Writing Winning Proposals Presenter Deborah Hernandez October 27

Writing Winning Proposals Presenter: Deborah Hernandez October 27, 2010 dhernndz@memphis. edu x 2648

Today’s Topics • Tips for effective proposal writing • Common proposal terminology • Standard proposal formats and section content

Before You Write Your First Word • • Read the solicitation AGAIN Review funder-provided proposal guides and samples Make an outline of required elements and attachments Make a list of review criteria Allocate pages to each required section based on review criteria or funder’s motivation Make a checklist of special instructions Read abstracts of previously funded projects and/or read successful proposals to the same funder/program

General Writing Tips Remember: Avoid: • 3 C’s: correctness, consistency, and completeness • Grant writing is linear & logical • Keep it simple: Don’t let precision get in the way of clarity • Your goal is communication, not literature • Jargon, flowery language, and long sentences • Circular logic • Unusual formatting • Figures/graphics without explanation • Incorrect citations

Writing Basics Everything you need to know, you probably learned before graduate school…… • • Make sure all your sentences have a subject and a verb Present one main idea per paragraph Use commas or semi-colons to separate phrases Watch for dangling participles, unnecessary clauses, and overuse of parenthetical statements Use active language and consistent verb tense Spell out acronyms with first usage Provide appropriate transitions between sections

What Reviewers Say…… From the NIH, NINDS website: • • Use active rather than passive voice. "We will develop a cell line, " not "A cell line will be developed. " Keep related ideas and information together, e. g. , put clauses and phrases as close as possible to the words they modify. Simplify and breakup long, involved sentences and paragraphs. Short simple sentences are much easier on the reader. Edit out redundant words and phrases. Proofread thoroughly. Sloppy work will definitely suffer in review.

What Reviewers Say…. . Part II "There are no tricks…Just write it so it's readable. ” “Give me what, why, and how: If you put everything in the proper section, your logic should be immediately clear. " "Be organized…Make sure that the headings you use for the specific aims match the headings you use in the experimental section. ” “Neatness counts. Misspellings, grammar errors, and incorrect references all reflect badly on your judgment. “

Proofreading your proposal • Use spell check • Underline topic sentences in each paragraph and then read ONLY underlined sentences to check logic and flow. • Highlight key words and check for consistency in usage (e. g. goal, objective, aim) • Look for too much repetition in word usage (e. g. therefore, thus, etc. ) • Check numbered points carefully • Flag sentences more than 3 lines long • Read one sentence at a time from the back of your proposal to the front

Excerpts from the Working Best (CA 1/11/09): Economy of words gets to point …. . Here’s what good writers do to cut extra words: Hunt which’s; kill be’s “Which” clauses often pack a sentence with too many ideas. Solution? Replace a which with a period, and make two or more sentences. “Be” verbs are weak, and often cause you to add words you don’t need. They also often encourage wordy and weak passive voice…. Try to replace any form of the verb “to be”—be, is, are was, were, been, being, am—with a stronger, more lively verb.

Excerpts from the Working Best (CA 1/11/09) continued…. Cut the Fluff Instead of: In view of the fact that, a large number of, in the event that, for the purpose of, in order to, in view of…. . Use: Because, many, if, to, since… Combine Ideas Instead of: The manager’s report was carefully illustrated, and it covered five pages. Use: The manager’s carefully illustrated, five page report…. .

Excerpts from the Working Best (CA 1/11/09) continued…. Positive, not negative Instead of: If the error does not involve data correction, the special function key should not be used. Use: Use the special function key to correct data.

Testing your skills from the Working Best (CA 1/11/09) Improve these sentences by cutting unneeded words. A. The degree of importance in the level of accuracy depends upon the particular situation. B. The fact that the recruit had not succeeded was brought to my attention recently. C. The reason why we failed to reply is that we were not apprised of the fact until yesterday that somehow the report had been unavoidably delayed by engineering.

More practice from actual proposals The primary goal of this project is to implement an innovative strategy to address the substantial biomedical problem posed by the inability of current scientific approaches to rapidly provide crystallographic structures of G protein-coupled receptors (or indeed any membrane protein) to fuel rational drug design efforts. The primary goal of this project is to address current scientific inability to rapidly provide crystallographic structures of G protein-coupled receptors essential for rational drug design efforts.

More practice from actual proposals For investigating the enzyme structure and mechanism, simpler model systems, as well as larger models that progressively incorporate atoms more distant from the active site will be utilized. We will utilize simpler model systems to investigate the enzyme structure and mechanism. We will also employ larger models that progressively incorporate atoms more distant from the active site. Or…. . We will investigate the enzyme structure and mechanism using both simpler model systems and larger models that progressively incorporate atoms more distant from the active site.

More practice from actual proposals Technological knowledge, skills, and applications are important contributors to the professional success of all students, but for engineering students, these skills and strategies are critical components required for professional practice in the 21 st century. Technological knowledge, skills, and applications are important contributors to the professional success of all students. For engineering students, however, these skills and applications strategies are critical components required for professional practice in the 21 st century.

More practice from actual proposals Volunteer opportunities are available from XXXX to support a wide range of XXXX research and awareness activities, and to serve on state and local boards and committees that address activities including engineering, earth science research, public policy, infrastructure vulnerability, and public awareness XXXX engages volunteers to support a wide range of earthquake research and awareness activities and to serve on state and local boards and committees that address issues such as engineering, earth science research, public policy, infrastructure vulnerability, and public awareness.

More practice from actual proposals The outcomes of this study will result in a comprehensive resort development feasibility study. The study will address several primary areas to answer the questions that the Hospitality Programs Directorate has put forth in developing a new CONUS AFRC. The primary outcome of this study will be a comprehensive resort development feasibility study that addresses the questions put forth by the Hospitality Programs Directorate.

Common Proposal Terminology • Goal/Hypothesis — What will be the ultimate result of your work? • Objective/Specific Aims — What will you prove, answer, or produce? • Strategies/Methods/ Plan — How will you carry out the work? • Rationale/Significance — Why is this important; why does your way make most sense? • Outcomes — What will result if you succeed? • Assessment/Evaluation — How will you measure impact? • Dissemination — How will you share your results? • Sustainability — How will you continue the effort when funding ends?

Standard Proposal Content Summary or Abstract Program Narrative or Project Description -Goals/Objectives; Hypothesis & Aims; Research Questions -Need; Background & Significance; Rationale; Theoretical Framework -Program Plans; Methods; Strategies; Research Plan -Management Plan; Personnel -Evaluation; Assessment Budget & Budget Justification Attachments CV Letters of support/commitment Other supporting documentation

Standard NSF Format Project Summary – 1 page • Address merit review criteria Project Description – 15 pages • Introduction • Background and Significance • Results from prior NSF Support • Research Plan/Timeline Budget and Budget Narrative http: //www. nsf. gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf 09_29/gpg 0 929 print. pdf

Standard NIH Format Summary/Abstract Research Strategy (6 -12 pages) • 1 page of specific aims • Background & Significance • Preliminary Studies • Research Design/Methods Budget and Budget Narrative http: //grants. nih. gov/grants/funding/phs 398. html#fp 1 http: //enhancing-peer-review. nih. gov/page_limits. html

General US Dept of Education Format Summary/Abstract Need Project Design, Proposed Activities or Proposed Services Personnel Management Plan Resources Evaluation Plan LOTS of Attachments

Questions? You may access this presentation and a recording of a prior offering of this session on the UM Drive at: https: //umdrive. memphis. edu/g-researchworkshops/