Australian Research Council (ARC): Features of an ARC Grant Application

  • Top-ranked ARC applications generally display a number of common characteristics.
  • These characteristics are NOT the criteria that have been used for selection.
  • Rather, they are features shared by applications that have been passed through the ARC assessment process, and which have been found by that process to be of the highest quality.
  • In general, it is not possible to improve the quality of a mediocre research project by "packaging" it using the listed characteristics.
  • On the other hand, it may be possible to improve the ranking of an excellent research project by paying attention to the listed characteristics.

Notes for the ARC Discipline Panels

Features of Highly Ranked Applications

  • Use language that presents technical matters in a balanced and accessible way.
  • Present hypotheses and/or controversies and explain how they will be solved.
  • Explain how the momentum of the subject demands funding now.
  • Show how Australian work fits into the international picture.
  • Back up compelling claims of excellence and innovation with evidence and others' judgments.
  • Propose daring, ambitious goals BUT ALSO propose prudent, responsible modes of attack.
  • Have one or more CIs who are vigorous players in large international research networks.
  • Present excellent progress reports on previous grants.
  • Advance compelling arguments in relation to National Interest.
Features of Lowly Ranked Applications
  • Use dense technical jargon without accompanying "accessible" text.
  • Make grandiose and implausible claims about outcomes.
  • Do not support claims of excellence or past progress with evidence.
  • Relate to "backwater" research with contemporary momentum.
  • Are weakly linked into national and international research networks.
  • Emphasize the collection of data rather than the solution of controversies.
  • Set a persistent negative or depressive tone about the state of the subject in Australia.
  • Contain a high rate of spelling and grammatical errors.
  • Have unedited, apparent nonsense in the text (inadvertent?).