1. Developing ESRC Centre and Programme Bids Professor Andrew Pollard and Professor Teresa Rees

2. Preparing Proposals – Some Suggestions  Plan how to use the space available effectively  Ask colleagues to act as ‘critical friends’/referees on draft applications  Read the guidance notes on the application form carefully and make sure all the key issues are covered  Formulate the aims and objectives in simple, clear and precise terms and explain why the selected methods and modes of analysis are appropriate to these

3. Preparing Proposals – Some Suggestions  Anticipate potential problems (e.g. access, ethics, response rates, etc)/criticisms and state how these will be addressed  Be realistic about timescale  Seek advice from your Finance Office on the costs/check eligibility in ESRC Research Funding Guidelines (esp. staff costs)  When applying under research programmes take up, at an early stage, any opportunity to discuss applications with the Programme Director

4. Preparing Proposals – Some Suggestions  New researchers – small grants or joint proposals  Contact your nominated referees in advance to ensure they will be willing and able to comment and think the research is a good idea!  Provide a bibliography  If appropriate, identify and consult potential users of the research  Describe the expected outputs and how they will be communicated

5. ESRC Funding Opportunities – Application Checklist  Have I established appropriate aims and objectives?  Have I provided a well-thought out Research Design?  Have I given a full and detailed description of the proposed methods?  If I am using Data Collection have I considered already existing resources?  Have I demonstrated a clear and systematic approach to the analysis of data collection?  Have I thought about ethics?

6. ESRC Funding Opportunities – Application Checklist (cont)  Have I recognised and planned for the skills and competencies required?  Have I anticipated potential difficulties and addressed them?  Have I provided a bibliography?  Am I satisfied I have fully defended my chosen research design against critical appraisal?  Have I identified potential users and thought about how to engage them?  Have I provided a clear dissemination strategy?

7. Preparing Proposals – Some Common ‘Mistakes’  Costs not adequately justified/ineligible  Potential outputs not adequately developed  Lack of fit to advertised specification (where applicable)

8. Preparing Proposals – Some Common ‘Mistakes’  Research methods/methods of analysis under-specified; choice of methods or approach not adequately justified, e.g. reasons for not selecting specific case study sites  Research design does not fit stated aims/objectives  Inadequate contextualisation within current literature/scientific debates  Broader contribution of research to knowledge not thought through

9. Where to find out more  ESRC website – http://www.esrc.ac.uk  ESRC Social Sciences Newsletter (e.mail exrel@esrc.ac.uk to be put on mailing list)  REGARD Database (current ESRC research and research outputs) http://www.regard.ac.uk  Calls for proposals normally advertised in The Times Higher and The Guardian (Educ – Tues)

10. ESRC Funding Opportunities – Research Grant Success Rates Discipline% Success RateRank Order 2001/22000/1 Area Studies 50671 Environmental Planning 50211 Statistics and Computing & Methodologies 50221 Human Geography 48294 Linguistics 44415 Economic and Social History 43536 Economics 40487 Social Policy 40267 Sociology 35319 Social Anthropology 354410 Political Science and International Relations 335011 Socio-Legal Studies 313612 Education 282713 Psychology 273514 Interdisciplinary Studies 17015 Management and Business Studies 162116 Average Success Rate 32.435.1-