FISH 6000: Week 2 - Proposals

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1. Week 2: Proposals FISH 6000: Science Communication for Fisheries Brett Favaro 2017 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
2. Land Acknowledgment We would like to respectfully acknowledge the territory in which we gather as the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk, and the island of Newfoundland as the ancestral homelands of the Mi’kmaq and Beothuk. We would also like to recognize the Inuit of Nunatsiavut and NunatuKavut and the Innu of Nitassinan, and their ancestors, as the original people of Labrador. We strive for respectful partnerships with all the peoples of this province as we search for collective healing and true reconciliation and honour this beautiful land together. http://www.mun.ca/aboriginal_affairs/
3. Today: 1. What are proposals, and what are they for? 2. Crafting excellent research questions • Searching the literature 3. Read the instructions! 4. How (and who) to ask for a reference letter In-Class Activities 1. Building a proposal
4. Today: 1. What are proposals, and what are they for? 2. Crafting excellent research questions • Searching the literature 3. Read the instructions! 4. How (and who) to ask for a reference letter In-Class Activities 1. Building a proposal
5. A proposal is an articulation of your ideas for a research project All proposals contain some combination of: But the execution depends on the format… • Background • What you will do • How you will do it (a workplan) • Why it matters – what knowledge gaps does it fill?
6. Proposal types • Thesis proposals • Scholarship applications • Grant applications • Comprehensive exams Also: • Job applications • Animal Care Services approvals • Cover letters for science papers Proposals get you money or permission to do research
7. Guest Lecture: Brian Feltham (Sept 23) • Research Grants and Contracts Officer
8. Today: 1. What are proposals, and what are they for? 2. Crafting excellent research questions • Searching the literature 3. Read the instructions! 4. How (and who) to ask for a reference letter In-Class Activities 1. Building a proposal
9. Chapter 7 “The very first step in writing any scientific paper is to answer a simple question: what, exactly will it be about? That is, what’s your story?” – Stephen Heard True for proposals as well
10. http://thingsthatchangethewayithink.blogspot.com/2018/07/research-ideas-part-1-its-not-magic.html
11. Most research begins with a literature search https://apps.webofknowledge.com https://scholar.google.ca/ http://www.fao.org/fishery/asfa/en http://bycatch.org/
12. From: http://www.library.mun.ca/researchtools/guides/doingresearch/searchsuccess/ Most research begins with a literature search
14. If you’re doing a “structured literature search” (e.g. meta-analysis) http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000100 Consult a research librarian! http://www.library.mun.ca/ http://www.library.mun.ca/researchtools/guides/doingresearch/
15. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X15002869 “Reading forward” Read papers that cite the paper you’re reading
16. “Reading backward” Read papers cited in the paper you’re reading
17. After several days of reading papers… • What are the gaps? What are the opportunities? • What is the problem that needs to be solved? • Can we integrate ideas from other fields? A well-crafted research question is a foundation of good science There’s no magic solution here. This takes practice, wisdom, experience.
18. Tip: What alternate spelling should I use?
19. Tip: What style or structure should I use? https://fisheries.org/docs/pub_stylefl.pdf
20. Today: 1. What are proposals, and what are they for? 2. Crafting excellent research questions • Searching the literature 3. Read the instructions! 4. How (and who) to ask for a reference letter In-Class Activities 1. Building a proposal
21. 1. Am I personally eligible? 2. Is my research eligible? • Is it an *honest* fit? To what extent am I adjusting my question to fit the $? 3. What external support do I need (e.g. reference letters, $)? 4. What are the deadlines? • Can I get it all together in time? 5. Will I be competitive? 6. What are the SPECIFIC formatting requirements, and how are they submitted? Just read the instructions! Today we focus on grants and scholarships. But advice also applies to job applications, cover letters (science papers)
22. 1. Am I personally eligible? Just read the instructions! Every grant has eligibility criteria. Look for: • Nationality • Student status (Undergrad, M.Sc, Ph.D, something else?) and length of time in current program • Grade requirements • Gender • Age • Cultural origin (e.g. Indigenous scholarships) • Other attributes (e.g. History in sports? Community leadership?)
23. Factor Requirement Nationality Canadian Citizen or PR Student status Grade requirements Gender Age Cultural origin Other? • Must not have been found guilty of ethics breach • Must not owe $ to NSERC
24. Factor Requirement Nationality Canadian Citizen or PR Student status Grade requirements Gender Age Cultural origin Other? • Must not have been found guilty of ethics breach • Must not owe $ to NSERC
25. Factor Requirement Nationality Canadian Citizen or PR Student status Grade requirements Gender Age Cultural origin Other? • Must not have been found guilty of ethics breach • Must not owe $ to NSERC
26. Factor Requirement Nationality Canadian Citizen or PR Student status Grade requirements Gender Age Cultural origin Other? • Must not have been found guilty of ethics breach • Must not owe $ to NSERC
27. Factor Requirement Nationality Canadian Citizen or PR Student status Currently, or will be, a full time student At Dec 31, 0-12 months full time study Grade requirements “First class average” Gender N/A Age N/A Cultural origin N/A Other? • Must not have been found guilty of ethics breach • Must not owe $ to NSERC First Class Average: https://www.mun.ca/regoff/calendar/sectionNo=SCHO-1240
28. Factor Requirement Nationality Canadian Citizen or PR Student status Currently, or will be, a full time student At Dec 31, 0-12 months full time study Must have significant research component Must be at Canadian university Grade requirements “First class average” Gender N/A Age N/A Cultural origin N/A Other? • Must not have been found guilty of ethics breach • Must not owe $ to NSERC
29. Grant with cultural requirement
30. Grant with gender requirement http://www.peointernational.org/about-peo-scholar-awards-psa
31. What should I apply for? • https://www.mun.ca/sgs/current/scholarships/
32. 1. Am I personally eligible? 2. Is my research eligible? Just read the instructions!
33. http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Help- Aide/Codes-ListeDeCodes_Eng.asp http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students- Etudiants/CGSAllocations- QuotasBESC_eng.asp Your proposal should seem achievable, given the place you’re proposing to do it.
34. 1. Am I personally eligible? 2. Is my research eligible? • Is it an *honest* fit? To what extent am I adjusting my question to fit the $? Just read the instructions! e.g. Liber Ero Conservation Fellowship Some programs are highly targeted. A purely “discovery-based” application may not work.
35. e.g. RDC Ocean Industry Student Research Award (currently inactive) http://www.rdc.org/form/ocean-industries-student-research-awards/ Some programs are highly industry-focused. Clear industry outcomes must be articulated. e.g. Mitacs Accelerate: https://www.mitacs.ca/en/programs/eligible-research
36. 1. Am I personally eligible? 2. Is my research eligible? • Is it an *honest* fit? To what extent am I adjusting my question to fit the $? 3. What external support do I need (e.g. reference letters, $)? Just read the instructions! http://www.nserc- crsng.gc.ca/ResearchPortal- PortailDeRecherche/Instructions- Instructions/CGS_M-BESC_M_eng.asp Criteria: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ResearchPortal- PortailDeRecherche/Instructions-Instructions/CGSM_REF- BESCM_REF_eng.asp Do your referees know… - criteria? - Where to send the document? - How to complete it? (e.g. PDF? Free-form?)
37. 1. Am I personally eligible? 2. Is my research eligible? • Is it an *honest* fit? To what extent am I adjusting my question to fit the $? 3. What external support do I need (e.g. reference letters, $)? 4. What are the deadlines? • Can I get it all together in time? Just read the instructions! Tight deadline, little notice  fewer applicants Fewer applicants  better odds Give lots of lead time for references.
38. 1. Am I personally eligible? 2. Is my research eligible? • Is it an *honest* fit? To what extent am I adjusting my question to fit the $? 3. What external support do I need (e.g. reference letters, $)? 4. What are the deadlines? • Can I get it all together in time? 5. Will I be competitive? Just read the instructions!
39. Beware self-censorship. There may be fewer applicants than you’d think! Others’ applications may be excluded because they are late, irrelevant, incomplete. Successful applicants may turn down awards You may be more competitive than you (or your supervisor) think!
40. Imposter Syndrome: The feeling that you are an “imposter” in your position – that you don’t really deserve to be here, and you could be “found out” at any moment as being incompetent http://gagne.homedns.org/~tgagne/contrib/unskilled.html
41. Imposter syndrome intersects with gender… http://studylib.net/doc/13880362/the-imposter- phenomenon-in-high-achieving-women--dynamics...
42. …and race http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13613324.2016.1260226
43. So I encourage you all to: • Let others tell you “no” – don’t automatically tell yourself no • Apply higher and reach further than you think you should • Get rejected a lot! • Support each other through application and rejection Investigate the criteria Contact program officers
44. 1. Am I personally eligible? 2. Is my research eligible? • Is it an *honest* fit? To what extent am I adjusting my question to fit the $? 3. What external support do I need (e.g. reference letters, $)? 4. What are the deadlines? • Can I get it all together in time? 5. Will I be competitive? 6. What are the SPECIFIC formatting requirements, and how are they submitted? Just read the instructions!
45. Today: 1. What are proposals, and what are they for? 2. Crafting excellent research questions • Searching the literature 3. Read the instructions! 4. How (and who) to ask for a reference letter In-Class Activities 1. Building a proposal
46. • Reference letters are endorsements of your past accomplishments, and are used to predict future achievement Reference letters often include a form- style component… …and a free-form component
47. Basic advice (Copied directly from: https://www.aaas.org/page/stpf/how-ask-%E2%80%93-and-get-%E2%80%93-strong- letters-reference) 1) Ask someone who knows you well and who will be able to discuss in specific detail what distinguishes you. 2) Ask well in advance of the deadline. 3) Ask: “Do you feel you know me (or my academic record, my leadership qualities) well enough to write a strong letter of recommendation for the X opportunity?” Provide in advance: - Your current CV - Descriptive information about what you’re applying for and why - Deadlines (beware: sometimes snail mail is required!) - How to submit the reference, and the format of the reference Don’t be shy: Reference-writing is part of our job http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2016/06/getting-great-recommendation-letter More info:
48. Today: 1. What are proposals, and what are they for? 2. Crafting excellent research questions • Searching the literature 3. Read the instructions! 4. How (and who) to ask for a reference letter In-Class Activities 1. Building a proposal
49. Today: 1. What are proposals, and what are they for? 2. Crafting excellent research questions • Searching the literature 3. Read the instructions! 4. How (and who) to ask for a reference letter In-Class Activities 1. Building a proposal
50. Resource: https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/biochem/research/docs/nserc_writing_guide_pres.pdf Grants often fall on a spectrum: • Background • What you will do • How you will do it (a workplan) • Why it matters – what knowledge gaps does it fill? Building a proposal Entirely applied Deliverables Entirely discovery-based Hypothesis-driven Nearly all proposals have: Position on spectrum defines how you cover the four areas above
51. Proposal Assignment • Last week, I asked you to find a grant or scholarship to which you would like to apply. Default = NSERC (M.Sc or Ph.D). Ideal = 1-2 page “grant proposal” section • First page: Answer these questions. (point form okay) • Second page: Write the project proposal. It should: • Follow funder’s instructions • Use appropriate language: good grammar, no typos, jargon minimized or explained • Employ clear narrative structure. Make goals clear. • Study placed in the context of current literature 1. Am I personally eligible? 2. Is my research eligible? 3. What external support do I need (e.g. reference letters, $)? 4. What are the deadlines? 5. Will I be competitive? 6. What are the SPECIFIC formatting requirements, and how are they submitted?
52. Proposal Assignment • Spend the rest of the class working on this. Get as far as you can. • Write a draft of your proposal by 26 Sept (Thursday). • Pair up with another student. Swap drafts. Read each other’s proposals separately. • Bring your draft, along with peer comments to class next week (Monday, Sept 30). Be prepared to discuss. Final proposal will be due Oct 4, end of day. If you’re reading a proposal outside your area of expertise: Focus less on the merits of the proposal, and more on the writing, presentation, and adherence to criteria.