NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Standard Grant Information session

1. NIPISSING UNIVERSITYSSHRCStandard GrantInformation session September 10, 2009 Janet 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 Research Services

11. 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 Research Services

12. 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 Research Services

13. 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 Research Services

14. 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) Research Services

15. 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 Research Services

16. 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 Research Services

17. 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 Research Services

18. 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 Research Services

19. 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 Research Services

20. 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 Research Services

21. 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 Research Services

22. 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 Research Services

23. 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 Research Services

24. 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 Research Services

25. 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 Research Services

26. 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. Research Services

27. 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”) Research Services

28. 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 Research Services

29. NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SSHRC Grant Information SessionNipissing 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

30. Contact Information Janet Ross Grant & Scholarship Coordinator Ph: (705) 474-3450, Ext. 4558 Fx: (705) 476-8037 Em: janetr@nipissingu.ca Research Services