Reasons for Unsuccessful Grant
Issues identified by the Research Committee
♦ Several grants have good ideas but lack detail in the methodology section. A very detailed description of the sample to be studied, the method of recruitment, the methods of assessment, and relevant statistical analysis is essential to achieve funding.
♦ When comparing across groups to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention, randomisation to groups greatly strengthens a proposal.
♦ Pilot data can greatly strengthen a grant proposal.
♦ Adequate statistical power must be demonstrated.
♦ Scientific excellence is a key criterion. Achieving excellence requires a clear definition of hypotheses and methodology including design, sample, assessments, power calculation and analysis, as appropriate. Many unsuccessful grants miss out or fail to detail one or more of these.
♦ Partnerships and relevance to community interventions are further criteria and grants which rate low on these criteria have less chance of being funded.
General advice given by the Research Committee
♦ Applicants must clearly identify the study sample.
♦ Approaches used to track samples over time and to ensure subjects are not lost to follow-up, should be clearly stated.
♦ If applicants are using new measures, particularly measures which have been designed by the investigators, they must proivide information about the reliability and validity of these measures.
♦ Approaches used to recruit samples to studies must be clearly stated. It is important to assure the committee that recruitment of participants to studies is feasible.
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