How to Write a Successful Grant Application and Research Paper

The 2 most challenging tasks that every investigator faces are to secure grants and publish papers. In the current funding environment, preparing an outstanding grant proposal is critical, as even minute deficiencies can potentially lead to rejection. Furthermore, publications in reputable journals are crucial to disseminate research findings and promote career development. The purpose of this article is to review some of the key elements that characterize successful grant proposals and scientific papers and to offer advice (based on my own experience) that I hope will be helpful to applicants and authors.Writing a grant application is a demanding process, especially in the current environment of historically low funding levels.1 The current funding rate of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is 10%, compared with ≈30% funding rate in 2001. When preparing a grant application, the 5 criteria that reviewers will use to score the grant (ie, Significance, Investigator, Innovation, Approach, and Environment) should be kept in mind throughout the process. It is also important to start early and allow yourself at least 4 to 6 months to prepare the proposal.1–3 Of course, the preparation time may vary depending on the applicant’s experience with the process, the extent of the proposal, and time needed to prepare preliminary results. It is generally recommended that the grant application be completed in its entirety at least 1 week in advance to allow for unforeseeable events and issues. Because most agencies have ≤3 submission dates per year, missing a submission date can delay potential funding by several months. Initial StepsThere are several steps that need to be taken for the initial steps of grant preparation. The first and perhaps the most critical step is formulating a study question. The study question on which the overall hypothesis is based on should …