New Research Editorial Office opens on campus

Jessica Mercer, Ph.D.

Campuswide editorial support and proposal development is now available to all UNMC faculty members.

The Research Editorial Office — which is headed by UNMC graduate Jessica Mercer, Ph.D. — is a new support service offered by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research. The office is in the Durham Research Center, Room 4010.

“I am very enthusiastic about the opportunity afforded by this new service for our scientists submitting highly polished, more reviewer-friendly grant proposals,” said Tom Rosenquist, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research. “I have been an NIH reviewer for many years, and I appreciate the powerful impact of a well-written proposal upon the outcome of a review. I can guarantee that this investment will pay dividends in improved grant scores.”

More information Visit http://www.unmc.edu/research_editorial.htm or contact Dr. Mercer at 559-4132 or jessica.mercer@unmc.edu for more information about the Research Editorial Office.

Although grants are ideally evaluated on technical merit, writing errors can lead to reviewer prejudice against a proposal.

Dr. Mercer will provide expert editorial assistance with proposal development and editing. Support services include:

• Copy editing for grammar, style, consistency, and word choice;
  
• Formatting to agency guidelines; and
  
• Commentary on content and flow of the proposal.

“New NIH guidelines restrict the number of pages in the research proposal putting extra pressure on investigators to write as succinctly and clearly as possible,” Dr. Mercer said. “If you can improve your grant’s clarity, fluidity, and organization, you will ultimately increase your chances of being funded.”