2024 Clinical Researcher: General guidelines for research plan

The research plan is submitted as a PDF appendix on the tab ‘Research plan’ in the online services.

Read the call text carefully and familiarise yourself with the review guidelines and review form before you start writing the plan.

The maximum length of the research plan is 12 pages.

The paper size is A4.

The font is Calibri/Carlito 12 pt.

The line spacing is 1.

The margins are 20 mm.

The text is left-aligned.

Do not use paragraph indents.

The font size in tables and images must be at least 10 pt.

Use a single-column layout when writing the text.

The list of references is included in the length of the research plan. The font size in the list is 10 pt.

All references must be added directly into the text, for example as follows: (author(s), year) or [number]. You must not use footnotes.

The maximum size of the PDF appendix is 50 MB.

The instructions and structure provided must be followed to ensure the equal treatment of applicants. Use the headings provided. The application cannot be submitted if the system detects an error in the in the headings, page configuration or the structure.

Write the research plan using this template.

Fill in the sections, according to the practices of your own discipline.

You cannot edit or delete the headings in the template. If necessary, you may add subheadings (level 3).

See the How-to guides for the online services on our website for the technical instructions.

Please delete these instructions when preparing your text.

Write here: Title of the Research Plan

Write here: Applicant’s name

Aim and objectives

Significance of research project in relation to current knowledge, research-based starting points:

How the project and the methods used are linked to previous international and/or national research (state of the art)

Research premise, aims and objectives

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Research questions and/or hypotheses:

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Expected research results and their anticipated scientific impact, potential for scientific breakthroughs and for promoting scientific renewal:

Research impact within the scientific community

Project’s novelty or added value for science

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Implementation

Work plan and schedule:

Detailed description of the research to be performed, starting from objectives, scientific references and preliminary data (if available)

Description of research tasks, their implementation and interconnections

If necessary, description of the responsibilities and management related to these tasks

Schedule for project implementation, incl. research tasks and work packages, distribution of personnel resources, and project milestones and deliverables

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Research data and material, methods, and research environment:

Research data to be used, justifications and information on data collection or acquisition, data analyses and use of data, taking into account issues such as intellectual property rights

Research methods and how they will contribute to answering the research questions or confirming the hypotheses, or how they will support the chosen approach

Description of local, national and/or international research environment including research infrastructures. Enter the infrastructures to be used also on the tab ‘Affiliations’ in the online services.

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Risk assessment and alternative implementation strategies:

Critical points for success, probability of risks, means by which risks can be managed, and alternative implementation strategies

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Applicant and collaborators

Applicant’s key merits that are relevant to the implementation of the project:

Applicant’s project-relevant merits

How the project is linked to previous or other research by the applicant

How the project advances the clinical research career of the applicant

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Collaborators:

National and international collaborators of key significance to project implementation as well as their roles

Justifications for the collaborators, description of what is achieved through the collaboration

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Responsible science

Research ethics, equality and nondiscrimination, open science and sustainable development:

Research ethics:

Information on ethical issues (e.g. ethical governance procedures, informed consent, anonymity of subjects and withdrawal from research) that concern the chosen topic, methods and data

Information on research permits granted or pending

Read more in the ethical guidelines.

Equality and nondiscrimination:

Information on how the project will promote equality and nondiscrimination within itself or in society at large

Read more in the equality and nondiscrimination guidelines.

Open science:

Publication plan that supports open access (Academy-funded projects are required to commit to open access publishing)

Read more in the open science guidelines.

Brief plan for data management: how the data will be stored during the project, how any legal and ethical issues related to data distribution will be resolved, and where the data will be made available after the end of the project. Funding recipients must submit a full data management plan. The payment of the funding is conditional on the submission of the plan.

Read the guidelines on the data management plan.

Sustainable development objectives:

Brief description of how the project can advance one or several goals included in the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development.

Read more in the sustainable development guidelines.

Read more about Agenda 2030.

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Societal effects and impact

Effects and impact beyond academia:

Brief description of the appeal, utilisation potential and application areas of the research results beyond the scientific community

For instance, provide a self-assessment of the expected societal impact of the research in the long or short term. Impact beyond academia may come in many different forms depending on the research field and the project. For example, science is a source of wealth and prosperity, but it also improves our understanding of the world and enhances the level of civilisation, supports the development of good practices and informs decision-making.

Read more about the broader impact of research.

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References

The list of references is included in the length of the research plan. The font size in the list is 10 pt. All references must be added directly into the text, for example as follows: (author(s), year) or [number]. You must not use footnotes.

Please delete these instructions when preparing your text.

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