Common Mistakes in Writing Proposals. Prof. Chris Phillips, Experimental Solid State Group, Physics...
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Common Mistakes in Writing Proposals. Prof. Chris Phillips, Experimental Solid State Group, Physics Dept., Imperial College London, UK. NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012 NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
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Transcript of Common Mistakes in Writing Proposals. Prof. Chris Phillips, Experimental Solid State Group, Physics...
Common Mistakes in Writing Proposals.
Prof. Chris Phillips, Experimental Solid State Group, Physics Dept., Imperial College London, UK.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Outline
Introduction/Overview
Your Track Record
The Promises You Make
Programme and Methodology
Risk Vs. Reward
Management and Structure of the Programme
Resources Required.
Impact
Concluding Remarks.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Outline
Introduction/Overview
Your Track Record
The Promises You Make
Programme and Methodology
Risk Vs. Reward
Management and Structure of the Programme
Resources Required.
Impact
Concluding Remarks.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Writing Style
In order of commonness (and Importance)
Too Verbose
Unexplained Jargon (problem for International referees)
Outdated References
Russian References
Trying to persuade with Assertions instead of Evidence.
No/not enough/not clearly labelled diagrams/ flowcharts.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Outline
Introduction/Overview
Your Track Record
The Promises You Make
Programme and Methodology
Risk Vs. Reward
Management and Structure of the Programme
Resources Required.
Impact
Concluding Remarks.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Your “Track Record”
Should be “evidential.”, i.e. Supported by facts, and not just assertions.
*Publications:- In good Journals, well cited.
*Funding:- Grants won in open competition, amounts/ success rates etc.
*Collaborations:-have you worked (and published!) with other noted scientists?
*Honours:- Medals, prizes, membership of academies etc.
*Other Success Measures:-where do your students go? Have you been on TV/in the papers?
Only works in “Single Blind” Review Systems
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Outline
Introduction/Overview
Your Track Record
The Promises You Make
Programme and Methodology
Risk Vs. Reward
Management and Structure of the Programme
Resources Required.
Impact
Concluding Remarks.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
The Promises You Make
Many proposals were not making solid enough commitments
Some of these are dependent on the way the funding system is
structured.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
The Promises You Make
S pecific (Numbers, demonstrators, prototypes)
M easurable (How can you tell if they’ve been achieved?)
A ttainable (No one is impressed if you promise the moon.)
R esourced, (have you been honest about what you need?)
T ime-Specific, (How can you tell if the programme is running to schedule?)
Some of these are dependent on the way the funding system is
structured.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Outline
Introduction/Overview
Your Track Record
The Promises You Make
Programme and Methodology
Risk Vs. Reward
Management and Structure of the Programme
Resources Required.
Impact
Concluding Remarks.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Programme and Methodology.
•Many were unconvincing, often because they were not honest enough about the difficulties in the approach.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Programme and Methodology.
•Who will do what?
•What is easy and what is hard to do?
•Do you have the necessary expertise/experience?
•Will you need to train anybody?
•Basically, you need to convince the referee you can do it. It’s all about trust, do not lie!
Can be compromised in “Double Blind” Review Systems
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Outline
Introduction/Overview
Your Track Record
The Promises You Make
Programme and Methodology
Risk Vs. Reward
Management and Structure of the Programme
Resources Required.
Impact
Concluding Remarks.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Risk vs. Reward
•Some were too boring.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Risk Vs. Reward
•They are inseparable!
Good projects ALWAYS carry risk.
Risk.
Rew
ard
.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Outline
Introduction/Overview
Your Track Record
The Promises You Make
Programme and Methodology
Risk Vs. Reward
Management and Structure of the Programme
Resources Required.
Impact
Concluding Remarks.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Management and Structure of the Programme
•Some quite large programmes did not explain how everyone would be motivated and monitored.
•Many did not define the responsibilities clearly enough
•Some had different workpackages which did not combine with “Synergy”
•(again, this could be partly due to the “double blind” nature of the system)
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Management and Structure of the Programme
•Regular meetings.
•Good recording and communicating of information.
•Clear responsibilities.
•Clear review points.
•GANTT charts often required by funding bodies in the UK
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
GANTT Chart
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Outline
Introduction/Overview
Your Track Record
The Promises You Make
Programme and Methodology
Risk Vs. Reward
Management and Structure of the Programme
Resources Required.
Impact
Concluding Remarks.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Resources Required.
•Describe, honestly, the people equipment and facilities you wiil need
•Again its a matter of trust. Don’ t over or underestimate the resource requirements
•Many bodies require quotes for expensive bits of equipment.
•Often you have to specifically justify why each bit is needed.
•Many bodies ask you to do a “full economic costing” even if they are only supplying part of the funding.Funding agency needs to develop a clear
and uniform policy here. NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Outline
Introduction/Overview
Your Track Record
The Promises You Make
Programme and Methodology
Risk Vs. Reward
Management and Structure of the Programme
Resources Required.
Impact
Concluding Remarks.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Impact.
Many made no attempt to persuade the reviewer why a piece of research should be done at all.
They seemed to think it was self-evident.
Usually it isn’t.NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Impact
•What will be changed if you get the money and have a successful research programme?
•Commercial Impact?
•Scientific Impact/glory?
•Cultural value/advances in knowledge?
•Ca the discoveries impact on different fields/disciplines?
•Will the discoveries lead to progress in areas identified by the government/funding body?
•How will the general population (and politicians!) hear about the work?•
Important in a Democracy. NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
Outline
Introduction/Overview
Your Track Record
The Promises You Make
Programme and Methodology
Risk Vs. Reward
Management and Structure of the Programme
Resources Required.
Impact
Concluding Remarks.
NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012NCSTE Kazakhstan July 2012
