On a complete sample size or power analysis (with checklist)
A graphical illustration of the anatomy of an NIH research proposal
Focus on pilots
Scoping a pilot and/or feasibility study for a randomized clinical trial (DRAFT MANUSCRIPT )
My slide deck covering the material above, presented at NIDUS Bootcamp October 2018 (PDF)
A video of my talk on the design of pilot and feasibility studies: https://youtu.be/OMi6apWokUQ and slides here (PDF).
Analysis section of research project (and/or Section 4.4 of SF424 Forms E for RCT)
Sex as a biological variable (no sex difference hypothesized a priori)
Some words for feasibility studies adapted from my collaborations
Lisa Bodnar has prepared a "playlist" of articles on writing a successful grant proposal for the Society of Epidemiologic Research
Anatomy of a specific aims page from Bioscience Writers
I like almost everything Morgan Giddings has to say about proposal writing
NIH: Definitions of Criteria and Considerations for K Critiques
Be careful about being too innovative
Innovative proposals are penalized at peer review: "We find, on average, a standard deviation increase in our measure of novelty resulted in a 4.5 percentile point drop in ranking or a 7-position drop in rank order within our particular sample of 150 proposals." (Boudreau et al., 2012)
Another negative view on Innovation from a policy perspective
Pulitzer Prize winner Cormac McCarthy's advice on science writing