December 2000

A Well-Written Abstract Helps Put A Good Face on Grant Applications

Sell Reviewers on the Worth of a Project from the Start

Most people would never dream of going to an important business meeting with their faces smudged with grease, but many researchers make a comparable faux pas when they send out grant proposals with a poorly written abstract.

A good idea and a solid plan for conducting a project are the most important aspects of a winning proposal, but a clearly written abstract really can make a grant proposal stand out from the pack, said Brenda Robertson, director of the University Writing Center.

“The abstract is the first impression,” she said. “Often, we think of it as something you just whip up after you finish the rest of the proposal, but it really is the face on your application that greets the reader. You want to make sure it gives them a good first impression of your project.”

Abstracts generally are written last so they can reflect all aspects of a proposal, but researchers should guard against treating them as an afterthought, said Dr. John O’Haver, and assistant professor of chemical engineering who has served as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation.

“If you can’t sell them on the importance of what you’re doing – and the soundness of what you’re doing – it’s going to be hard to get anywhere with a proposal,” O’Haver said. “It’s going to determine the filter through which they read the rest of your proposal.”

The first step in writing an effective abstract is to consider the audience, Robertson said. Researchers never know exactly who will be reviewing their proposals, but the abstracts should be tailored to the particular agency to which it will be submitted.

Make sure to present your ideas and procedures clearly and concisely. Break down technical descriptions so that readers with only a general knowledge of the field can understand them.

“The people who are going to read these abstracts are not laymen, but they are going to want to see the applications of the project presented clearly and logically,” Robertson said. “You don’t want to insult your audience by being too basic with your explanations. You want to have some sophistication in the language, but you don’t want to go too far. If you have a lot of acronyms in there, for example, be sure to clearly state what they mean.”

One trick to identifying weak areas in an abstract is to present it verbally to a colleague, she suggested.

“Sometimes, it helps to sit down and explain your project to someone who is unfamiliar with your work and see what kinds of questions they have. That gives you a good idea of what needs to be covered and what you may be missing.”

Studies indicate that a leading reason for proposals being rejected is that the project description leaves the goals and significance unclear. Reviewers must be able to get a clear understanding of a project’s impact, O’Haver said.

“You should craft the abstract to reflect the importance of the project,” he said. “For very fundamental research, that may be harder to explain, but it’s important to let the reviewer know why this project is significant.”

Before submitting a proposal, have colleagues review the application and pay particular attention to the abstract, Robertson said. Advice and comments from colleagues can strengthen a proposal and eliminate problems before it goes to a funding organization.

And for faculty members interested in improving their writing skills, the University Writing Center offers regular graduate support workshops that cover effective abstract construction. Junior faculty are invited to participate in the workshops.

The next graduate support workshop will be scheduled for the spring, and the date will be announced in an upcoming issue of Research Highlights.

Mitchell Diggs

External Grants and Contracts/Awards 2000-2001

83.7% increase in $$ compared to last year-to-date totals
215.2% increase in $$ compared to 1998-99 totals

Proposals Submitted

13.7% increase in $$requested compared to last year-to-date totals