Abstracts: The Movie Trailer for Your Grant

This week, Dr. Chris Yakacki, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, spoke to a group of faculty about grant-writing. In his talk, he compared a grant abstract with a movie trailer. It's a good comparison - you want to include the most exciting pieces of your project right up front for reviewers and other readers to see. Yet, where the metaphor breaks down is in the full disclosure. A movie trailer, by its very nature, includes a bit of suspense. Producers don't want you to know how it ends - even if it's a romantic comedy.  Grant abstracts, on the other hand, should not hold back in sharing the full case for your project. All of the PI's most compelling points should be incorporated into the abstract. As Dr. Yakacki said, "Don't make your grant like the Shawshank Redemption!" alluding to the idea of keeping your reader in suspense till the very end where you reveal what is happening and the conclusion. Instead, tell them right up front in the abstract.

A grant abstract should include the following:


What:
Describe your project.

Why:
Explain the problem or potential impact of your project. Why is it important that you do this work?


How:
Briefly describe how you will conduct the work.

Make sure, however, that your abstract doesn't come across as too formulaic. You want to maintain the excitement and vision for your project in your abstract tone. Remember, the abstract is often the first thing a reader sees; you want to get him/her excited about your project and entice them to read on in your application.

So, like a movie trailer, you want to get your abstract reader really excited about your research project and in some ways leave them wanting more. But, don't create that desire by holding something back.

Resources
The Elements of a Good Proposal Abstract
Abstract Killers: How Not to Kill a Grant Application