Apply for an AWAC Research Initiative Grant

The AWAC Research Initiative Grants support graduate students, early career researchers, scholars working with underrepresented groups, and international collaborations in research of benefit to the WAC community.

AWAC is accepting proposals for $1,250 research awards in four (4) distinct categories (one award per category):

1. Doctoral students working on WAC-related research
2. Early-career scholars (those within 3 years of earning PhD) working on WAC-related research
3. Scholars researching topics in WAC related to minoritized groups
4. Scholars in the United States collaborating with international partners

Eligibility and Funding Restrictions

All award recipients must be United States citizens or residents (or hold a valid US work/study visa) at the time of the award. Recipients may not be members of the AWAC Executive Board or Proposal Review Panel at the time of award, nor have received funding from AWAC in the past two years. Research Initiative Grants are for the explicit purpose of conducting research in WAC-related areas. Funds may not be used for any partisan activity (political support, donations, creation of materials in support of candidates, etc.), or in lobbying activities. Doctoral students must be in good standing at an accredited institution. Applicants may only apply to one category per award cycle. Applicants must be members of AWAC at time of submission. Awards are made to individuals, not institutions. There is no time requirement for research projects; a report will be required after one calendar year.

Application Criteria and Procedures:

AWAC invites proposals for research that can contribute to our understanding of contemporary issues related to writing in academic and disciplinary spaces. Effective proposals should convey the importance of this work for the WAC community, clearly identifying how it extends existing knowledge and scholarship, and the potential application of its findings. Proposals should also articulate how this research will be disseminated, once complete, and to whom it will be shared (i.e., scholarly and public).

Though particular focus areas and methodologies are open, AWAC encourages research that is of benefit to underrepresented communities, utilizes innovative methodologies, examines conditions of labor, or could otherwise expand the scope of knowledge in the WAC community. AWAC is especially interested in applications that make explicit contributions to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

Proposals should include:

1. A cover page that contains the title of the proposal, the name(s) and full contact information of the investigator(s), and, in the event of multiple investigators, the designation of a principal contact (maximum: 1 page).
2. A narrative of approximately 1,500 words (12-point font, 1-inch margins) that:
   1. Identifies which category the proposal addresses (e.g., Doctoral research) and how the applicant fulfills the criteria of the category;
   2. Defines the project and clearly articulates the research questions and timeline;
   3. Briefly articulates how the research is situated within the existing body of WAC knowledge and what gaps it is addressing;
   4. Describes the methods and methodologies the project will draw on, showing methodological congruence with the research question(s). If working with human subjects, describes IRB status;
   5. Describes the resources needed to complete the project and how this award will be used in meeting those resource-needs; and
   6. Identifies how the research will be disseminated when complete, to both public and scholarly communities.
3. Detailed budget form with justifications for all expenses. Please note that all funds must be used for direct costs only (i.e., research materials, participant incentives, software, transcription, travel to research sites). Indirect costs (such as conference travel, publication fees or indexing, institutional overhead, etc.) cannot be covered by this award. Compensation for research assistants is allowed if paid directly to assistant. Identify any additional funding sources already secured that will also support this research.
4. Include a current CV for all applicants. Doctoral students may wish to include information about coursework completed and contact information of the student’s advisor.

Proposal must be submitted by 11:59 PM, EST, on April 30, 2023 as a single email attachment -- Word or PDF only to the Research and Publications Chairs at AWACPublications@WACAssociation.org. Proposals will be reviewed by the AWAC Research and Publications Committee. A summary report will be required after one year; a final report at the completion of the study. A précis of the research will be hosted on the AWAC website.

The Association for Writing Across the Curriculum (AWAC) is a professional organization that brings together the intellectual, human, political, and economic capital of the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) community to better support and grow WAC as a global intellectual and pedagogical movement. AWAC promotes initiatives that support students’ writing across their academic careers, faculty development related to student writing and writing pedagogy, and research into writing across domains (e.g. disciplines, professions, communities, and academic levels) and transnationally.

For additional questions, please email Heather Falconer and Christopher Basgier, AWAC Research and Publications Committee Co-Chairs: AWACPublications@WACAssociation.org.