INSTRUCTIONS FOR "RESEARCH PROPOSAL" PORTION OF APPLICATION


Applications that exceed the page limitations listed below or that do not comply with the required CRC application format will be returned without review.

A. Introduction:

Unestablished Investigators and Investigators Submitting Clinical Research Studies-If submitting a revised application responding to CRC comments from the early review process, provide a statement specifying what significant changes have been made. Include additions, deletions, revisions and any response to criticism contained in the reviewers' sheets. These changes must be further identified by appropriate underlining, indenting or changing of topography within the text.

DO NOT EXCEED 15 PAGES FOR ITEMS B-E. THE FONT CAN NOT BE LESS THAN 11 POINT. THE 15-PAGE LIMIT AND FONT REQUIREMENTS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED. APPLICATIONS NOT MEETING THIS PAGE LIMITATION WILL BE RETURNED.
Organize items B-E (Research Plan) to answer the questions:
  1. What do you intend to do
  2. Why is the work important?
  3. What has already been done?
  4. How are you going to do the work?

B. Specific Aim:

State concisely and realistically what the research described in the application is intended to accomplish and/or what hypothesis is to be tested. Do not exceed one (1) page.

C. Background and Significance:

Briefly sketch the background to the present proposal; critically evaluate existing knowledge; and specifically identify the gaps which the project is intended to fill. State concisely the importance of the research described in the application by relating the specific aims to longer term objectives. Do not exceed three (3) pages.

D. Preliminary Studies:

Applications may employ this section to provide an account of the principal investigator's preliminary studies pertinent to the application and/or any other information which will help to establish the experience and competence of the investigator to pursue the proposed project. Do not exceed eight (8) pages for the preliminary studies.

E. Research Design and Methods:

Discuss in detail the experimental design and the procedures to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the work described in the application. Describe the protocols to be used and the tentative sequence of the investigation. Include the means by which the data will be analyzed and interpreted. Describe new methodology and its advantage over existing methodology. Discuss the potential difficulties and limitations of the proposed procedures and alternative approaches to achieve the aims. Point out any procedures, situations or materials that may be hazardous to personnel and the precautions to be exercised.

F. Literature Cited:

Mention the principal author's name when citing literature in the text, but provide the complete references in a list at the end of the Research Plan. Each citation must include the names of all authors, the name of the book or journal, volume number, page numbers and year of publication. Although no page limitation is specified for this part of the application, make every attempt to be judicious in compiling the bibliography. It should be relevant and current. It need not be exhaustive.

G. Collaborative Arrangements:

If the proposed project requires collaboration with other individuals, describe the responsibility of each investigator.

H. Appendix:

Five (5) sets of the appendix material should be mailed to the Office of the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs (ADRFA), mail code 9616. Graphs, diagrams, tables and charts may be submitted as Appendix material.

For further information contact:
Nancy Austin in the Office of the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs located at 801 N. Rutledge, 2nd Floor, Room 2073 or call 545-7936. Hours are 8:00 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Last update: September, 2006