College of Agriculture & Natural Resources



SAMPLE FORM A

AgBioResearch

RESEARCH PROJECT OUTLINE

PROJECT NUMBER: MICL0__________ (Leave project number blank…Linda Haubert will assign this number)

PROJECT TITLE: (Limited to 100 characters, including spaces and punctuation.) Should be brief, clear and designate

the subject of the research.

DEPARTMENT AND PERSONNEL:

Principal Investigator: (PI) - Scientist responsible for project, including providing the required written reports.

Department(s): Interdepartmental research is encouraged and each cooperating department should be listed.

Cooperator(s): Defined as Professor, Associate or Assistant Professor who will make significant contributions to the design and execution of the project.

Cooperating Agencies (not ABR): May include USDA or other federal agencies, state agencies, private industry, etc.

REQUIRED SIGNATURES:

__________________________________________ (Signature of the Principal Investigator)

(Signature - Principal Investigator)

APPROVED:

(Signature of the department chairperson involved) (Signature of AgBioResearch Director or Associate Director)

_________________________________________ ______________________________________________

(Department Chairperson) (Date) (AgBioResearch Director or Associate Director) (Date)

PLEASE SUBMIT ONE ORIGINAL WITH ORIGINAL SIGANTURES PREFERABLY IN BLUE INK

PAGE 2

As you prepare this document, please keep in mind that its purpose is to present a broad plan for your research over the next five years. An effective proposal need not be lengthy, a 5-10 page proposal should be sufficient. The focus should be on presenting the big picture of the research including the importance to science and the potential impact on society. The literature review should justify the line of research through a review of a few key references. The objectives should be broad and procedures general. Please see below for additional guidelines and suggestions.

1. NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEM AND RELEVANCE TO THE MISSION

OF AGBIORESEARCH:

Outline the nature of the research problem being addressed and its importance. It is critical to link the research being proposed to the mission of AgBioResearch. Broadly defined, the AgBioResearch mission is Food, Energy and Natural Resources. Often the connection to mission is fairly obvious for the more applied projects. For basic research projects, please expand as necessary to show the connections to the real world situations (use specific examples if needed). Be sure to justify the project on the basis of its importance to Michigan, the region, the nation, and if applicable, the world. Indicate the magnitude of the problem and explain how, in your estimation, this research will be beneficial (economically, socially, environmentally, etc.). Explain the reasons for doing the work (such as the needs the project will fill) and why you are doing it at this time. Who are the beneficiaries or user agencies? Describe the ways in which public welfare or scientific knowledge will be advanced. Please note the USDA knowledge areas that are specific to your research (see below). Suggested length: one to two pages.

PLEASE NOTE – We are experiencing greater scrutiny from the USDA upon review of these project outlines. The number one reason projects are being returned for rewrite and modification is failure to show the clear linkages to the AgBioResearch and USDA mission. One way to ensure the relevance to the mission is clearly defined is to first establish the USDA “knowledge area(s)” your project fits into. USDA’s “knowledge areas” (KA’s) are listed at the AgBioResearch site:



Section 2 of the “Knowledge Areas” document contains a list of each KA and Section 5 has the full description of what is and what is not included for a specific knowledge area. Incorporating some of the KA verbiage provided will help to clearly show the relevance of your project to mission.

If you have questions regarding this aspect, please feel free to contact either of the directors (Doug Buhler or George Smith) during the preparation stage of the project outline. We would be happy to review the justification section prior to submission at the department level.

2. PREVIOUS WORK AND PRESENT OUTLOOK

A brief summary of the previous research; status of current research; and the additional knowledge needed which the project is expected to provide. (Please cite important publications in the “Literature Review” section.)

3. LITERATURE REVIEW

A brief review of literature pertinent to the general objectives of the project. Emphasis should be placed on the most relevant literature citations. Suggested length: two to three pages.

4. OBJECTIVES

Should be concise, clear, logical, logically arranged single-sentence statements of specific research objectives and results to be achieved by your project. If appropriate and justifiable, state the long term objectives of your research that may exceed the 5-year term of this project. Under each long-term objective, state the specific sub-objective that you plan to accomplish within the time frame of this project. Indicate if any objectives will be pursued by cooperator(s) in cooperating agencies. Suggested length: one page.

5. RESEARCH METHODS/EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES

Outline the essential working plans, general methods and procedures to be used in addressing and attaining each of the stated objectives. Methods and procedures should be numbered and correspond to the objectives and follow the same order. Phases of the work to be undertaken currently should be designated. Location of the work and the facilities and equipment needed and available should be indicated. Wherever appropriate, the procedure should produce data suitable for statistical analysis. The procedure should reflect careful planning and should provide flexibility for changes if changes became necessary. Suggested length: two to three pages.

6. PROBABLE DURATION

An estimate of the maximum time likely to be required to complete the project and publish results.

7. PLANS TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION FROM STATED RESEARCH

List each way you plan on disseminating information resulting from your research. Suggested length: one-half

page.

8. FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Estimated total scientist years (SY) effort proposed for this project. (SY is the portion of time for scientist(s) who are responsible for creative scientific study, thought, originality, judgments, and accomplishments directly assignable to the activity reported.)

9. PERSONNEL

Please list the leader(s) and any other technical workers assigned to this project.

10. INSTITUTIONAL UNITS INVOLVED

Please list your and other Michigan State University departments, units, institutes, schools, or centers, if any, contributing essential services or facilities to this project. The responsibilities of each should be indicated. If there is an advisory, coordinating, or directing committee for this project, the official title of the committee should be listed.

11. REFERENCES (Complete literature citations)

12. COOPERATION

Please note Michigan AgBioResearch. Also, in a statement, list the U.S. Department of Agriculture or other experiment stations, other institutions, or agencies, if any, expected to cooperate formally or informally on this project. For example:

This project is supported by:

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

AgBioResearch (Michigan State University)

Project GREEEN

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