Insights into Developing and Submitting Successful Research Proposals for AOTA Conference

Shelly J Lane, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTAProfessor, Occupational Therapy, Virginia

Commonwealth UniversityChair, Research Advisory Panel

Objectives

• Identify critical elements of a strong research proposal.

• Understand the submission process and application of scoring criteria.

• State three strategies from successful research presenters.

Some common sense advice…

• Read the instructions; take guidelines seriously

• Proof read

• Ask a friend

• Know your audience

Initial thoughts and tips

• Determine where your abstract belongs – Research Proposals: data based– General Conference Proposals: all other (includes research education)

• Read guidelines, and read guidelines again• Begin at the end– Look at the scoring guidelines here; use those to

guide development• Make sure to include 2nd and 3rd authors as appropriate

Considerations for the Title

• Make it– Interesting

Predictors of Depressive Symptoms Among Elders in Senior Residences

– Descriptive• Predictors…Elders…Senior Residences

– Content rich

Common Errors in Title development

• Too longA holistic survey of global lizards in order to understand lizard diversity and the roles lizards play in the ecosystems and to help start a lizard museum

• Too shortOT works!

• Not descriptiveOT works!

• Title ≠ content

Thinking about Objectives

• Communicate your intent• Describe the take aways • Use active voice, action words• Reflect audience level you will target– Introductory: define, list…– Advanced: explain, analyze…

Examine motor ideation and planning in typical preschool children.

Common errors in objectives

• Missing• Do not include action verbs

Lizards need to be counted globally• Do not reflect content

Learn that lizards are crucial for children to understand• Are not realistic within timeframe

Gain knowledge of all lizard species in the world

Plan your presentation based on format

• Research Paper– Will be grouped with 2 other papers– 15 minutes each with 15 minutes for facilitated

discussion

• Poster– Presented during a designated 2 hour period1. Completed Research2. Research in progress

• Must include preliminary data analysis

Poster format

• Many variations• Templates online• http://www.makesign

s.com/SciPosters_Templates.aspx

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/science-project-poster-TC104001343.aspx

Choose an appropriate primary and secondary focus

• Primary– Assessment/Measurement– Prevention and

Intervention (e.g. Efficacy)– Translational Research (e.g.

Effectiveness)– Basic Research– Health Services Research

• Secondary– Children & Youth– General & Professional

Issues– Health & Wellness– Mental Health– Productive Aging– Rehabilitation, Disability,

& Participation– Work & Industry

First Section of Research Proposal

• Objectives– One or two clear, concise, accurate objective of the

work to be presented

Significance

• Brief summary • Describe how your research addresses an

important problem or issue in occupational therapy

• Indicate how project aims change concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field

Scoring for Significance

Score Descriptor Additional Guidance for Scoring

9-10 Excellent Exceptionally strong with few or no weaknesses

7-8 Very good Strong but with some minor weaknesses

5-6 Good Strong but with at least one moderate weakness

3-4 Satisfactory Some strengths but with some moderate weaknesses

0-2 Poor Very few strengths and numerous major weaknesses

Innovation

• Brief summary • Describe how project challenges or shifts

current research or clinical practice paradigms by using novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions for one field of research or in a broad sense.

Scoring for Innovation

Score Descriptor Additional Guidance for Scoring

9-10 Excellent Exceptionally strong with few or no weaknesses

7-8 Very good Strong but with some minor weaknesses

5-6 Good Strong but with at least one moderate weakness

3-4 Satisfactory Some strengths but with some moderate weaknesses

0-2 Poor Very few strengths and numerous major weaknesses

Structured Abstract

• Clearly stated research questions or hypotheses that have guided this study• Focused rationale/background describing why your research is needed; link

this back to your research questions and hypotheses • Methods

– Describe the study design (e.g., cross sectional, survey, etc.); be certain it is appropriate for your research question(s) or hypotheses

– Clearly explain how your data were gathered– Describe the settings (location(s) and/or environment) where your research was

undertaken. – Describe the criteria and method(s) used to recruit and select participants or data

sources for study (e.g. diagnosis, age, severity level, studies).– Describe the instruments or methods used to collect data or outcomes. If study is

qualitative, describe data sources and type. – Describe analysis approach and rationale. If study is qualitative, describe data analysis

and integration.

Results, Discussion, Conclusions

• Results– Briefly summarize findings, linking back to hypotheses or

research questions.– Be certain to include results of analyses, appropriately

described• Discussion and conclusion– Concise discussion; indicates what this study adds to the

literature– Interprets salient findings based on previous literature– Draws appropriate conclusions based on current knowledge

Scoring for Structured Abstract

Score Descriptor Additional Guidance for Scoring

21-25 Excellent Exceptionally strong with few or no weaknesses

16-20 Very good Strong but with some minor weaknesses

11-15 Good Strong but with at least one moderate weakness

6-10 Satisfactory Some strengths but with some moderate weaknesses

0-5 Poor Very few strengths and numerous major weaknesses

Impact Statement

• Scored separately from overall score• Responds to the question– How is this research important to practice, policy,

and/or science?– How likely is this work going to exert a powerful

influence on occupational therapy?

Rating Guidelines for Impact

Rating: Descriptor

A Outstanding

B Very good

C Good

D Satisfactory

E Poor

FAQs

• Do I need to include references?No• Is a spell-check and character counter available

in the online template?No. You should write your research proposal using word processing software and check spelling/counts before copying and pasting into online form.

Review of Common Errors

• Learning objectives not supported by content• Research question poorly defined• Rationale poorly justified• Methodology does not support purposes of study• Methods absent or insufficient• Participants inadequately described• Too much text on background – not enough on

methods and findings.

Common errors (con’t)

• No data• Analyses omitted, inappropriate, poorly described• Results too general; suggesting that data has not been

collected• Conclusions unjustified based on results; poorly

described• Contribution to OT unclear• If research work in progress, lack of preliminary data

analysis

More submission tips

• Give yourself time– Call for abstracts opens in May 2014; begin soon

• Avoid jargon, acronyms when possible• Avoid developing the proposal online– Develop. Rest. Edit. Rest. Review, edit. Copy and

paste. Submit.

Last thoughts and ‘wisdom’ borne from experience

• You were not accepted– “The response to this year's Call for Papers was

record-breaking with over 1,500 proposal submissions. The competition for available space was steep and many excellent proposals simply could not be scheduled… Regretfully, we were unable to schedule your proposal for presentation.”

• Take a minute. Then – Regroup.

– Rethink.

– Revise (if appropriate).

– Resubmit next year

• You were accepted!– “Congratulations! The American Occupational

Therapy Association (AOTA) is pleased to inform you that your proposal submission has been accepted …Nearly 1,500 proposals were submitted this year with 1,021 submissions accepted for presentation... Accept or decline the invitation…deadline for accepting or declining this invitation is …”

• Follow up– Accept or decline.

– Register for conference.

– Develop your presentation or poster!