Research Projects And Research Proposals: A Guide For Scientists Seeking Funding

172 Pages·1.176 MB·English

by  Paul G. Chapin, Alan I. Leshner

P1:JPJ/J-AGR P2:FCH/J-AGR QC:FCH/J-AGR T1:FCH
CB704-FM CB704-Chapin-v2 April21,2004 11:58
This page intentionally left blank
ii
P1:JPJ/J-AGR P2:FCH/J-AGR QC:FCH/J-AGR T1:FCH
CB704-FM CB704-Chapin-v2 April21,2004 11:58
ResearchProjectsandResearchProposals
Thisbookisaguidetowritingscientificresearchproposalsforsub-
missiontofundingagencies.Itapproachesthetopicbyplacingitin
thelargercontextofplanningandcarryingoutaresearchproject,of-
feringguidanceonselectingasuitableresearchtopic,organizingand
planning the project, identifying a funding agency, writing the pro-
posal,andmanagingthefundedproject.Thebookalsodiscussesthe
ethicalresponsibilitiesoftheresearcher,theproposalreviewprocess,
andhowtodealwithdeclinationofaproposal.
The author’s twenty-five years of experience as an NSF program
officerlendthebookauniqueinsider’sperspectiveontheproposal
writingandresearchfundingprocess.Becauseofthatexperience,the
authorisabletoanticipateandanswerthequestionsthatresearchers
mostfrequentlyaskwhenpreparingtowriteaproposal,andalsoto
explain how program officers think about proposals when they are
makingfundingdecisions.
Paul G. Chapin was director of the National Science Foundation
Linguistics Program. He is a member of the Linguistic Society of
America and of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science.
i
P1:JPJ/J-AGR P2:FCH/J-AGR QC:FCH/J-AGR T1:FCH
CB704-FM CB704-Chapin-v2 April21,2004 11:58
ii
P1:JPJ/J-AGR P2:FCH/J-AGR QC:FCH/J-AGR T1:FCH
CB704-FM CB704-Chapin-v2 April21,2004 11:58
Research Projects and
Research Proposals
A Guide for Scientists Seeking Funding
PAUL G. CHAPIN
WithaForewordbyAlanI.Leshner
iii
cambridge university press
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo
Cambridge University Press
The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge cb2 2ru, UK
Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521830157
© Cambridge University Press 2004
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provision of
relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place
without the written permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published in print format 2004
isbn-13 978-0-511-21174-4 eBook (EBL)
isbn-10 0-511-21351-4 eBook (EBL)
isbn-13 978-0-521-83015-7 hardback
isbn-10 0-521-83015-x hardback
isbn-13 978-0-521-53716-2 paperback
isbn-10 0-521-53716-9 paperback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of urls
for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication, and does not
guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.
P1:JPJ/J-AGR P2:FCH/J-AGR QC:FCH/J-AGR T1:FCH
CB704-FM CB704-Chapin-v2 April21,2004 11:58
ThisbookisdedicatedtoDr.RichardT.Louttit,DivisionDirector
forBehavioralandNeuralSciencesattheNationalScience
Foundationfrom1975to1991.
Hehasalwaysunderstoodwhatisimportant.
v
P1:JPJ/J-AGR P2:FCH/J-AGR QC:FCH/J-AGR T1:FCH
CB704-FM CB704-Chapin-v2 April21,2004 11:58
vi
P1:JPJ/J-AGR P2:FCH/J-AGR QC:FCH/J-AGR T1:FCH
CB704-FM CB704-Chapin-v2 April21,2004 11:58
Contents
Foreword page xi
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction 1
1. SelectingaResearchTopic 4
TheDimensionsofTopicSelection 4
TheGoldilocksPrinciple 9
ProjectScaleandDuration 10
TheMostImportantThing 12
2. ProjectPlanning 13
PlanningforLifeorforaProposal 13
WhoYouAre=HowYouPlan 14
AStrategyforPlanning 15
Timetables 18
Money 19
LargerProjects 20
FinalThoughtsonPlanning 22
3. IdentifyingFundingSources 24
U.S.GovernmentAgencies–MissionsandMethods 24
TheNationalScienceFoundation(NSF) 26
TheNationalInstitutesofHealth(NIH) 29
vii
P1:JPJ/J-AGR P2:FCH/J-AGR QC:FCH/J-AGR T1:FCH
CB704-FM CB704-Chapin-v2 April21,2004 11:58
viii Contents
DepartmentofDefense(DOD) 33
AirForceOfficeofScientificResearch(AFOSR) 35
ArmyResearchOffice(ARO) 35
ArmyResearchInstitute(ARI) 36
OfficeofNavalResearch(ONR) 36
DefenseAdvancedResearchProjectsAgency
(DARPA) 37
OtherGovernmentAgencies 38
PrivateFoundations 40
StrategiesforIdentifyingFundingSources 42
4. SpecialFundingMechanisms 43
ProgramsforParticularGroupsofResearchers 44
CAREER 44
ADVANCE 45
MinorityResearchPlanningGrantsandCareer
AdvancementAwards 46
AlternativeModelsofManagingResearchand
Education 47
ScienceandTechnologyCenters(STC) 47
IntegrativeGraduateEducationandResearch
Traineeship(IGERT) 49
MajorResearchInstrumentation(MRI) 49
InitiativesinSpecialTopicAreas 50
OptionalMechanismsthatProgramOfficersCanUse 52
SmallGrantsforExploratoryResearch(SGER) 53
ConferenceGrants 53
DoctoralDissertationResearchGrants 56
SpecialFundingMechanismsattheNIH 57
APartingThoughtaboutSpecialFunding
Mechanisms 59
5. WritingaProposal 61
TheAudience 61
TheProjectDescription 63
WhattheAudienceWants 64
AdHocReviewers 64
TheAdvisoryPanel 67
SpecialPanels 69
TheProgramOfficer 69
WritingtotheAudience 75