Sir_Excellence
*Same topic as selected previously for corresponding assignments*
Final Project: Research Strategy Proposal
In this final paper you will pull together all of the work you have done in the course toward developing a research concept. This assignment is based on the same guidelines (known as the SF424) you would use if you were to submit a research proposal to NIH or other federal HHS agency.
You can see the full SF 424 guidelines document here, including descriptions of each section starting on page 137:
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/forms-d/general-forms-d.pdf
In this assignment, you will only be writing specific aims and research strategy sections. Below is a simplified version of the SF424 guidelines. The list below includes all of the items that are required for your Research Strategy Proposal.
Specific Aims (1 page)
State concisely the goals of the proposed research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved.
○ List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.
Research Strategy (5 pages)
Organize the Research Strategy in the specified order using the instructions provided below. Start each section with the appropriate section heading – Significance, Innovation, Approach. Cite published experimental details in the Research Strategy section and provide the full reference in the Bibliography.
Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier in the field and how it is addressed in the proposed project.
Explain how the proposed project will improve current scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields.
Describe how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved.
Explain how the application challenges seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms.
Describe any novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or interventions to be developed or used, and any advantage over existing methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions.
Explain any refinements, improvements, or new applications of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions.
Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted as well as any resource sharing plans as appropriate.
Discuss potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success anticipated to achieve the aims.
If the project is in the early stages of development, describe any strategy to establish feasibility, and address the management of any high risk aspects of the proposed work.
If the research involves human subjects, comment on how data collected on subjects will be protected.
If the research involves vulnerable populations, provide a justification as to why that is necessary.
Appendix (optional, 1 page max.)
Bibliography (no page limit)
Guidelines for Submission: Use a standard font and size of at least 11 points, and minimum 1 inch margins. Your submission should be single spaced and all bibliographic entries need to be in AMA format. Please do not exceed the section page limits. However, your bibliography does not count toward the page limits, and you may also include a 1 page appendix if additional charts or tables are necessary.
Rubric
Criteria | Excellent 90-100% | Satisfactory 80-89% | Needs Improvement 70-79% | Not Evident 0-69% |
Specific Aims
15% of Grade | Meets the “Satisfactory” level and discusses the impact that the results will have of the research field(s) involved | Summarizes the goals of the proposed research, the expected outcomes, and the specific objectives | There are gaps in the summary of the goals the proposed research, the expected outcomes, OR the specific objectives | Does not clearly summarize the goals of the proposed research, the expected outcomes, AND the specific objectives |
Significance
15% of Grade | Meets the “Satisfactory” level and discusses how the field will be changed if aims are achieved | Explains how the project will address a problem or critical barrier in the field and how the project will add to the current scientific knowledge | There are gaps in the explanation of how the project will address a problem or critical barrier in the field OR how the project will add to the current scientific knowledge | Does not clearly explain how the project will address a problem or critical barrier in the field AND how the project will add to the current scientific knowledge |
Innovation
15% of Grade | Meets the “Satisfactory” level and explains refinements, improvements, or new applications of current theoretical concepts, approaches, or methodologies | Describes new ideas developed for the study to address application challenges and explains how these new ideas will shift current research or clinical practice paradigms | Describes new ideas developed for the study to address application challenges, but does not explain how these new ideas will shift current research or clinical practice paradigms | Does not describe new ideas developed for the study |
Approach
30% of Grade | Meets the “Satisfactory” level and provides alternative strategies and benchmarks for success to achieve the aims | Describes overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used and discusses potential problems to each | Describes the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used, but does not discuss the potential problems | Does not describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used |
for each | ||||
Bibliography
15% of Grade |
| Utilizes scholarly sources to support ideas and all are included in the bibliography using AMA formatting
(90-100%) | Utilizes scholarly sources, but they either do not support the proposed ideas or there are errors in the AMA format
(70-89%) | Does not utilize scholarly sources or AMA formatting
(0-69%) |
Writing Mechanics
10% of Grade | Meets the “satisfactory” level and all sections are clear, concise, and do not exceed the page maximum | Proposal is organized in the required format and contains no grammatical or errors | There are errors in overall format or grammar, but they do not affect the readability of the proposal | Errors in formatting or grammar affect the readability of the proposal |