Application Technique – hints & tips
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Transcript of Application Technique – hints & tips
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Application Technique – hints & tips
Theresa Larriba Harboe
Research & Innovation [email protected]
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• Get a great idea!
• Start early!
• Make a 1 page proposal!
• Discuss your 1 page proposal with colleagues and friends!
• Read the call CAREFULLY!
Top 5 do’s in proposal writing
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Why do rejections happen?
A large number, 75-90% of all applications get rejected The reasons could be:
• The project does not fit the agency's profile
• The application was ill prepared – guidelines not followed, too many formal mistakes
• The qualification of the applicant and the ability of the organisation to complete the project
• The budget is not properly developed
• The quality of the proposed research is not high enough
…..unfortunately the agencies do not have unlimited funds and therefore your application may fall in their priority
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The good application
• Idea and originality. Is there a new angle, new approach - or is it rather a fact-finding or development project? What is the new addition ("added value")?
• Is the topic central to the funding agency?
• Convincing "State of the Art"
• Exact purpose and clear hypotheses
• Clear line: Purpose -> hypothesis -> methods -> answer
• Clarity for methods, products and work breakdown (eg. WP's)
• Resonable budget and time frame
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What should you focus on?
• IDEA - can you very briefly explain the idea?: Obvious problem and its possible original solution
• SOLUTION need not always be part of the project, nor achievable in the near future - but the way to the solution must be outlined
• NOT "solutions in search of a problem“
• "State of the art" must be real and representative - not only own publications and not withhold information
• Mobility and international requirements
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What should you focus on?
• CV well and relevant for the application
• Relevant partners with a specification of role
• International partners where it is clear how they are partners
• Publications are important for applications for postdoctoral fellowships
• Take rejection letters seriously and try to understand what the comments means. Resubmission are often welcome if they show true improvement.
• Write so that the evaluators understand the meaning and your brilliant idea!!
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Preparation of an application
Preparation before writing the application
• Start early
• Make sure your idea is viable – write a 1 page
proposal and discuss it
• Plan your budget – how much and why?
• Scout the funding market within your area
• Which one should you apply for what?
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The popular science description
Turn the process around
Start by writing the abstract/1PP
That way you can perfect your ideaand get your thoughts in line
If you cannot explain your idea in 1500 counts is it good enough to spend 5 pages on?
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Our favourite tool: the 1-page proposal
Why bother? What problem are you trying to solve?
Why is it important? (explain the gain – new knowledge, reduce hunger, cure HIV, the perfect banking system)
Who is it important for? Denmark, EU, women in Tanzania, the global environment? (describe what will be made possible when the project has delivered its results and achieved its objectives and these can be taken into use)
What is new? Why not just buy the technology? (clearly indicate the current state of the art, and the essence of what is new in the proposed project – before and after scenario)
Why now? Why isn’t it already done? Can’t we just wait? What would happen if we did not do this work now?
Why you? explain why your (teams’) qualifications are the best for the job
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Preparations before drawing up an application
Start earlyIt is very time consuming to plan and write an research application. Research, teaching and administration needs to balance and it is therefore important to considerer the time available to use for writing. It may therefore be an advantage to start generating ideas and abstracts well in advance of the deadline.
Why plan your project?The question WHY is essential – it is important to have clear goals and ideas to why you are applying for money
Therefore you need to plan with regards to: aim, objectives, expected results, resources needed and budget. You need a clear overview of your project before you start the writing process.
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Tips for a successful application
Credibility: Your idea must be convincing and achievable
Communication: Clear description of what will be done
Be concrete: Very specific concepts (not general!)– who will do what, when and how?
Documentation: Refer to high quality papers or governmental publications such as EU or WHO reports
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Considerations during the writing phase
ALWAYS read and follow the guide lines
Funding agencies are also different. They have different guide lines for the application. The demands can be divided as follows:
- Application form + guidelines
- Guidelines, no form
- No guidelines, no forms
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Considerations during the writing phase – popular description
Most agencies and foundations require a short, popular abstract that can be used for publications – often 1500-2000 counts
When working on the abstract remember to consider your language – most people should be able to understand the message and your brilliant idea
The abstract should describe the research topic in a catchy way where the main focus is on the news value and the usefulness.
Have an outsider to read and comment the abstract
Carefully consider the audience – is it lay people, research in or outside the field?
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Considerations during the writing phase – the project description
The project description should reflect the high level of academic professionalism and quality of your project.
Keep focus on the aims and buzz words of the call.
Again underline the aim, expected results and impact of your research
Think about your title – it’s the first thing the evaluators read – it should be obvious, clear and interesting
Background – State of the art – where are we now and where is your project taking us beyond state of the art? Add some facts – “this costs society xx euro a year, this many people may be saved…
Hypothesis and objectives – the objectives should be clear and understandable, describe the aim of the study in relation to the background section, set some clear and reachable goals
Above all – make sure the evaluator can see your idea and hypothesis clearly!!
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Considerations during the writing phase – the project description
Target and need – who are you solving a problem for? What will it mean for them that you solve this problem? Can be theoretical, basic science problem
Method – how will you solve the problem and achieve the objectives? Be specific and realistic about methods, time frame and human resources available
Collaborators – who are your partners and why? What are they bringing to the project? Explain why you have chosen these partners – are they the best in the
Describe your network – are you connected to national and international leading research groups in the field
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Considerations during the writing phase – the project description
Feasibility of the project – do your organisation and partners have the necessary infrastructure
Ethical aspects – if any describe them and the means to have them approved by national ethics committees
Expected results and their dissemination – more and more agencies are interested in dissemination of the results in other ways that scientific publications and meetings. How will you ensure that the public or relevant stakeholders hear about your findings?
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Considerations during the writing phase
Time plan – Gantt chart
Try to make a reasonable time plan which shows the progress and the flow of work. A Gantt chart is a good way to show this and asked for by many agencies. You can supply the chart with a description of who does what..
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Considerations during the writing phase
Just before you send the application
Have an outside read through and comment on the application – make sure it matches the call from the foundation. You could make a check list with the buzz-words from the guidelines/aims of the foundation. Does the application live up to the demands on innovation, quality, clinical research, etc.
Check that the application lives up to all guidelines – font style, size, pages, appendices
Some private foundations do not accept applications by e-mail
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Where can you apply for post doc funding?
The Free Research Council (DFF)Individual post doc grants, calls twice a year (March & September). Very high competition, succes rate 10-15 %The Strategic Research Council (DSF)Large grants to seniors with heavy CVs – post docs are a requirement – named and unnamed The Advanced Technology Foundation (HTF)Have made a pilot-post doc grant. Partly at a private company and the university. Villum foundationBoth individual and hired stipends. Mobility demandCarlsberg foundationBasic research – mobility a plusEU-Marie Curie
Mobility demand – young researchers travel away from place of origin. Dead line Aug 2011
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Make sure!
To sell your proposal - selling not telling
•Most researchers are good at telling but not so great at selling
To focus on the outcome
•Most researchers tell what their project is about not what the outcome/result of the project will be
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Where to search for funding?
Kraks Fonde & Legater 2004-2005, Bog: ca. Kr. 960,00, is available at most librarieshttp://kraksbutik.krak.dk
Vejviser til legater og fonde, 10. udgave, Billesø og Baltzer, Bog: ca. Kr. 845,00, udgives også på CD-Rom, is available at most libraries
http://www.e-boghandel.dk/shop/item.asp?id=549877
The Research Support Office at RegionH, FIE has a searchable funding database. If your email address ends with @faculty.ku.dk you can sign up here:http://www.regionh.dk/FIE/Menu/Finansierings_Databasen/Sog+i++databasen/If problems, then contact your local research support office. They may know how to fix it and are in contact with FIE.
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Remember!!
“Foundations are a little like people: Not all of them are alike and even those of the same
type do not behave alike. Each is a singular institution with a separate identity and specific
purposes for existence. What is uniform about them is that they give money away each year.”
Kilde: (Greenfield, J. M. 1999, s. 202)
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