Student Research Grants - Explanatory Statement 2009

NSW IER Student Research Grants

The NSW Institute for Educational Research has established Student Research Grants as one part of its role in encouraging study, research and service in education.

These grants should facilitate the undertaking of good quality educational research by students who are usually enrolled at universities in New South Wales. The Institute recognises that it is very difficult for these students, whether young or mature aged, to obtain any kind of financial assistance before they are established educational researchers. Assistance from the Institute is by way of a seeding grant towards the cost of undertaking the research project and the maximum amount for a grant is $1,200.

Eligibility

Applicants must be members (or must have applied for membership) of the New South Wales Institute for Educational Research. An Application for Membership form is available from the Convenors or this website.

Applicants for Research Grants must be undertaking educational research in a program of studies at a university or other institution in New South Wales. No-one who holds or has previously held an educational research grant will normally be eligible.

Applicants must have their applications endorsed by their research supervisor and by the Head of Unit, Department or School of their institution as shown in the last part of the Application Form (PDF 112k) and Explanatory statement.

Applications

Completed Application Forms and brief Supporting Statements (as explained on the Form) must be emailed to Convenor, Dr Ken Sinclair by the December date specified on the Application Form. Applications must be clearly labelled with the applicants’ names and must be sent as single documents (without attachments).

Criteria for Awarding Student Research Grants

Subject to the formal conditions for applications being met, the applications will be assessed by the Executive of the NSW Institute for Educational Research on the following criteria:

• clarity of aims and significance of the research project;
• quality of the research plan, proposed methods and techniques; and
• quality of forward planning especially as indicated by the timetable for the development and completion of the research project.

It is the intention of the Institute to make awards to both undergraduate and post-graduate research students each year. Grants do not cover the purchase of books which are available from libraries and hardware or software which universities usually make available to research students.

Successful Applicants

The Executive of the NSW Institute for Educational Research will advise successful applicants for Student Research Grants within approximately six weeks of the closing date for applications.

Budget

Estimating of costs must be realistic and justified with details of how that cost was determined. To justify a budget item give specific detail of projected expenditure, e.g., research assistant to help collect data, 50 interviews at 1/2 hour each at $18 per hour = $450.

Conditions of the Grant

Successful applicants are asked to forward receipts or invoices of expenditure to the IER Treasurer, Dr Anne Power,  6 Best Street, Lane Cove, 2066   fax: 61247360400The Treasurer will send the grant funds receipted to the successful applicant or will pay the invoice.  If there is a good cause for seeking an advance, a request may be made to the Treasurer.  Note that receipts or invoices for expenditure are necessary for payments to be made by the IER Treasurer.

The grant period extends to December 31 of the granting year.  If the project does not proceed or funds are not used by that date, they will be retained by the NSW IER Treasurer.  A summary report of expenditure and a brief progress or final report (no more than 2 pages) on the work of the project is required by the NSW IER by November 30 in the year of the grant. Please send this to the convenor. This report should be signed by the student’s research supervisor.

Award winners are required to give a presentation or a poster presentation of their work at the annual NSW IER Research Forum (usually in May), following completion of their research project.  They are also expected to participate in and make a poster presentation of their work in progress at the Research Forum in the year of their grant.

Enquiries

NSWIER Student Research Grants Committee,

Dr Ken Sinclair,  Convenor        

37 Northwood Rd, Northwood 2066

Email: km.sinclair@bigpond.com       

Ph. 9427 3778

Associate Professor Alan Watson,        

School of Education,                                                                            

The University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052

Email: A.Watson@unsw.edu.au                             

Telephone:  9385 1763