NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Standard Grant Information session

Research Services 1

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY

SSHRC Standard Grant

Information session

September 10, 2009Janet Ross

Grant & Scholarship Coordinator

Research Services 2

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionCharacteristics

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 3

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 4

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 5

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 6

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionStepping 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 7

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionHow 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 8

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionHow 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 9

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionPreparation

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 10

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionOverall 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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionSummary 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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionStatement 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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionMethodology

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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionTeam 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)


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionBudget

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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionBudget (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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionBudget (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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionBudget Justification

Use all the provided space! Don’t leave doubts If you ask for $ for something, explain

why it is an essential item


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionTraining

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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionPresenting 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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionExtenuating 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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionResubmission 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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionWhat 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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionAbout 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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionCOMMITTEE COMMENTS: THE TOP 4

Incomplete or outdated literature review

Lack of theoretical rationale Lack of specificity and justification in

the methodology No link between the conceptual

framework and the methodology = theory => objectives => methodology => budget


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionFlagging 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.


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionWhat 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”)


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionSSHRC 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


NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information Session Nipissing Schedule of Submission

Monday, September 21, 2009 -- 1st paper drafts dueFriday, 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


Contact Information

Janet RossGrant & Scholarship

CoordinatorPh: (705) 474-3450, Ext. 4558Fx: (705) 476-8037Em: [email protected]

Documents

NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Standard Grant Information session