Application instructions for 2011 Research Grants

Deadline for applications and recommendations

1 February 2011 (received by)

Submission

Direct inquiries and submission of proposals (electronic submission is strongly recommended) to the address below. If you are unable to submit electronically, please send three copies of all documents to this address.

Dr. Carla Dove
Smithsonian Institution
P.O. Box 37012
NHB E-600, MRC 116
Washington, DC 20013-7012

Email for submission or inquiry: dovec [at] si.edu
Tel. 202-633-0787

Student Travel Awards, which provide funds for students to attend the annual meeting, involve separate application procedures, evaluated by a different committee. WOS also gives awards for student presentations at the annual meeting.

Proposal Guidelines

File formats and components

Late applications or any applications not including all materials listed below will not be considered.

A complete application consists of :

1. Application form
2. Proposal
3. Curriculum vitae
4. Two letters of recommendation

1. Application form

Provide the information requested here. Paste the text into a Word document as the start of your application.

2. Proposal

Length: The body of the proposal is limited to three 21.6 x 28 cm (8 1/2 x 11 in) pages, with 2.5 cm (1 in) margins and 12 point, double-spaced typeface. This page limit includes neither the application form, which should be included as a cover page, nor the budget, literature cited, or tables and figures sections. Please keep tables and figures to a minimum.

Abstract: (about 100 words)

Introduction: Provide relevant background information. Clearly state the objectives of your study and state a research hypothesis or specific research goals. Proposals must state how your research will contribute to the advancement of ornithology, including how your work will answer ornithological questions from the literature, and how it will stimulate new questions for future studies. Include a statement of how the WOS award will benefit this research and what alternatives will be sought if you do not receive WOS funding. Include a timeframe within which you expect to complete the project.

Methods: Proposals must provide information on research methodology, analytical methods (including statistical treatments) and the locality where the research will be conducted. Write this section for reviewers who may know little about specific methodologies in your field. If your research involves obtaining permits or capturing live animals, make it clear that you have obtained, or have initiated the process of securing permits and/or necessary Animal Care and Use training documents.

Budget: Be specific and follow the monetary limits of the award for which you are applying. Appropriate budget items include: research-related travel, expendable supplies and equipment, field expenses and stipend. If applying from a university, indirect costs will not be provided. List budget items separately and indicate if you are applying for funding from other sources.

Literature Cited: List all references cited in the body of the proposal, using the citation format of the Wilson Journal of Ornithology. The Literature Cited section does not count as part of the proposal page limit.

Figures and tables: Use as needed to clarify the text but try to minimize figures and tables to one page. The figures and tables do not count against the three page limit.

3. Curriculum vitae

A cv (maximum two pages) containing information about your education, employment history (if relevant), papers and posters presented at meetings, and publications.

4. Letters of recommendation

Request two letters of recommendation from your advisor or individuals who are familiar with your research abilities. You are responsible for making sure that the letters are submitted, to the email address shown above. Those providing letters will be informed of receipt by email. The Chair of the Research Awards Committee will not ask for letters from the references listed on the Application Form. If two letters are not received, the application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Assistance for International Applicants

The WOS aims to encourage and assist applicants whose first language is not English.

Applicants whose first language is not English may choose to forward a copy of their proposal in their first language if they think it needed to clarify the content. Applicants choosing this option must submit all WOS Research Application materials in English and at the same time send a single copy of their proposal in their first language, using the submission address listed above.