SSHRC!

I found it very useful to take the SSHRC Writing workshop given by the SGS this September. Dr Jane Freeman, who is writing a book on SSHRC grant applications, shared some very devotedly informative points and showed us excellent examples of winning proposals. Here are the main things I learned:
There are 6 questions that a Research Proposal MUST answer:
1. What do you plan to do? (hypothesis, research question or statement)
2. Where does your work fit with other work in your field? (originality of project and research context)
3. How you will go about doing it? (theoretical framework/ or methodology)
4. Will you be able to deliver what you promise? (feasibility of plan and timeline, justification of location)
5. Who will do the work and who will benefit from it? (expertise of researcher and potential significance)
6. Why is it worth doing? (objective, contribution to the field)

It is very important to show that you are a strong student, that you have a relevant track record, and a clear sense of direction. Winning proposals are easy to read. We need to say that we know what research problem in a particular field we will solve. We need to describe details of the project, not try to evaluate it - the committee will evaluate. We should not say we are 'hoping' to do so and so. We need to use details and confident language. It is important to 'give the meat first'.

Professor Sara Grimes covered most of these in the class as well. I find it very helpful to look at the winning proposals as well as at the failed ones. I am also very committed now to getting my work peer-reviewed and I recommend that we all do that. It is so helpful to get comments from the others who are trying to work out the same things as you. It is very rewarding, too.

I hope you guys will find this useful.