Reading about this myth is going to solve climate change, eliminate poverty, and cure cancer. It will save the government trillions of pounds and help every man, woman, child, and dog in the country. It will revolutionise every area of research it touches and be considered better than sliced bread and the invention of the wheel combined.
Don’t believe me? Then don’t include such statements in your own proposals.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with highlighting the potential of your research. Indeed, being clear about the need your research will fill and the difference it will make in the world is an absolutely vital part of every proposal you write. However, the need and difference have to be genuine, and they should focus on what your specific project is going to accomplish.
For example, a project that helps reduce carbon emissions can state this in the proposal. It can describe how the work will contribute to the nation’s Net Zero strategy. It can even indicate the approximate amount of the carbon reduction, if this is a key outcome from the project. However, claiming that it will solve climate change is unlikely, casting doubt on everything else in the proposal.
The use of hyperbole is surprisingly common in grant proposals, but it should be avoided because it reduces the author’s credibility with the reviewer. Being confident about your research is fine, but this should be supported by evidence of its feasibility.
In addition, generic statements that could apply to any project should be avoided. Focus on your specific project: what exactly does it hope to achieve? How is it going to do this?
- The research discussed in this proposal will benefit the UK economy. [How is it going to do this compared to another proposal?]
- This research area will impact health and wellbeing. [Your specific project is not the same as your general research area.]
- This project is novel. This project is timely. This project is a step change. [You can’t just tell a reviewer how you want your proposal to be perceived; you must show them how it fits these categories.]
Hyperbole can be colourful and generic statements are easy to write, but competitive proposals are about sharing your research vision with the reviewer. It should be compelling, precise, and, above all, realistic.