room 207 – Tel: 685 3270 – lhauser@uw. edu – Office hours: by appointment Fisheries MAR

Aim of the Course • Aims • Research Proposals – – Preparation Review Revision Panel Decisions • General Scientific Writing – Dos and don’ts • Scope • In class – Lectures and class examples on scientific writing – Guest lectures – Proposal discussion – Panel review • Homework – Research proposal preparation – Proposal review

Aim of the Course • By the end of the course you should – Have a very good draft of your dissertation proposal – Have a good idea about the process of • Proposal preparation • Proposal review • Panel decision – Gained experience in proposal review – Improved your scientific writing skills • Class participation – What do you want to get out of it?

Why do we need this class? 3 reasons • Scientific writing is important – Most important factor in finding a job • Forget grades – Disseminate results • Prepare manuscripts – Apply for funding • Proposals • Peer review – Basic system to evaluate research • Manuscripts • Proposals • Research project – Start thinking about it – Develop own ideas – Get comments from others – Constructive Criticism – Take criticism

Class logistics • Class time – Mon 1: 30 – 4: 20 • Lecture • Panel discussions • Homework (Catalyst) • Commenting Panels – Groups of 4 -5 students with related projects – Will read and comment on each other’s proposals – Proposal draft • Submission Thursday, 12 noon • Add to existing sections • Naming convention – Last. Name. Part. doc, e. g. Hauser. Intro. doc – Review • Submission Sunday, 12 midnight • Only review new sections • Naming convention – Add initials, e. g. Student. Intro LH. doc – If you have problems let me know in advance • Review panel – Will provide NSF style reviews • Decision panel – Have 60% of requested funding – Award, award partially, deny

Flowchart Introduction Rationale Panel Comments members Work Plan Complete Draft Proposal Panel members Comments Final Proposal Budget IM & BI Decision Panel Review Panel

Expectations • Much online – Submissions & Reviewing • A lot of writing and commenting – Communications • Message board – Two holidays • Meet outside class • Tight deadlines – One section due each week – Panel comments due each week – Review of whole proposal – Will take time • But you’ll have a proposal in the end • Panel Work – Everybody needs to contribute – Part of grading • Peer evaluations • Existing proposals – Write on your thesis research – If proposal exists • Develop an aspect of your work that is your own – If in doubt, ask me

Tentative timetable Week Class Proposal Section 1 Intro Mind map 2 Introduction vs Rationale Introduction 3 No class Rationale 4 Style Work Plan 5 Budget 6 Merit & Impact IM & BI 7 No class Full proposal 8 Guest speaker Final proposal 9 Panels, editors and the reviewing process 10 Panel reviews

Website • http: //courses. washington. edu/fish 521/ – Updated by tomorrow • Class information – Course description • textbooks – Syllabus – Links and documents – Textbooks • Links for submission (Catalyst) – Proposals – Reviews

Textbooks • Friedland & Folt (2000) – Writing Successful Science Proposals • $ 16 (Amazon) – Used for lectures • Zeiger (2000) – Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers • $ 46. 71 (Amazon) • Williams (2006) – Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace • $ 39. 60 (Amazon)

Introductions • Name • Advisor – Project proposal available • Project idea – General framework / question – System studied – Methodology • Expectations

Panels • Panel 1: Genetics • • • Heare, Jake E Jackson, Molly Waples, Ryan Kele Dimond, Jay Gillon, Dann, Tyler • Panel 2: Modeling • • Trochta, John T Allen, Caitlin Linder, Hannah Lee, Qi • Panel 3 • Hale, Jessie R

How to get started • Get a cup of coffee!! – Writing takes time – Writing is hard • Be prepared to revise • Get your act together before you start

Hierarchical organization Molecule Words Cell Sentences Tissue Paragraph Organ Argument Organism Section Population Question Ecosystem Proposal

Recipe for writing good science Words 1. Empower 2. Plan Sentences Paragraph Argument 3. Write 4. Evaluate Section Question Proposal

Empower • Access literature – Broadly around the topic – Organize, summarize and catalogue • Database • Read critically – It’s published, but is it good? – Do you need it? • Define your topic – Target audience – Key questions

Audience for the Proposal • Important for all scientific writing – Conform to readers expectations • Reviewers – Experts in your specific area • Species & methods – Busy people • Make it interesting – Desired impression • Wow – I wish I had thought of this! • Panelists – Expert in the field • E. g. evolutionary biology – May have to go through dozens of proposals • Make it easy to read – Figures and tables • Compare between proposals • Program Managers – Generalists – See hundreds of proposals

Timeline of a typical proposal Scientific Idea Goals of funding body (? ) Conceptual Framework Administrative tasks (? ) Proposal Format Planification Deadlines Budget Proposal preparation Information needed? Sampling & Research Permits Award timeline University Approvals Submission Process

Funding Bodies • Basic Scientific • –NSF –NIH –USDA • Broad RFP –The Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) supports fundamental research on populations, species, communities, and ecosystems. Scientific emphases range across many evolutionary and ecological patterns and processes at all spatial and temporal scales. Areas of research include biodiversity, phylogenetic systematics, molecular evolution, life history evolution, natural selection, ecology, biogeography, ecosystem services, conservation biology, global change, and biogeochemical cycles. Research on origins, functions, relationships, interactions, and evolutionary history may incorporate field, laboratory, or collectionbased approaches; observational or manipulative experiments; synthesis activities; as well as theoretical approaches involving analytical, statistical, or simulation modeling. Applied –Sea Grant –North Pacific Research Board • Specific RFP –E. g. Sea. Doc Society –The efficacy of aggregation as an in-situ restoration technique for the recovery of Northern abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) in the Puget Sound Georgia Basin –The potential relationship between Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) population declines in the Puget Sound Georgia Basin and the availability of forage fish prey

Funding Bodies • Questions to ask: – Is my project more suitable for applied or basic funding? • Chances are higher if somebody is already interested – Which specific agency could I apply to? • • Read mission statements and overall goals Read request for proposal (RFP) documents Find previously awarded projects Talk to project managers – Could collaboration improve the project? • Decide on co-PIs and collaborators • In any case, ask for advice and feedback – What level of support do I need? • Salary support already available?

A Good Proposal A good proposal is a good idea, well expressed, with a clear indication of methods for pursuing the idea, evaluating the findings, and making them known to all who need to know. A Competitive Proposal is… All of the above Appropriate for the Program Responsive to the Program Announcement

The class proposal • Written in NSF format – 10 pages – • 15 pages for NSF • 8 pages for DDIG – Broadest, most basic format accommodating everybody – Other formats fairly similar • Who is the NSF?

NSF Merit Review Criteria • • Intellectual Merit: encompasses the potential to advance knowledge; Broader Impacts: encompasses the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes. The following elements should be considered in the review for both criteria: 1. What is the potential for the proposed activity to: a. Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and b. Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)? 2. To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts? 3. Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, wellorganized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success? 4. How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities? 5. Are there adequate resources available to the PI

NSF format • Title • Project Summary • Project description (10 pages, 15 for NSF) – Introduction & background (why relevant? ) • Significance statement in book • Lead to objectives and hypotheses – Rationale and scope (why appropriate? ) – Research management plan (how? ) • Sampling and analyses • Progress to date – Contributions to education and human resources – Intellectual Merit and Broader Impact • • • References Biographical Sketches Budget and budget justification Current and pending support Facilities, equipment and other resources

Recipe for writing good science Words 1. Empower 2. Plan Sentences Paragraph Argument 3. Write 4. Evaluate Section Question Proposal

Secret Ingredient t s o m e T Th S E T N A T R o t O d e e IMP n u o y G N I s TH i o d N A PL g n i t i r w r u o y ! ! y l r e p o r p

Plan 1. Go back to your key questions 2. Brainstorm around them – – – – Pictures Posters Mind maps Flash cards Excel/Word tables Lists of headings Lipstick on bathroom mirror… There’s no “correct way” – do what works for YOU

Plan 3. Create order – – Be selective Build an argument LOGICAL FLOW (Powerpoint is a really cool tool) You should be able to write up the crux of your argument in 6 – 10 short key sentences

Plan INTRODUCE motivate the cause: who cares? ? !! CREATE A CASE (RELATING TO YOUR KEY QUESTIONS) establish common ground: what do we know? disruption/question: where’s the problem? SOLUTION / RESOLUTION so now what? : aims & objectives OR your opinion / conclusion

Plan Flesh out your ordered brainstorm with the summarized information

Epiphany o t e v a h t ’ n o d u o Y L L A e us n o i t a m r o f n i the t e L ! d a e r u yo y e k ( r e p a p r side-tracking off the key topic at hand = Otherwise youu start yo WAFFLE ) s n o i t s

Panel Exercises • Exercise 1 – Define a question • Be specific! – Produce a mind map specifying aspects of your question • Identify information you have / need

Panel Exercises • Exercise 2 – Why? • Wider background • Give a brief summary of your project WITHOUT mentioning the species or the specific study system • Explain why your system is suitable for tackling the wider problem – Include in mind map

Panel Exercises • Exercise 3 – How? • Now expand you concept using the specific approach • Explain why your approach is suitable for tackling the specific question as well as the wider problem

Homework • Meet your advisor – Discuss your project • Collect information • Set up a literature database – References – Summaries • Complete mind map • Linearize • Produce 5 slide summary of your project