Grantseeker Tips # 319

GOOGLE FOR GRANTSEEKERS
Sixteen years ago, the word didn’t exist. Today, it is a frequently occurring noun and verb and the most common search engine that unearths unimaginable data streams.

Google.
In GT # 97, we first discussed some basic grant applications for Google that everyone knows today. In GT # 134, we discussed some more advanced Google applications including grant-related things to search for, such as contact information and patents. Today, these applications are intuitive as users gain more experience with Google.

In this issue, we discuss five graduate-level Google applications for grantseekers.

1. Exclude Words
Assume you wanted information for a grant project dealing with conflict resolution but wanted to exclude articles dealing with international conflict resolution. You were more interested in how two parties could solve differences over housing disputes as opposed to resolving Middle East disputes.
To do this, simply put a minus sign (-) in front of the word you want to exclude.

Example: “conflict resolution” –international

The minus sign functions as the Boolean operator “not.”

2. Specific Site Search
Sometimes you want to search a specific website for content that matches a certain phrase. Even if the site doesn’t support a built-in search feature, you can Google to search for your term. Simply use the “site:somesite.com” modifier.

Example: “grant application” site:www.samhsa.gov

In this example, you know his federal agency web site contains a lot of information but you want to go directly to the section dealing with grant applications.

3. Synonym Searches
Sometimes you want to use a search term but would welcome “hits” that contain similar words or synonyms. To do this, use the tilde (~) in front of the word.

Example: grants ~equipment
This example would lead you to not only equipment grant information, but also grant information dealing with instruments and facilities.

4. Specific Document Type
Sometimes, you are looking for results that contain only a specific file type. You can use the modifier “filetype:”

Example: IRB filetype:PPT

This example assumes you want to prepare a presentation for your organization that discusses the rudiments of Institutions Review Boards (IRB) and their role in human subject research. You want to know how others have prepared PowerPoint presentations (PPT) as a guide to preparing yours. This example will quickly take you to see what others have done.

5. Numeric Ranges
Sometimes you want to find results that contain a specific range of numbers. Perhaps you are about to do a literature review to document your statement of need. You turn to the scholarly portion of Google: www.scholar.google.com.
Your specific interest is in articles that deal with the topic, say of cardio-oncology, the relationship between heart problems and cancer problems. Go to Scholar Google and enter the following:

Example: cardio-oncology 1990..2000

The results will give you all of the articles that were published between 1990 and 2000. You could do this for multiple blocks of years to plot the literature growth over time.

Look for more tips in the next issue as well. In the meantime, send us an email (LMiner@MinerAndAssociates.com) and let us know how you use Google to enhance your grantseeking.


TOP DOWN VS. BOTTOM UP VS. SOMEWHERE INBETWEEN
When reviewers score grant proposals there is as much art as science in the process. Consider, for example, how points are assigned to proposals. There are three predominant approaches used by reviewers:

• Top down – proposals start out with perfect scores of 100 (an “A+”) and lose points for weaknesses, bringing the final score down.
• Bottom up – proposals start out with 0 points (an “F-”) and earn points for strengths, bringing the final score up.
• Somewhere in between – proposals start out with 70 points (a “C”), and earn points for strengths or lose points for weaknesses, bringing the final score up or down.

In our experience serving on review committees, the “top down” and “somewhere in between” approaches are used more frequently than “bottom up.”

However, in the case of the U.S. Department of Education, new guidance may shift that in the other direction. As part of reviewer training, some programs are now explicitly directing, “Write from the mindset that the application starts at zero and must earn each point, not that they start at 100 and have points withheld.”

In the past, it was up to the review panels themselves to agree on what approach to scoring would be used for U.S. Department of Education proposals. This year, the reviewer training materials specified the approach for them. It’s not clear why this change was made and whether it is a one-time experiment or will be the new status quo.

One possible explanation for the change is that too many review panels were giving too many excellent scores, thus there was a mathematical compression of the range. That is to say, a score of 98 out of 100 points could be high enough to get funded but a score of 97 might not. Seemingly, scores of 97 and 98 are both a strong “A.” But when every proposal earns an “A” there still needs to be some type of differentiation to determine who will receive funding and who will not. This new guidance may force reviewers to work harder to justify points, thus producing a broader range of final scores.

FOUR LITERATURE DATABSE SEAERCH TOOLS
In an above article, we mentioned Google Scholar (www.scholar.google.com) as one good data source for information to strengthen your proposals. We’ve used it to capture information regarding needs, objectives, methods, and evaluation sections in proposals. In GT # 154 we mentioned that it contains scholarly literature such as peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts, and technical reports. Google draws on a broad range of academic publishers, library groups, scholarly societies, and colleges to gather their information.

Previously, we’ve also written about the Scirus search engine as a source of grant documentation (www.scirus.com). Scirus searches over millions of science-specific Web pages, enabling you to quickly pinpoint scientific, scholarly, technical and medical data on the Web, find the latest reports, peer-reviewed articles and journals that other search engines miss, and offer unique functionalities designed for scientists and researchers.

The premiere source of medical-related literature is PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed ). Managed by the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, there is no better single source in the world for healthcare literature ranging from auriculotherapy to zebrafish.

A final electronic archive of full-text life science articles (many are free) is managed by Stanford University (http://highwire.stanford.edu ). It includes literature in the biological, medical, physical, and social sciences. A free-email alert service is available.

No single database covers everything; compare your results among all four.


NSF DEADLINE CHANGES: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Proposals to the NSF Directorate of Biological Sciences (BIO) have increased 43% over the last decade while awards have decreased by 11% from 28% to 17%. To cope with the increased volume and reduce applicant uncertainty, BIO has switched from a rolling to a fixed deadline submission schedule.

Beginning January 2012, most (but not all) of the BIO programs will adopt an annual cycle of preliminary proposals. Preliminary proposals will be accepted in January, Following external review, each applicant will be notified of a binding decision to Invite or Not Invite submission of a full proposal. Investigators are limited to submitting two preliminary proposals a year, whether as PI, co-PI, or lead senior investigator of a subaward. Full details exist at http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf11079

THE LAST LAFF
It’s now officially fall, that time of year when all of nature turns glorious, brilliant, and vibrant colors. You can get the same effect stubbing your tone in a dark bedroom.


UPCOMING GRANTSEEKER WORKSHOPS

For more details, contact the sponsoring organization at the phone number listed below.

September 29, Greenville, NC, Proposal Planning and Writing
Sponsor: East Carolina University
Enrollment Closed

September 30, Greenville, NC, NIH and NSF Grantseeking
Sponsor: East Carolina University
Enrollment Closed

October 7, Milwaukee, WI, Systemic Capacity Building
Sponsor: Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program
Enrollment Closed

November 8, Washington, DC, Private Foundations: Funding Ideas, Innovation, and Transformation
Sponsor: National Council of University Research Administrators
Enrollment information: http://www.ncura.edu/content/educational_programs/sites/53/

November 21, Rochester, NY, Proposal Planning and Writing
Sponsor: Rochester Institute of Technology
Enrollment Closed

November 22, Rochester, NY, Judging Grant Proposals
Sponsor: Rochester Institute of Technology
Enrollment Closed

August 6, 2012, Altoona, PA, Proposal Planning and Writing
Sponsor: Penn State Altoona
Enrollment Closed


We'd be happy to have you join any of our workshops that are open to the public. To learn about sponsoring a workshop in your area, email info@MinerAndAssociates.com. See the Web calendar for an updated listing of upcoming grant workshops.

Click here for more grant workshop calendar information

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For more grant and fundraising information, visit our Web site.

That wraps up this edition. See you in two weeks.

Now go and write your best grant ever.

Jeremy Miner: 414-379-8555
JMiner@MinerAndAssociates.com
Eau Claire Office

Lynn Miner: 414-352-9312
LMiner@MinerAndAssociates.com
Milwaukee Office

Jerry Griffith: 865-458-8985
JGriffith@MinerAndAssociates.com
Knoxville Office

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