Research is funded based on the likely significance of the contribution to knowledge. However, it’s tricky to know what that is prior to doing the research. In this post, I use the example of Fermat’s Last Theorem to draw out some of the issues and propose some strategies for tackling this in your research proposal.
Thinking about hiring research assistants
Posted on May 14, 2013 by 2 Comments
Are you reluctant to hire Research Assistants?
I was reading a blog post about hiring in a small business and this paragraph resonated with conversations I’ve had with researchers. “I believe that I am a genius at some things and not others. And that I need to hire geniuses in the other areas.” It’s a bit different when you think about research assistants because one purpose of hiring them is to provide apprenticeship opportunities. But that just extends this perspective rather than negating it.
Common problems in grant proposals
Posted on April 18, 2013 by
I’ve been helping social science and humanities academics with grant proposals since 2005. Prior to that, I worked for the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) as both a program officer and a policy analyst. Based on that experience, here are some of the issues that come up repeatedly. Unclear objectives The grant is [...]
Writing is the social currency of academic life
Posted on September 6, 2012 by
In high school things like fashionable clothes, knowing the latest hit from a popular band, and being good at sports were the keys to popularity. Getting good grades might have endeared you to teachers and parents but it wasn’t really the currency of peer approval. The world you are in now is like an upside [...]
Why I do Grant Proposal Development the way I do
Posted on June 28, 2012 by
I have been helping social science and humanities researchers with grant proposals since April 2005. In that time, how I approach the task has shifted. Those shifts have not been arbitrary. I am learning all the time. And I adjust my practice based on what I’m learning. I am not an editor. Or a grant [...]
