Marsden SOC process

1
Marsden SOC process

• There are Standard and Fast Start
  applications
• Standards are generally for 3 years, typically
  for c 6-800k
• Fast Starts are for 2 years, for those within 7
  years of PhD completion for c 160k
• There are two rounds preliminary and full
  proposals

2
Initial proposal

• Panel has about nine members, drawn from a range
  of SOC disciplines (education, business,
  sociology, social policy, human geography)
• Proposals must therefore be written for an
  intelligent lay panel with a premium on clarity
  and purposiveness
• About 25 make it through to the next stage. The
  reason is to save 75 the effort of full proposal
  preparation

3
What needs to be in an initial proposal?

• Its short so the argument must be clear
• What is being done, why, whats its significance
  (theoretical, empirical, national)?
• Is there is an obvious aim, question?
• Does the research matter? Will it grab a SOC
  panel?

4
Full proposal

• Something between 25 and 50 of full proposals
  will be successful
• The credibility of the proposal is critical
• So too is the credibility of the applicants
• Even successful proposals may not be fully
  funded to give over the odds to one proposal
  will mean the demise of another

5
Credibility of the proposal

• Research question, aim or objective
• (The aim of this proposal is..)
• Why are you doing this?
• What is its purpose?
• What is its significance?
• Is it situated in a relevant literature does it
  draw on, contribute to pertinent theory?
• Has there been a pilot project will it work?

6
Credibility of the team

• Does the team have a track record?
• Is the strongest person/s leading it?
• Is the topic one that sits with the track record
  of the team?
• Is the team selling itself and its proposal on
  merit and the strength of its argument, or is it
  bolding unnecessary claims to originality or
  innovation?

7
What if it fails?

• Then persist!
• To not succeed means that the proposal is not yet
  good enough
• Work on it develop the argument, workshop it,
  try again
• Dont give up for ever, or come back next time
  with something completely different