Interlude: Writing Time, Dosage, and Predatory Journals
How long does it take to write a grant proposal?
I hear this question a lot. And it's a hard one to answer. We all have different schedules, priorities, and circumstances that affect how much time and energy we can dedicate to writing.
But according to this survey, the average federal proposal takes 171 hours to write: 116 hours from principal investigators and 55 hours from co-investigators. So if you write part-time at 20 hours per week, you will need 8 to 9 weeks to write a federal proposal. And if you can only dedicate 10 hours per week, that time doubles to 16 to 18 weeks.
And that's just the average amount of time. You may need more.
In any case, writing a grant proposal is a huge time investment. What are three things you can do to optimize that time?
Start early, and earlier than you think. Many project managers suggest adding a 20% time buffer to account for any hiccups that may arise.
Schedule time in your calendar, and plan what you will do during that time. Create SMART goals so that you can work smarter, not harder.
Plan with your co-authors, and agree on a process for writing the proposal. Ensure everyone is on the same page as the writing progresses.
What are your strategies for optimizing your writing time? I'd love to know.
And now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
💻 From My Desk
When to Use Dosage vs Dose
Some authors think that the term "dosage" is a more formal synonym for "dose." But "dosage" and "dose" have different meanings. In this article, you will learn the difference between these terms and whether you are using them accurately in your writing.
👓 Reading
Content Analysis of Emoji and Emoticon Use in Clinical Texting Systems
"This qualitative study found that when clinicians use emoji and emoticons in secure clinical texting systems, these symbols function primarily to convey new and interactionally salient information. These results suggest that concerns about the professionalism of emoji and emoticon use may be unwarranted."
🖥️ Watching
Visit the New NIH Virtual Tour
The NIH recently released a virtual tour of their 32-building campus in Bethesda, Maryland. Through the tour, you can learn about the NIH’s 27 Institutes and Centers, including in-depth tour stops at research labs and patient rooms.
🧰 Tools
Think.Check.Submit
Predatory journals are on the rise. To help you identify the right journal for your manuscript, the Committee on Publication Ethics created the Think.Check.Submit checklist. "The checklist is a tool that will help you discover what you need to know when assessing whether or not a publisher is suitable for your research."
📝 Challenge
Before you start your next writing project, meet with your author team to choose a process, create SMART goals, and plan a schedule to successfully complete the writing.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
