Common Research/Proposal Challenges >>>

Below is a list of the most common reasons cited by reviewers of research proposals for an application's failure to gain an award. Review this list and make sure none of these items apply to your idea.

Common Research & Proposal Challenges:

• Problem not important enough.
• Study not likely to produce useful information.
• Studies based on a shaky hypothesis or data.
• Alternative hypotheses not considered.
• Methods unsuited to the objective.
• Problem more complex than investigator appears to realize.
• Too little detail in the research plan to convince reviewers the investigator knows what he or she is doing, i.e., no recognition of potential problems and pitfalls.
• Over-ambitious research plan with an unrealistically large amount of work.
• Direction or sense of priority not clearly defined, i.e., processes/experiments do not follow from one another and lack a clear starting or finishing point.
• Lack of focus in hypotheses, aims, and or research plan.
• Lack of original or new ideas.
• Investigator too inexperienced with the proposed techniques.
• Proposed project a fishing expedition lacking solid scientific basis, i.e., no basic scientific question being addressed.
• Proposal driven by technology, i.e., a method in search of a problem.
• Rationale for project not provided, i.e., why they are important or how they are relevant.
• Experiments too dependent on success of an initial proposed experiment. Lack of alternative methods in case the primary approach does not work out.
• Proposed model system not appropriate to address the proposed questions.
• Relevant controls not included.
• Proposal lacking enough preliminary data or preliminary data do not support project's feasibility.
• Insufficient consideration of statistical needs.
• Not clear which data were obtained by the investigator and which reported by others.
• Avoid the main traps applicants fall into. Reviewers are knowledgeable, experienced scientists, but they can't know everything.

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Common Reviewer Challenges:

Problem: They may not get the significance of your proposed search.
Solution:  Write a compelling argument.

Problem: They may not be familiar with all your methods.
Solution:  Write to the non-expert in the field.

Problem: They may not be familiar with your facilities.
Solution:  Show them you can do the job.

Problem: They may get worn out by having to read 10 to 15 applications in detail.
Solution:  Make sure your application is clear and concise, neat, well organized, and visually appealing.

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