PRC Research Proposal & Grant Writing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which section of a grant proposal most directly demonstrates the researcher's awareness of the current state of knowledge in the field?
- Budget justification
- Literature review (Correct answer)
- Dissemination plan
- Evaluation framework
Correct answer: Literature review
The literature review situates the proposed study within existing scholarship, showing the researcher understands gaps the project will address.
Question 2: A logic model in a grant proposal primarily communicates the relationship between:
- Funding amounts and deliverables
- Inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes (Correct answer)
- Researcher qualifications and project costs
- IRB approval status and timeline
Correct answer: Inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes
A logic model maps how resources and activities lead to expected outputs and longer-term outcomes.
Question 3: When a funder requires a 'broader impacts' statement, the researcher should describe:
- Only the academic publications expected
- How the research benefits society and advances STEM participation beyond the immediate study (Correct answer)
- Budget contingency plans
- The principal investigator's prior funding history
Correct answer: How the research benefits society and advances STEM participation beyond the immediate study
Broader impacts address societal benefits, workforce development, and outreach beyond the core scientific findings.
Question 4: An indirect cost rate (also called facilities and administrative rate) in a grant budget represents:
- The salary percentage allocated to graduate students
- Overhead costs charged by the institution for supporting research infrastructure (Correct answer)
- The cost of purchasing equipment
- Travel expenses for conference attendance
Correct answer: Overhead costs charged by the institution for supporting research infrastructure
Indirect costs cover institutional overhead such as utilities, library services, and administrative support negotiated with the federal government.
Question 5: A researcher submitting to a foundation that uses a two-stage process will typically submit what first?
- Full proposal
- Letter of inquiry (LOI) (Correct answer)
- IRB protocol
- Budget narrative
Correct answer: Letter of inquiry (LOI)
A letter of inquiry is a brief overview submitted to gauge funder interest before being invited to submit a full proposal.
Question 6: The 'significance' criterion in NIH review scoring primarily evaluates whether:
- The budget is reasonable for the proposed work
- The problem addresses an important health need and the project will improve scientific knowledge (Correct answer)
- The team has prior collaborative experience
- The timeline is achievable within the project period
Correct answer: The problem addresses an important health need and the project will improve scientific knowledge
NIH reviewers assess significance by determining whether solving the problem will have a meaningful impact on health-related science.
Question 7: Which writing strategy best improves the persuasiveness of a needs statement in a proposal?
- Using highly technical jargon to signal expertise
- Citing current statistics and evidence that quantify the problem's scope (Correct answer)
- Focusing exclusively on the researcher's past accomplishments
- Describing the methodology before stating the problem
Correct answer: Citing current statistics and evidence that quantify the problem's scope
Quantified, evidence-based needs statements convince reviewers that the problem is real, urgent, and addressable.
PRC Research Proposal & Grant Writing 2
Which section of a grant proposal most directly demonstrates the researcher's awareness of the current state of knowledge in the field?