Research Grants
The Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication (CPTSC) invites interested members to apply for research grants up to $1,500. Proposed research projects should relate to one or more of the following CPTSC goals:
- To promote programs in technical and scientific communication,
To promote research pertaining to programmatic issues in technical and scientific communication, or
To develop opportunities for the exchange of ideas and information concerning programs, research, and career opportunities.
CPTSC funds projects that contribute to our collective knowledge about all aspects of program administration. Successful projects in the past have compared programs via surveys, conducted textual analyses to inform program marketing, and studied the state of the professoriate. Funds may be used for expenses, materials, salary, and/or travel. CPTSC encourages faculty-student collaborations on projects.
Applications
To apply for a CPTSC research grant, interested CPTSC members should submit a 2-3 page proposal that contains the following information:
- Project title on all pages
- Name, institutional affiliation, and contact information for the project investigator(s), on page 1, separable from items 3-6.
- A brief project description
- A discussion of the significance of the project to members of CPTSC and identification of potential publication locations
- An outline of the project methodology or research tasks, including IRB approval if human subjects are involved in any capacity
- A projected budget statement (excluding institutional overhead and indirect costs. Request a waiver from your institution if necessary.)
Specific information will be provided each year.
Previous Award Winners
Lisa Meloncon, University of Cincinnati: TechComm Programmatic Central: Updating and Populating a Database of Comprehensive Programmatic Data
Michael Salvo, Purdue University, European Developments in User-Centered Design: Articulating Centers of Practice
Susan Youngblood, Jo Mackiewicz, and Stewart Whittemore, Auburn University, Database for Service Learning Opportunities in Technical Communication (SLOT-C Database)
Susan Popham: African-American Women in a Technical Writing Program
Karl Stolley, Freddrick Logan, and Mathew Ephraim: Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in Distance Education
Ann Brady and Laurence Jose: Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in Scientific and Technical Communication
Ed Malone: The Role of Historical Studies in Technical Communication Curricula
Elizabeth Avery Gomez: Towards a Lexicon for Diversity in Technical and Scientific Communication Programs: Strengthening the Message in Academic Programs and Professional Organizations
Carolyn Rude and Kelli Cargile Cook: The Academic Job Market in Technical Communication, 2005-2006
Jim Nugent—Technical Communication Certificate Program Instructors: Their Situation and Professional Status
Nancy Coppola and Norbert Elliot—A Community Research Model for Assessment of Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication
Kirk St. Amant—Expanding CPTSC Program Review Activities: Creating a Reviewer Network
Stevens Amidon and Stuart Blythe: Economics, Technology, and the Management of Technical Communication
Kenneth T. Rainey and Roy K. Turner: “STC Management Interviews”
Doreen Stärke-Meyerring and Ann Hill Duin: “Global Program Partnerships in Technical Communication”
Sandra Harner: “Trends in Undergraduate Curricula in Technical and Scientific Communication Programs”
Charlotte Thralls, Mark Zachry, and Kelli Cargile Cook: A Profile of Doctoral Graduates in Professional, Technical, and Scientific Communication, 1995-2000
