A Cotlow Award…

1. A Cotlow Award… What is it? How do I get one?

2. Cotlow awards are grants to support student research • On anthropological topics in any of the four fields • Awarded on a competitive basis each year • Usually done during the summer

3. It’s about anthropology • The project you are proposing must make sense in terms of anthropology • You should have had some coursework in anthropology so you can bring an anthropological perspective to the project • Take an anthropology research methods course to help you strengthen your proposal

4. You must be a GW student: BA MA PhD Who is eligible to apply?

5. What is anthropology? • Archaeology • Biological anthropology • Cultural anthropology • Linguistic anthropology

6. Cotlow Advisory Committee, Spring 2010 • Barbara Miller (cultural anthropology), chair • 1957 E Street NW, suite 401 • barbar@gwu.edu • Jeffrey Blomster (archaeology) • 2112 G St NW, HAH, room 301 • blomster@gwu.edu • Alexander Dent (linguistic anthropology) • 2110 G St NW, HAH, room 302 • asdent@gmail.edu • Robin Bernstein (biological anthropology) • 2114 G St NW • robinb@gwu.edu

7. How to find a topic • Inspiration (hard to explain!) • Something from your background—been there, seen something • Something you heard about in a class • An issue that is in the news • A place you want to go • Scan past Cotlow proposals (dept website) • Scan programs of professional anthropology meetings, such as the American Anthropological Association, etc. • Talk with anthropology professors

8. Tips for success in topic selection • Work with your strengths: if you know Spanish, don’t propose to do a project in Russia • Use your past experience and contacts to increase the feasibility of the project • Follow your heart

9. Is it “anthropological”? • Talk to some professors to see how you can shape it • Read “the literature” (in anthropology) • Think about methods—how would you study it?

10. Seek faculty mentoring • A side benefit of the Cotlow process is that students and faculty get to know each other • So, if you are thinking of a project some-where in South America or about fossil hominins or about rap music…talk to a professor who knows that area/topic. • Who are the faculty? Check out the department’s website

11. Relevance to Anthropology • Do preliminary library research on the topic (start with Gelman electronic databases such as “AnthroSource” and “Anthropology Plus) • Find out about anthropologists who have done related work and learn how they did it (methods) • Use the Gelman tool “Refworks” to keep track of your sources

12. The Cotlow Proposal Form • Available on the Anthropology Department website: www.gwu.edu/~anth/atgw/cotlow.cfm

13. Personal Information and Faculty Mentor(s) • Basic background information • Faculty advisor: name one, or two • At least one should be a fulltime member of the Anthropology Department faculty • You may have anthropologists outside the university as a mentor, or non-anthropologists, but make sure to have one faculty member from the department

14. Title of Project The Abstract • Title: think of something informative and not too long • Abstract: a short (80 words) description of your project’s goals, context, methods, and importance. It pulls key elements from all the major sections of the proposal. • THEREFORE: BEST TO WRITE IT LAST; or, write it early on, and keep revising it, and review it carefully and revise it before you submit the proposal

15. Description of the Project • This section provides a general description of your project: • Overall research objectives • The location/site/context of the project • Characteristics of the site • Why this particular site

16. Significance of the Topic to Anthropology • Review of the related “literature” in anthropology • Discuss what selected anthropologists have written on/around your topic • “Bundle” related anth lit into themes; see examples of successful proposals on the Anthropology Department website • Specific references needed; ring bells! • Use social science citation style (SMITH date:pp); see style guidelines on aaanet.org • References cited/consulted must be listed in the section called “References Cited” at the end

17. Research Questions and Methods of Data Collection • Objectives: State your overarching research questions: what, overall, do you want to learn? (try sticking to two or three) • Discuss the data collection methods you will use to provide information to help answer those questions • As appropriate, you may wish to mention data analysis methods used during or after the funding period

18. Ethics: Anthropology Guidelines • Learn about anthropology ethics from your mentor(s) • Refer to the AAA website for ethics guidelines in all four fields: aanet.org • More detailed guidelines exist on other sites for archaeology and biological anthropology • Be specific in describing how you will follow ethical practices in your research

19. Ethics: GW Research Rules • Regarding “research” involving “human subjects” • Consult the GW website for the Institutional Review Board: http:/www.gwumc.edu/research/human • Research includes activities that seek to provide “generalizable knowledge” • A human subject is just a person; it is a person involved in particular kinds of research • Most, but not all, student projects involving living humans fit under the category of “excluded” research and so you do not need to fill out IRB forms • Projects that are related to health issues, or involve children and pregnant women, for example, fit into “risk” categories of IRB concern • Consult with your mentor(s)!

20. Research Product • How will you present and otherwise make use of your findings? • Examples: • For your academic goals (thesis, etc.) • To the “scholarly community” (conference paper, website, etc.) • To the host community/country (copy of your thesis or other written work for a library, website, shared skills with local people, etc.)

21. One Required “Product” • If you receive a Cotlow award, you are required to present your findings in a brief oral presentation at the annual Anthropol-ogy Student Research Conference which is usually held in mid-October

22. Timeframe • Lay out your goals week by week, or in whatever way is appropriate and sufficiently detailed • Imagine your way through the project—this stage may prompt you to rethink your research objectives! • Look at examples of successful Cotlow proposals posted on the Anthropology Department website

23. Budget • Cotlow awards range from $200 to $1800 • Consider your potential expenses carefully and try to find the lowest rates for travel, housing, etc. • In your budget, list all major expenditures, estimated as best as you can

24. Details in the Budget • You may want to add a line for “local travel,” rough amount $200 (just an example) • Or, gifts to project participants, $200 • Or, translation assistance, $500 • Faculty mentor(s) can advise you about the budget

25. Budget cont’d: What You Cannot Ask For • Equipment such as cameras

26. Budget cont’d:Staff • Most Cotlow projects do not involve staff but some do, perhaps for translation assistance • If your project requires an assistant, explain the reasons why somewhere in the body of the proposal • In the budget, provide a line item and explain qualifications of person(s) to be hired

27. Budget cont’d:Outside Financial or Other Support • Some Cotlow recipients co-finance the project themselves or receive financial help from other grants, family, etc. Other receive “in-kind” support such as free housing or food from relatives or friends during the research. • If so, please mention this support on the Budget page, making it clear that it is not being requested from the Cotlow award.

28. References Cited/Select Bibliography • Provide references for all sources cited in your proposal; you may also include sources that you have noted cited but that were important in your development of the proposal • We are looking for solid anthropological references, although you may include some non-anthropological sources • Follow, generally, the reference style of the American Anthropological Association (aanet.org) • PhD proposals should generally have more references

29. Permits • Particular research sites may require formal permission from the country, locality, or institution for your project • In your application, please provide copies of such permission or mention that you are in the process of securing such permissions

30. Transcript • Include a scanned copy of your GW transcript for your current degree program (or from a previous school if you are transfer BA student) • Failure to include your transcript will mean that your proposal is incomplete and will not be reviewed

31. Legal Conditions of the Award • A brief expenditure report must be submitted to Professor Miller within three months of the end of research • Presentation of findings at the Student Conference • Compliance with all relevant ethical guidelines • Compliance with GW safety guidelines when outside the US

32. Personal Safety during the Research Period • Choose a research site that will be safe for you • In case of potential problems, keep track of US government advisories about the country • For international research, keep GW apprised of your location and follow GW safety rules and insurance regulations • Have a back-up site in mind in case you need to change your research site at the last minute due to safety concerns

33. Final Tip for Success: (proposal drafts and revisions take timeand are essential for a successful proposal) • Allow a lot of time to write and revise the proposal: • Ask faculty mentor(s) to review drafts and allow for time for them to do so (turnaround time) • Revise (this takes time) • Have your mentor look at it again; revise again… • And maybe again • Submit a complete proposal on time! (don’t forget your transcript)