title: Use of a Grant Writing Class in Training PhD Students.
abstract: A well-written application for funding in support of basic biological or biomedical research or individual training fellowship requires that the author perform several functions well. They must (i) identify an important topic, (ii) provide a brief but persuasive introduction to highlight its significance, (iii) identify one or two key questions that if answered would impact the field, (iv) present a series of logical experiments and convince the reader that the approaches are feasible, doable within a certain period of time and have the potential to answer the questions posed, and (v) include citations that demonstrate both scholarship and an appropriate command of the relevant literature and techniques involved in the proposed research study. In addition, preparation of any compelling application requires formal scientific writing and editing skills that are invaluable in any career. These are also all key components in a doctoral dissertation and encompass many of the skills that we expect graduate students to master. Almost 20 years ago, we began a grant writing course as a mechanism to train students in these specific skills. Here, we describe the use of this course in training of our graduate students as well as our experiences and lessons learned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.|Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Laney Graduate School, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.|Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Laney Graduate School, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Graeme L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Conn
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Laney Graduate School, Atlanta, GA, USA.|Department of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Grace K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Pavlath
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.|Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Laney Graduate School, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Anita H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Corbett
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education*; D003479:Curriculum; D004500:Education, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D005381:Financing, Organized; D006801:Humans; D017145:Models, Educational; D012107:Research Design; D013334:Students; D014956:Writing
keywords: critical thinking; graduate training; hypothesis testing; scientific writing