Quality
Proposals for Fellowship must be self-contained and make a clear case for the merits of the project. Applicants are drawn from all of Indiana University’s campuses and programs, so proposals should be free of discipline-specific jargon and be clear to readers with general experience in the scholarship of teaching and learning. Proposals should clearly state the goals and potential methods to be used (e.g., observation, record analysis, interventions), and provide an outline of the research design. Proposals must show an understanding of existing theory, data, and practice that apply to the topic. Thus, it should be grounded in existing work and yet show evidence of creativity and innovation that will advance our knowledge of SoTL and its implementation. A wide variety of projects is encouraged.
Importance
Proposals should show evidence of creativity and innovation that will advance our knowledge of SoTL and its implementation. The importance of the questions to be answered should be made clear to readers. Projects that emphasize the assessment of learning and dissemination to a broad audience will have priority.
Potential
Mack Fellows join the community of Mack Center SoTL scholars. While a CV must be attached, the proposal should provide some discussion of the applicant’s developing and ongoing interest in SoTL, and plans to contribute to the community of Mack Fellows beyond the completion of the Fellowship.
Breadth
One of the goals of the Fellows Program is to broaden participation in SoTL, so the committee will consider the breadth of interests and other factors represented in each year’s proposals. A maximum of three proposals in any year will be selected from any one campus. Given proposals of equal quality and potential, the selection committee will seek to select fellows with diverse backgrounds and settings as a way to enrich their dialogue with one another and the potential synergy for the Mack Center and IU as a whole.
Format
Applicants should submit their proposals to FACET@iu.edu as a single .pdf file. Please use “Mack Fellowship Application” in the subject line.
- The organization of the proposal is generally up to the applicant, but the proposal should begin with a cover page indicating the applicant’s contact information and giving a brief abstract or summary of the project (200-300 words).
- The proposal body should be relatively brief: 1500 words (excluding references) is a guideline. Longer proposals will not automatically be rejected, but proposals substantially outside this guideline will be a lower priority. Applicants should choose fonts, margins, line spacing, and similar factors to maximize readability.
- Applicants should append their CV to the proposal. Applicants with very long vitae are encouraged to submit brief versions that highlight their most important and relevant qualifications and activities.
- Since the stipend amount is fixed, no budget is required.
- Applicants should also append two or three letters of support for the project. These letters should address the significance of the proposed project and its applicability in departmental, campus, or other contexts. They should also comment on the probability that the applicant will finish the project in a timely manner.
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval
By their nature, most SoTL projects will need IRB approval. Some projects may have prior approval, but many will require a new IRB submission. In this case, the IRB approval should generally sought after the “Mack Camp.” The candidate is responsible for submitting the project to his/her campus review board. Please send a copy of IRB approval to the FACET offices, FACET@iu.edu, once it is attained. The first stipend will be released when proof of IRB approval has been received.