Announcing: 10th Annual UTHSCSA Campuswide "Writing Grant Applications" Workshop
May 6-7, 2002
9 am - 4pm each day

On May 6-7, 2002, the Division of Educational Research and Development, Department of Academic Informatics Services, will conduct the 10th annual "Writing Grant Applications" Workshop for UTHSCSA faculty. More than 500 faculty from all schools on campus have completed this 12 hour professional development program since its inception in 1993.

The goals of this workshop are to help faculty write clear, compelling and convincing grant applications and avoid errors that raise flags (warning signals) in the minds of reviewer. During the program, participants are organized into review committees to critique a previously submitted NIH grant application. Emphasis is placed on the abstract, which is often written in a less then dynamic manner. Participants learn strategies for "making every word count" in the abstract and learn wordsmithing techniques that enhance the reader-friendliness of the application. Participants receive a step-by-step manual that summarizes writing strategies for each research plan component and a comprehensive list of red flags to avoid. Examples of how to construct key charts and tables are reviewed. Experienced grant writers at UTHSCSA share their grantsmanship "pearls."

A synopsis of the overall workshop follows.

Registration: There is no fee for UTHSCSA faculty to participate in this course. The workshop is open to all UTHSCSA faculty. Register by contacting Elisa Rendon by phone at 7 - 2292, fax at 7-2281, or by e-mail at rendonm@uthscsa.edu . The registration deadline is April 30, 2002

Enrollment: Due to the hands-on workshop format, enrollment is limited to approximately 50 participants.

Information: If you have questions, please contact Bill Hendricson, Workshop Director, by phone at 7-2813 or by e-mail at hendricson@uthscsa.edu . A workshop synopsis follows the registration form.

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Registration - 2002 UTHSCSA "Writing Grant Applications" Workshop

Your name: _____________________________________

Degrees:________________

School: _____________________ Department: ________________

Division: _______________

Campus Phone: ____________ Fax: ____________ E-mail:

&nbps;
Return this course registration to Elisa Rendon, Division of Educational Research and Development by Monday, April 30, 2002. You can also register by faxing this form to 7-2281 (attention: Elisa Rendon), by calling Elisa at campus extension 7-2292 or by e-mail at rendonm@uthscsa.edu

Workshop Goal:

The goal of this workshop is to help faculty write clear, compelling and convincing grant applications and avoid common errors that raise flags (e.g., warning signals) in the mind of the reviewer. These red flags increase the reviewer's index of suspicion about the scientific merit of the application and reduce the likelihood of receiving a favorable score.

Participants will learn:

• How to write convincing abstracts and precise specific aims statements for NIH applications

  The abstract and specific aims pages of the NIH application are your best chance to make a positive first impression and persuasively communicate the merits of the project. Reviewers may skim the bulk of the application, but virtually all reviewers will critique these two pages carefully. It is essential to clearly communicate what you propose to do, why it's valuable, and how you will accomplish the project goals.

• Strategies to maximize the reviewer-friendliness of your application

  The clarity of your writing (readability, precise use of words, organization) and the packaging of the application (neatness, layout, attention to directions) are reflections of your managerial skills. A carelessly prepared application sends a message that you might manage the project the same way.

• Red flags to avoid in background and significance, preliminary studies, research design/methods, and budget justification

  Working as review committees, participants will assess grant applications to identify red flags in the major narrative components. Strategies to avoid red flags will be discussed following critiques by the participant review committees.

• Grant writing recommendations from experienced investigators

  Successful grant writers from various health professions and the biomedical sciences will discuss their approaches to writing grants, share insights into the grantsmanship process and answer participant's questions.

Special Features:

• Interact with successful grant writers from several health science disciplines
• Receive a detailed handout summarizing writing strategies and red flags for each application component.
• Participate in "wordsmithing" exercises and critique actual grant applications.
• Learn a technique for writing a persuasive abstract

Objectives:

• Review and discuss strategies to make your grant application clear, compelling and convincing
• Describe the red flags to avoid in each section of the grant application
• Discuss the appropriate organization of information and allocation of words in the abstract
• Identify writing strategies that will make your application "reviewer-friendly."