Many hospitals and universities have access to both SPIN and The ...

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Many hospitals and universities have access to both SPIN and The Foundation Directory. Why are these useful for a researcher? (Select all that apply.)
 
  a. They provide leads for thousands of grant opportunities.
  b. They provide information only for small grants of less than 5,000 each.
  c. They provide information on federal agencies, private foundations, and corporate foundations.
  d. They are computerized information resources.
  e. They provide funding information; all fees are then used to support future grants.

Question 2

A new researcher obtains a large grant and proceeds to hire nine assistants, as the grant specifies.
 
  The new researcher hires a statistician, three persons to collect data, one person to schedule and coordinate the activities of the persons collecting data, one person to help with qualitative data analysis, one person to begin writing for the grant renewal, one person to write the interim report, and one person to manage the grant budget, writing weekly checks to the research assistants based on their submitted timecards. Which of these activities is appropriate for a hired assistant? (Select all that apply.)
  a. Advising the research team about appropriate statistical tests
  b. Recalculating the study power after data collection on the first thirty subjects, to be sure of the effect size
  c. Performing initial qualitative coding of raw data
  d. Writing the first draft of a renewal grant
  e. Writing the interim report for the institutional review board
  f. Managing the grant budget
  g. Writing weekly checks to the research assistants

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Answer to Question 1

ANS: A, C, D
A computerized information system, the Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPIN), can assist researchers in locating the most appropriate funding sources to support their research interests. The database contains approximately 2,000 programs that provide information on federal agencies, private foundations, and corporate foundations. Many universities and research institutions have access to SPIN. Other databases include private funding as well.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A, B, C, G
Although the supporting institution is ultimately responsible for dispensing and controlling grant monies, the primary investigator (PI) is responsible for keeping track of budget expenditures and making decisions about how the money is to be spent. If funding is through a federal agency, the PI will be required to provide interim reports as well as updates on the progress of the study. The PI interviews, hires, trains, and oversees grant personnel. During a large study with several investigators and other grant personnel, the PI coordinates activities, often through formal meetings of all grant workers at intervals to share ideas and solve problems. Federal grants require the PI to submit interim reports according to preset deadlines. The PI often writes the renewal grant as soon as the first grant has been made, so that continuous research activity can be accomplished. In theory, the PI could be planning one study, collecting data on a second study, analyzing data on a third study, and writing papers for publication on a fourth study. A full-time researcher could have completed one funded study, be in the last year of funding for a second study, be in the first year of funding for a third study, and be seeking funding for a fourth study.