OVERVIEW
In teams of
two/three – you will be responsible for submitting a grant proposal to fund your proposed
herpetological research. This is an
exercise to introduce you to the all important activity of securing $$$ for
research purposes in the area of herpetology.
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You
and your partner(s) (Co-PI) must come up with an original research project idea
that builds on previous work conducted in the field of herpetology. The research should focus on reptiles and/or amphibians and can be on a particular species, groups of species, or aspect (morphology, physiologyl, evolution, biogeography, conservation, etc.). You will need to come up with your own
hypothesis and then design experiments that will successfully test this
hypothesis. You will need to refer to
journal articles to aid you in constructing your hypothesis and for background
information. You should also discuss your ideas with me prior to submission.
§
To
find articles online go to: GOOGLE SCHOLAR, BIOONE,
and SCIENCEDIRECT and either search for a particular topic of interest or browse the journals
for research conducted on reptiles and amphibians
o
Useful
journals in BIOONE: Journal of
Herpetology, Herptelogica, Copiea,
Evolution, Northwester Naturalist, Southwestern Naturalist
o
Useful
journals in SCIENCEDIRECT: Animal
Behavior, Aquatic Toxicology, Biological Conservation, Comparative Biochemistry
and Physiology, Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetics
o
You
can also search BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, but we might not have access to those
articles…
Be
sure to follow the proposal guidelines, as any discrepancies can automatically
disqualify you from receiving funding – (translation: it will affect your
grade!).
Grant
Proposal Guidelines:
I.
Format of the Proposal:
Proposals must have 1 inch margins at the
top, bottom and on each side. The type size must be clear and readily legible,
and conform to the following three requirements: 1) the height of the letters
must not be smaller than 10 point or larger than 14 point. 2) While line spacing (single-spaced,
double-spaced, etc.) is at the discretion of the proposer, the proposal
cannot exceed 8 pages, cover sheet and references not included.
II.
Sections of the Proposal:
A. Cover Sheet
B. Project Summary
C. Project Description
D. References Cited
E. Budget
F.
Curriculum vitae's (Resumes for each co-PI)
A.
Cover Sheet (see form)
B. Project Summary
The proposal must contain a summary of the
proposed activity suitable for publication, not more than one page in length.
It should not be an abstract of the proposal, but rather a self-contained
description of the activity that would result if the proposal were funded. The
summary should be written in the third person and include a statement of
objectives, methods to be employed and the potential impact of the project on
advancing knowledge, science and education, and/or human resource development.
It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields
and, insofar as possible, understandable to a scientifically or technically
literate lay reader.
C. Project Description
The main body of the proposal should be a
clear statement of the work to be undertaken and should include:
i.
Objectives
ii.
Background info
and general plan and timeline
iii.
Methods – with
adequate description of procedures
iv.
for the period of the proposed work and expected
significance.
v.
Broader impacts
of the proposed activity, addressing the following: how the project will advance discovery and
understanding. Discuss any ways in which
the proposed activity will 1). broaden
the participation of underrepresented groups; 2). how
the project will enhance the research and/or education, and 3). identify potential benefits of the proposed activity to
society at large.
D. References
Cited
Reference information is required. Please
use the Name, Year method in the body of the text -For information on how to properly cite your proposal, see Citation Guide. Each reference must include the names of all
authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication), the
article title, book or journal title, volume number, page numbers, year of
publication, and website address if available electronically.
E. Budget
i.
Co-PI
salaries (for summer term only)*
ii.
Research
assistant wages
iii.
Indirect
costs
iv.
Equipment**
v.
Travel
i. You must include any salaries – i.e. those for
yourselves as the PI & Co-PI and for any research assistants you might need. Summer PI salary is based on an average
assistant professor salary = $6,000/month.
ii. RA wages = The rate
is $10/hour for assistants.
iii.
Indirect costs – Administrative costs - %15 of the subtotal for your wages
& equipment.
iv. You must include an
itemized budget of equipment/supplies needed. You must estimate all the
materials and equipment you will need to conduct the research (i.e. traps,
radio telemetry equipment, PCR machine, etc.). You can use the web to obtain
accurate budget information for equipment costs. There are several laboratory supply companies
online (Fisher Scientific, VWR, Forestry Suppliers, Carolina Biological Supply)
which you can use.
v. If your
research includes a field component (i.e. collecting frogs in
F. Curriculum Vitaes (Resumes) Each co-PI must submit a resume which should include the following information: School Address, Education History, Experience, Awards/Honors, Clubs or extracurricular activities.
Sample Proposal from past class, Real proposal from recent Herpetologist League Award