SHIPsProposal1
The Basics
Proposal Due by noon Pacific time, March 8.
Proposal Sections
The instructions for writing this proposal are relatively open-ended. In general, good proposals should have:
- Abstract. This in particular will be posted on the web. Usually written last!
- Science Introduction and Context. Background on subject. What target(s). How you picked the target(s) and why. What is known in the literature about the target(s). Educated guesses on what you expect to find. (Your readers are both astronomers and educators, so don't assume they know the astronomy basics.)
- Analysis plan. Detailed information on what data are available, and what you plan to do with them (e.g. more than "I'm sure Spitzer/WISE/Planck observed this at some point"). How you are going to reduce the data. Kind of analysis planned. Tools you will use.
- Educational/Outreach plan. What your team plans to do, individually or as a group. No need to link to standards or describe this in great detail. This also need not be educational research. Most of your work should go into the science portion of the proposal; this is mostly to make sure that you have at least started thinking about the educational aspects of this program.
Writing Proposals
"Write like Hemingway"
The writing should be concise, and to the point. Try to say it in as few words as possible. Proposals have page limits for a reason. Stick to facts, numbers and specifics rather than vague or general statements. Where possible, quantify. Numbers convey much more precise information than descriptions, such as "stronger", "larger", etc.
Sin and Syntax I highly recommend this primer on how to write. Its does not specifically focus on scientific or technical writing. Nonetheless, I find it extremely useful for exactly those types of writings. And, Its a delightful read.
Examples
Direct links to the proposals from 2012:
- http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/teacher_research/r6-uboko/ubokoproposal.pdf
- http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/teacher_research/r6-c-ways/cwaysproposal.pdf
- http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/teacher_research/r6-coldspotz/coldspotzproposal.pdf
- http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/teacher_research/r6-hr4agn/hr4agnproposal.pdf
