From: Academic in need
To: Helpful Research Manager
Subject: Impact – help!
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Hi again,
Thanks so much for agreeing to meet and discuss the impact section in our application! It’s a really exciting topic and I’m sure the funders will love it. I’ve outlined my plan below, but am struggling to know where to go from here. Can you read through and let me have your thoughts?
Cheers!
J
Despite extensive public health efforts, rates of binge drinking in adolescence remain high. This is incredibly costly for healthcare and public services, amounting to millions every year.
Following outreach work with local young people’s groups, we have determined there is value in developing a peer-led youth programme within the community. Instead of schools and professional groups providing training, the young people themselves would help educate others on the dangers of binge drinking.
We will develop and run training in the local community and involve young people in its design. We will disseminate the research through academic journal articles and conferences. We will also run a workshop with local stakeholders and communicate the project via social media. This will help improve services for young people and reduce how much young people are drinking. Obviously, it will have widespread economic savings.
That’s enough isn’t it?! I can’t think of anything else to say really.
Let me know, thanks!
Questions to guide you in formulating your key advice for the researcher:
- Is the above text enough?
- If not, what’s missing? Consider things such as
- Is it clear what the outcomes and wider impact of the project will be? (think about their scale and significance as well)
- Is the researcher specific enough, for example in identifying stakeholders?
- Does the researcher explain their decisions?
- Is the plan convincing?
- Is there a logic link between activities and outcomes?
- What assumptions does the researcher make?