How to write an ARC How to write an ARC applicationapplication

Assoc. Prof. Lesley HughesAssoc. Prof. Lesley Hughes

Dept of Biological SciencesDept of Biological Sciences

Getting startedGetting started

Start earlyStart early Read guidelines and funding rules Read guidelines and funding rules

carefullycarefully Get a mentor/sGet a mentor/s Read some successful Read some successful

applicationsapplications

National Research National Research PrioritiesPriorities

An Environmentally Sustainable Australia;An Environmentally Sustainable Australia; Promoting and Maintaining Good Health;Promoting and Maintaining Good Health; Frontier Technologies for Building and Frontier Technologies for Building and

Transforming Australian IndustriesTransforming Australian Industries Safeguarding AustraliaSafeguarding Australia

Each NRP has a subset of 4-7 Priority Each NRP has a subset of 4-7 Priority GoalsGoals

Your audienceYour audience

Grants read Grants read – by panel member/s in the College of Experts by panel member/s in the College of Experts

(100+ proposals each)(100+ proposals each)– 2 Oz readers (12-20 proposals each)2 Oz readers (12-20 proposals each)– Up to 4 “international experts” (may be Up to 4 “international experts” (may be

Australian or from overseas, one to a few Australian or from overseas, one to a few proposals each)proposals each)

College of experts will be the most influential

College of ExpertsCollege of Experts

Biological Sciences and BiotechnologyBiological Sciences and Biotechnology Engineering and Environmental Engineering and Environmental

SciencesSciences Humanities and Creative Arts Humanities and Creative Arts Mathematics, Information and Mathematics, Information and

Communication SciencesCommunication Sciences Physics, Chemistry and GeosciencePhysics, Chemistry and Geoscience Social, Behavioural and Economic Social, Behavioural and Economic

SciencesSciences

Who will assess your Who will assess your grant is determined grant is determined by:by: Key wordsKey words TitleTitle Project summaryProject summary RFCD codesRFCD codes

Select/write these carefully to guide your proposal toward those most appreciative

DiscoveryDiscovery

Investigator/s 40%Investigator/s 40%

Project 60%Project 60%– Significance & innovation 30%Significance & innovation 30%– Approach 20%Approach 20%– National Benefit 10%National Benefit 10%

LinkageLinkage

Investigator/s 20%Investigator/s 20%

Project 80%Project 80%– Significance & innovation 25%Significance & innovation 25%– Approach & training 20%Approach & training 20%– National benefit 10%National benefit 10%– Commitment from partner Commitment from partner

organisation 25%organisation 25%

Discovery project Discovery project objectives:objectives:

support excellent fundamental research support excellent fundamental research enhance the scale and focus of research enhance the scale and focus of research

in the National Research Prioritiesin the National Research Priorities expand Australia’s knowledge base and expand Australia’s knowledge base and

research capability research capability foster the international competitiveness foster the international competitiveness

of Australian researchof Australian research encourage research training in high-encourage research training in high-

quality research environments.quality research environments.

Discovery projects will Discovery projects will support:support: pure basic researchpure basic research undertaken to undertaken to

acquire new knowledge acquire new knowledge strategic basic researchstrategic basic research undertaken undertaken

to provides the broad base of to provides the broad base of knowledge necessary to solve knowledge necessary to solve recognised practical problems; andrecognised practical problems; and

applied researchapplied research undertaken with a undertaken with a specific application in view specific application in view

Discovery projects will Discovery projects will notnot support: support:

clinical medical and dental research clinical medical and dental research activities leading solely to the creation activities leading solely to the creation

or performance of a work of artor performance of a work of art scholarly investigations that do not scholarly investigations that do not

lead to conceptual advances or lead to conceptual advances or discoveriesdiscoveries

production of teaching materials aloneproduction of teaching materials alone compilation of data alonecompilation of data alone development of research aids and development of research aids and

tools alonetools alone

Part E: The proposalPart E: The proposal

General:General: Remember that most/all of the Remember that most/all of the

assessors will not be specialists in assessors will not be specialists in the subject areathe subject area

Proposal MUST be readable and clearProposal MUST be readable and clear Proposal must grab the readers Proposal must grab the readers

attention and convince them that attention and convince them that you and your project is specialyou and your project is special

Make the assessors Make the assessors task EASYtask EASY

Make sure they get a clear answer to Make sure they get a clear answer to each of these questions within 10 each of these questions within 10 minutes:minutes:– What am I going to do? (AIMS)What am I going to do? (AIMS)– Why am I going to do it? (SIGNIFICANCE)Why am I going to do it? (SIGNIFICANCE)– How is my idea novel? (INNOVATION)How is my idea novel? (INNOVATION)– How am I going to do it? (METHODS)How am I going to do it? (METHODS)

Follow instructions about section Follow instructions about section headings headings exactlyexactly

Try an upfront Try an upfront summarysummary

This research will…..This research will….. The team are…..The team are….. We will use…..We will use….. The benefits/outcomes will be…The benefits/outcomes will be…

E2 AimsE2 Aims

The project aim(s)The project aim(s)– A very clear statement of the overall aim A very clear statement of the overall aim

should appear within the first paragraphshould appear within the first paragraph– An aim must be outcome focused; if the An aim must be outcome focused; if the

aim is achieved, how is the field aim is achieved, how is the field advanced?advanced?

Don’t say your aim is “to Don’t say your aim is “to investigateinvestigate xxx…”!xxx…”!– It doesn’t give any outcomeIt doesn’t give any outcome

E2 Background E2 Background (literature)(literature)

Not formally assessed (in % points) Not formally assessed (in % points) but…but… Very important to set the scene and to Very important to set the scene and to

convince the reader that it’s importantconvince the reader that it’s important Need a comprehensive but concise review Need a comprehensive but concise review

of all relevant previous work in the field of all relevant previous work in the field Expert assessors will want to be sure you Expert assessors will want to be sure you

are up to date in the disciplineare up to date in the discipline Only refer to papers that are easily Only refer to papers that are easily

accessible (minimise grey literature)accessible (minimise grey literature) Include reference to work of CIsInclude reference to work of CIs

E3 Significance & E3 Significance & Innovation (30%)Innovation (30%)

Imagine you are being interviewed Imagine you are being interviewed by a journalistby a journalist

– ““What is What is newnew about this research, Dr. about this research, Dr. Smith?” (Smith?” (innovationinnovation))

– ““Why is your research Why is your research importantimportant, Dr , Dr Smith?” (Smith?” (significancesignificance))

E3 Significance & innovation E3 Significance & innovation (30%)(30%)

Official questionsOfficial questions Does the research address an important problem?Does the research address an important problem? Will the anticipated outcomes advance the Will the anticipated outcomes advance the

knowledge base of the discipline?knowledge base of the discipline? Is the research principally focussed upon a topic Is the research principally focussed upon a topic

or outcome that falls within one of the National or outcome that falls within one of the National Research Priorities and associated Priority GoalsResearch Priorities and associated Priority Goals

Are the Proposal’s aims and concepts novel and Are the Proposal’s aims and concepts novel and innovative?innovative?

Will new methods or technologies be developed?Will new methods or technologies be developed?

Single most important Single most important thingthing

The WOW factor

What is the problem? Why is it important How are you going to solve it?

Significance could be due to: Importance of problem Novel combination of people, skills, methods

Can’t be just more of the same, however worthy

E4 Approach & E4 Approach & Methodology (20%)Methodology (20%)

Official questions:Official questions:

Are the conceptual framework, design, Are the conceptual framework, design, methods and analyses adequately methods and analyses adequately developed, well integrated and developed, well integrated and appropriate to the aims of the Proposal?appropriate to the aims of the Proposal?

How appropriate is the proposed How appropriate is the proposed budget? (new question)budget? (new question)

E4 Approach & E4 Approach & Methodology (cont)Methodology (cont)

Sufficiently detailed to show experts Sufficiently detailed to show experts you know what you are doing and you know what you are doing and precisely how you will do itprecisely how you will do it

Include preliminary data (but have to Include preliminary data (but have to avoid impression that project already avoid impression that project already almost completealmost complete

You can be technical (e.g. use You can be technical (e.g. use equations) equations)

E4 Approach & E4 Approach & Methodology (cont)Methodology (cont)

Use figures and diagrams to simplify Use figures and diagrams to simplify explanations where possibleexplanations where possible

Give a clear strategy for achieving Give a clear strategy for achieving each major aim: break down into sub each major aim: break down into sub tasks giving dependenciestasks giving dependencies

Give clear time line for the project. Give clear time line for the project. Give reasonable estimates of how Give reasonable estimates of how much time is required for each sub taskmuch time is required for each sub task

E4 Approach & E4 Approach & Methodology Methodology (cont)(cont)

Address potential weaknesses/risks and Address potential weaknesses/risks and have a considered strategy to deal with have a considered strategy to deal with them (Plan B?)them (Plan B?)

If compromises must be made (eg. If compromises must be made (eg. between sample size & no.) give between sample size & no.) give reasons why your choice is the best one reasons why your choice is the best one

BUT: try not to give reviewers doubts BUT: try not to give reviewers doubts that they wouldn’t have thought of that they wouldn’t have thought of themselvesthemselves

E5 National benefit E5 National benefit (10%)(10%)

Official questionsOfficial questions What is the potential of the research project What is the potential of the research project

to result in economic and/or social benefits to result in economic and/or social benefits for Australia from the expected results and for Australia from the expected results and outcomes of the project?outcomes of the project?

What is the potential for the research to What is the potential for the research to contribute to the National Research Priorities?contribute to the National Research Priorities?

Easier for some projects than others

Other sectionsOther sections

E6 Communication of resultsE6 Communication of results

Remarkably similar across grants Remarkably similar across grants (conferences, peer-reviewed (conferences, peer-reviewed publications, workshops etc)publications, workshops etc)

Try to be as specific as possible e.g. Try to be as specific as possible e.g. name potential conferencesname potential conferences

Especially important for Linkage grants Especially important for Linkage grants as it adds weight to case for value to as it adds weight to case for value to partnerpartner

E7 Role of PersonnelE7 Role of Personnel

Make clear what each participant Make clear what each participant will do, including studentswill do, including students

Don’t forget potential participants Don’t forget potential participants other than the CIs & PIs (e.g. other than the CIs & PIs (e.g. advisors amongst your colleaguesadvisors amongst your colleagues

Other sections (cont)Other sections (cont)

BudgetBudget

Assessors now specifically asked to Assessors now specifically asked to comment as to appropriateness of the comment as to appropriateness of the budgetbudget

Don’t be greedyDon’t be greedy BUT: an overly frugal plan and budget will BUT: an overly frugal plan and budget will

diminish the apparent importance of your diminish the apparent importance of your proposalproposal

Justification is crucial especially level of Justification is crucial especially level of proposed appointments and travelproposed appointments and travel

Commitment of Partner Commitment of Partner Organisation (25% Linkage Organisation (25% Linkage only)only)

More the better, demonstrates how More the better, demonstrates how important the project is to the partnerimportant the project is to the partner

Make clear how partner will be Make clear how partner will be involvedinvolved

Involvement must be specific to Involvement must be specific to projectproject

Need to convince assessors of value to Need to convince assessors of value to the partner and potential for long-term the partner and potential for long-term collaborationcollaboration

Some more general Some more general pointspoints

Proposal must be written with as much rigour Proposal must be written with as much rigour and care as a scientific paper for a top journaland care as a scientific paper for a top journal

The average ARC Oz Reader has to write 60 to The average ARC Oz Reader has to write 60 to 100 separate paragraphs of feedback 100 separate paragraphs of feedback

Try to help the assessors as much as possibleTry to help the assessors as much as possible– Layout: Use dot points, sub-headings, boxes and Layout: Use dot points, sub-headings, boxes and

adequate spaces to make the proposal physically adequate spaces to make the proposal physically easy (& enjoyable) to readeasy (& enjoyable) to read

– Language: avoid jargon, keep it clear and simpleLanguage: avoid jargon, keep it clear and simple

Common Common mistakes/reasons for lack mistakes/reasons for lack of successof success

Project fails to grab reader’s Project fails to grab reader’s attention (lacks clarity, originality, attention (lacks clarity, originality, excitement)excitement)

Project not nationally or Project not nationally or internationally competitiveinternationally competitive

Project emphasises data collection Project emphasises data collection rather than innovative approaches rather than innovative approaches to address important problemsto address important problems

Scope is too broad or too narrow, Scope is too broad or too narrow, under-or oversells ideas or peopleunder-or oversells ideas or people

Common Common mistakes/reasons for lack mistakes/reasons for lack of successof success

3 pages of background (0%) then only half a 3 pages of background (0%) then only half a page of significance and innovation (30%)page of significance and innovation (30%)

Aims, outcomes, significance and innovation Aims, outcomes, significance and innovation not clearly identified or lack specificitynot clearly identified or lack specificity

Approach lacks detailApproach lacks detail Aims & approach mismatchedAims & approach mismatched Apparent carelessness – spelling, formatting, Apparent carelessness – spelling, formatting,

difficult to read, repetitive, references out of difficult to read, repetitive, references out of date or inaccuratedate or inaccurate

Some final thoughtsSome final thoughts

It’s a lottery

If you miss out:If you miss out:

Ask yourself:

Is this research really exciting? Is my track record the problem?

Then:

Get some honest feedback (from experts and non-experts) Address weaknesses Try again

Further hints & Further hints & resourcesresources Research.curtin.edu.au/grants/Research.curtin.edu.au/grants/

application.htmlapplication.html www.uq.edu.au/research/orps/downloads/www.uq.edu.au/research/orps/downloads/

slides/persuasive05-drinkwater.pptslides/persuasive05-drinkwater.ppt