AARC Award Application Tips
Several factors can play into what makes a successful application for the Advancing Academic-Research Careers (AARC) Award program. Based on responses from reviewers, here are some tips for drafting your AARC application.
DO's for Your AARC Application
1. Show how the AARC award will help you achieve goals that may not be possible (or may be more difficult) without the award funds and mentoring support.
An AARC Mentored Teaching Plan that focuses on developing a new course to teach would be expected of any new faculty member.
A stronger goal than simply developing a new course would be to apply a new teaching method based on scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) research and to include an evaluation process for the teaching methods.
A stronger goal could also include preferred topics as an integral part of the instruction. Some examples that previous AARC award winners have incorporated are interprofessional education and practice, implementation science, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
2. In your AARC Mentored Research Plan, choose goals and activities that go beyond your doctoral dissertation research.
Reviewers want to see how the award will help you progress in your academic career, which requires setting goals and engaging in activities that move your dissertation research forward.
You can still focus on the same topic area, but clarify how your plan builds on your previous research.
3. Your Mentored Teaching Plan and your Mentored Research Plan should extend your work, but make sure that your goals are reasonable and achievable in the timeframe of the award.
Aim for goals that are realistic and manageable. If your plan is too ambitious, then reviewers may question your ability to complete the goals within the award’s timeframe.
This is, admittedly, a balancing act between (a) setting goals that move your career forward and (b) ensuring that you’ll be able to reach your goals in the challenging early years of an academic-research career.
4. Make sure your budget includes the full $5,000 award amount.
It's understood that some of your budget items may be estimates (e.g., the cost of travel to a conference will depend on the cost of flights when you make your reservation).
It’s fine to set aside an even amount for a budget item (e.g., $800), with the understanding that additional funds for that item may come from other sources to supplement the AARC funds.
DON'Ts for Your AARC Application
1. Don’t make your overarching goals too specific.
Write your teaching and research goals with a clear target, but with a broad focus. Be more specific in the mentored activities you will engage in to accomplish each goal.
Examples:
- Teaching Goal: Integrate interprofessional perspectives into my courses and include measures to evaluate student learning.
- Activity 1: Consult with [my teaching mentor] on ways to integrate core concepts from neuroscience, educational psychology, and clinical practice from across health professions into my courses
- Activity 2: Update course syllabi and design class activities to incorporate interprofessional perspectives into my courses
- Activity 3: Develop a rubric for skillsets and perspectives that students should develop as part of this project
- Research Goal: Develop skills in collecting and analyzing data for qualitative research methods
- Activity 1: Read and discuss articles on qualitative research methods with [my research mentor]
- Activity 2: Complete training in qualitative research methods through [specific training program]
- Activity 3: Choose a qualitative research strategy and develop a protocol for collecting and analyzing data for [my research topic]
2. Don’t assume that reviewers will know the rationale behind your choices for conferences or other activities.
Give a clear and concise explanation about why you want to attend a particular conference or need specific supplies. This concise explanation is especially important if you request items that may be included in general start-up packages, such as computer equipment.
If you’re requesting specialized equipment needed for your research, be sure to explain how that’s different from general supplies.
