NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Standard Grant

Information session

September 10, 2009

Janet Ross Grant & Scholarship Coordinator

Research Services 1

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Characteristics

 Three-year cycle  Team and individual applications  Program versus Project  March 2009 : $78,773,430 was awarded for 941 research projects  Average three-year grant ~$60,000 80,000  In 2009, success rate was 33% Research Services 2

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session SSHRC’s objectives

    Support high quality independent programs of research Train future researchers Contribute to development/elaboration of new theoretical or methodological approaches to research Assist the communication of research results within and beyond academia Research Services 3

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session New Scholar Category

 Not a principal investigator on a previously awarded Standard Research Grant or Strategic Grant  Completed highest degree less than five years OR  Held tenure-track position less than 5 years OR  Never had a tenure-track position OR   Careers interrupted or delayed for family reasons 40/60 – 40 % record and 60% program Research Services 4

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session First Step….

 Build CV--show recent, lively research career appropriate to stage of career  Seek seed funding at Nipissing (through SURG/IRG programs)  Do thorough review of area of interest  Disseminate preliminary findings Research Services 5

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Stepping Stone….

 Initial research complete (pilot study, preliminary conference or print publication)  Literature review completed  Results from previously funded research  Substantial contributions to discipline, about to be, or recently published Research Services 6

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session How to Start…

What is my research question?

 MUST JUMP OFF THE PAGE  MUST CAPTURE COMMITTEE’S IMAGINATION  MUST MAKE SENSE FOR YOUR PROFILE AND YOUR FIELD Research Services 7

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session How to Start (2)

Do I have a three-year research program?

 MUST HAVE A PLAN AND A SERIES OF OUTCOMES  MUST BE DO-ABLE IN A THREE-YEAR PERIOD Research Services 8

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Preparation

 Invest time in the preparation of your proposal  Make sure all parts are well organized and laid out logically  Ask a colleague for feedback on your draft Research Services 9

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Overall presentation

 Establish clearly the need for the research  Demonstrate its importance and originality  Try to strike a balance between ambition and realism: set challenging goals but be as specific as possible about timelines of the research to show where the research is leading  Demonstrate how this new research builds upon your past work Research Services 10

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Summary Page

VERY IMPORTANT PAGE--how you will be recognized and remembered by the adjudication committee as a whole   Capture the readers’ imaginations Capsule, reader-friendly version (satisfy experts and interest general audience)   Clearly indicate the purpose, the objectives, the context and impact Have colleagues critique the summary Research Services 11

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Statement of Objectives & Theoretical Framework

 Clear Research Question(s)  Not to be an assessment of a program, i.e. reports, government educational initiatives  Clear and precise objectives  Clear theoretical or conceptual framework  Complete literature review  Situate your research within the context of the literature and current debates in the field.

 Present differences in viewpoints positively Research Services 12

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Methodology

 Explain and justify your choice of methodology  Go through how you will collect your data and analyze it step-by-step, showing timelines, process, and student involvement as applied to the objectives and budget requirements  Evident synergy between research question(s), objectives and methodology Research Services 13

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Team Applications

 Applicant should demonstrate need for team & outline each person’s role & responsibilities  Each team member assessed; however, collaborators do not factor into track record score  Applicant must be qualified; cannot rely on experience of co-applicant (s) Research Services 14

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Budget

 Justify EVERY ITEM  Committees looking to make cuts  Link to progress of research:   field research early on (year one?) only disseminate when you have some results  fewer budget needs in final years Research Services 15

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Budget (2)

SSHRC’s advice :  Reasonable and fully justified budget  Check list of eligible and ineligible expenses  Clearly explain the role of students and anticipated benefits to student training  Link between research objectives, methodology, and budget Research Services 16

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Budget (3)

 Do you need to travel? Why?  Be precise. Which conferences and to what purpose?

 Computer hardware/software and other equipment--be reasonable. No luxury items!

 Tailor the number of students and their level of expertise to the project--writing a book doesn’t require 6 PhDs as RAs Research Services 17

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Budget Justification

 Use all the provided space!

 Don’t leave doubts  If you ask for $ for something, explain why it is an essential item Research Services 18

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Training

      Work with graduate students to date ? What’s typical in your program? (If you have few opportunities, explain that) Supervisions, committees, research assistants employed Skills training for their careers Value-added in their programs Outcomes through co- and/or single-authored publications/conferences Research Services 19

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Presenting your curriculum vitae

      The percentage of score given for the Record of Research is 40% for New researchers and 60% for Established researchers 6 year record--from 2003, NOTHING earlier; carefully organized with full bibliographic detail, consistent format (no cut and paste!), full page numbers Most important research achievements page is for earlier accomplishments Productivity from previous grants Reviewers will check: “R”/forthcoming etc.

Don’t create doubts Research Services 20

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Extenuating Circumstances/Career Interruptions

   Make sure they are “special” Deal with circumstances succinctly and matter-of-factly Cancer, death of spouse/children, divorces, ageing parents, legitimate leaves (child birth, parental leave…) SSHRC’s Comment:  Professional reasons - heavy teaching load, along with administrative duties (be careful of this item)  Decision at Committee discretion ___________  Committee Member’s comment:  Having to teach, sit on committees, write a book…are not seen as Extenuating Circumstances Research Services 21

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Resubmission of SRG Application

      Read the external readers’ reports AND the committee’s comments Ask for feedback (colleague, mentor) Explicitly address previous weaknesses in revised application Use the page provided to address comments (what I’ve done to answer concerns) Choose new assessors Don’t complain Research Services 22

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session What Happens After I Submit

       SSHRC sends to external reviewers--increasingly difficult, so pay attention to your own list of assessors (14,000 potential assessors contacted produced 5,600 reviews) Files to committees, right at the end of the Fall Term Each file assigned an “A” and “B” reader Meetings in Ottawa in February Large number of files, small envelope of money Top 15% in rankings don’t get discussed except for budget--that’s always scrutinized No discussion of files in bottom 35% after initial ranking - unless flagged Research Services 23

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session About the Committee

 Each committee member has to read from 30-40 + grants  All applications are bound by the same rules  All Committee members held SSHRC grants  All Committee members hold research positions  All Committee members are active and productive researchers Research Services 24

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session COMMITTEE COMMENTS: THE TOP 4

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Incomplete or outdated literature review

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Lack of theoretical rationale

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Lack of specificity and justification in the methodology

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No link between the conceptual framework and the methodology

=

theory => objectives => methodology => budget

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NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Flagging Criteria

    Significant discrepancy between scores of both readers; Significant discrepancy between scores and assessors’ comments; No external assessment; and, Any other issue raised by a committee member or program officer.

Research Services 26

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session What else to avoid …

 Ignoring instructions  No definition of roles and responsibilities for team members/students  Loading the application with co-investigators and collaborators for CV “value” but no role  Exaggerated claims (“change the world”) Research Services 27

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session SSHRC Tips

 Present a modest, reasonable budget (think

“minimum essential funding”)

 Avoid, whenever possible, budgeting for professional services  Link dissemination plans to research agenda  Link student training to research needs  Emphasize the outcomes Research Services 28

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Nipissing Schedule of Submission Monday, September 21, 2009 -- 1st paper drafts due Friday, October 2, 2009 -- Final signed paper draft due

  

(RS to do)

Wednesday, October 7, 2009 -- Dean receives application copy + original signature page for review and signature Tuesday, October 13, 2009 -- Director Research Services receives application copy for review plus original signature page with Dean’s signature Wednesday, October 14th -- Original SSHRC application approved, signed, and electronically submitted to SSHRC Research Services 29

Contact Information

Janet Ross Grant & Scholarship Coordinator Ph: (705) 474-3450, Ext. 4558 Fx: (705) 476-8037 Em: [email protected]

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