AHRB 2005

Before I could even suggest it, my students were photocopying their AHRB statements to discuss them amongst themselves. The session was very relaxed as we (even myself) had our applications put forward. I asked the students to read out loud their own statements (as they are only 500 words long) and the group with feedback. In this case, even if I was there, it was truly peer assessment. The students were both critical and responsive of their own and each other’s statements. We all realised that:

- Just by reading out loud you can see repetitions, weaker paragraphs and long-winded sentences
- The balance between specificity, openness and truthfulness is difficult to strike (eg. overall career aims)
- The application was just a snapshot of where they were on their research and they had to resist keep on changing it, even if they felt it was obsolete
- Funding applications are not necessarily one’s research so some things that need disentangling can go unmentioned
- The sooner one starts writing the statement (particularly a 500 word one) the more accurate or resolved it will be
- Some students write much better than hey thought and they should exploit that (in conference papers, publications…)
- Writing with so many limitations and in such a specific way can be a very positive experience in order to articulate and focus one’s research
- The more focused the research is (2nd year students) the more accurate the statement is but one can only write about what one knows

Some of these things, I had already mentioned them in my teaching, but some others together with my own experience will be very useful for next year’s session. All in all, the statements don’t need much work and I will have the completed application forms with me (in electronic format, I learned from last year) much earlier than ever. Each year, we make this whole process a little less frightening.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It’s AHRB time everywhere, not only at Wimbledon. Through my job at the University of the Arts, I am seeing more and more MA applications. The majority are Professional Preparation Route rather than Research Preparation so I can relax a little on the writing side. However, I am feeling irritated by the level. Some of these applications I am working on are full of repetitions, generalisations and inability to articulate mildly complex thoughts.

The problem is not only the level. The problem also comes from myself. If I could, I would rewrite all the applications. But them it would not be the student writing them, it would be me (and I have my own to get to grips with). In my 45-minute appointments with students, I can’t teach them how to write funding applications and I find myself stopping, forcing myself to stop saying things in words I find clear.

These forms are not assessed and some students depend on favourable funding decisions to start their MA course. I am in two minds: let them learn in time showing them the basic points they need to improve on or re write the whole application with them, giving them the best possible chance of getting the award.

Whatever option I chose, they (and I) will only have a 25% success chance in the best of cases. Probably the best option will be to compromise between the 2: repeated re-writes by the student, giving them general feedback…