Definitions of Terms
Applicant
Artistic discipline
Artist-researcher
Co-applicant
Collaborator
Conference
Congress
Grant holder
Institution
New scholar
Occasional conference
Other assistants and support staff
Partnership
Postsecondary institution
Program of research
Program of research/creation
Record of research achievement
Regular scholar
Research/creation
Research team
Workshop
Workshop participant
Applicant (principal investigator/project director):
an individual who has primary responsibility for the intellectual direction
of the research and who assumes administrative responsibility for the
grant. In the case of team research, the principal investigator/project
director is understood to be responsible for the overall leadership of
the research team. Eligibility requirements may vary with specific programs.
In most cases, applicants for SSHRC's research, strategic and communications
grants must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution. The
signature, on the application form, of the authorized representative of
the sponsoring institution represents that institution's confirmation
that the applicant meets SSHRC's eligibility requirements for applying
for and holding a grant.
Applicants who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of Canada
must be employed in teaching or research by the sponsoring institution
for the entire duration of the award—unless the eligibility criteria
of the program to which they are applying explicitly states otherwise.
Applicants may not be employed as an assistant or associate for a research
program directed by another researcher.
Applicants who are formally affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary
institution, but who are employed outside the postsecondary education
system, must demonstrate that their proposed research activity is not
related to either the mandate of their regular non-academic employer or
the normal duties for which they receive payment from that employer.
An applicant for a research, strategic or communications grant cannot
be a student enrolled in a program of study. The sole exception to this
restriction is explained in the Eligibility section of the
Standard
Research Grants
program description.
Artistic discipline (specific to the
Research/Creation Grants in Fine Arts program): any one, or any combination
of, the following categories: architecture, design (including interior
design), creative writing, visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture,
ceramics, textiles), performing arts (dance, music, theatre), film, video,
performance art, interdisciplinary arts, media and electronic arts, and
new artistic practices.
Artist-researcher affiliated with a Canadian
postsecondary institution (specific to the Research/Creation
Grants in Fine Arts program): a member of the faculty of a Canadian postsecondary
institution whose work involves research, the creation of works of art,
and the training of undergraduate and/or graduate students. Where their
work is similar to that of full-time faculty, and where the institution
agrees, this may include adjunct, part-time, sessional and emeritus faculty
as well as university-employed curators.
Co-applicant (co-investigator): an individual
who makes a significant contribution to the intellectual direction of
the research, plays a significant role in the conduct of the research,
and who may also have some responsibility for financial aspects of the
research. Eligibility requirements may vary with specific programs.
Subject to Council approval, a co-applicant affiliated with a Canadian
postsecondary institution may be named principal investigator in the event
of the original principal investigator's death or resignation. A researcher
affiliated with a foreign institution cannot be named as principal investigator.
In the case of the
Standard
Research Grants
and the Research/Creation
in Fine Arts programs, the eligibility criteria for co-applicants
are the same as those for the applicant.
In the case of
Major Collaborative
Research Initiatives
(MCRI),
Community-University
Research Alliances
(CURA),
Strategic
Grants
and selected
Joint Initiative
programs, researchers affiliated with non-Canadian postsecondary institutions
may participate as co-applicants. In addition, co-applicants may come
to the research site as visiting scholars on unpaid leave from their home
institution for up to a total of three months over the period of the grant.
Note: SSHRC does not limit the number of applications in which
a researcher may participate as a co-applicant (co-investigator).
Grant holder: the recipient of a SSHRC
grant.
Institution: refers to any entity that receives or administers SSHRC funding. The term “organization” may also be used for community-based organizations that act in this capacity.
New scholar (where specified in particular
programs): a new scholar is someone who has not yet had the opportunity
to establish an extensive record of
research achievement
,
but is in the process of building one.
Applicants
requesting consideration as a new scholar
must demonstrate that they have not applied successfully, as principal
investigator or project director, for a grant from any of the following
SSHRC programs:
Standard
Research Grants
,
Major
Collaborative Research Initiatives
, or
Strategic Grants
.
In addition, they must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- completed their highest degree no more than five years before
the competition deadline (SSHRC considers only the date of completion
of the first doctorate);
or
- held a tenured or tenure-track university appointment for less than
five years;
or
- held a university appointment, but never a tenure-track position (in
the case of institutions which offer tenure-track positions);
or
- had their careers significantly interrupted or delayed for family reasons.
Note: An applicant who meets the criteria may request consideration
as a new scholar, but is free to apply as a regular scholar. In all cases,
the final decision rests with SSHRC.
For applicants adjudicated in the new scholar category, the
record of
research achievement
and the
program of research
are weighted in the overall
score such that either a 60/40 or 40/60 ratio will apply, whichever will
produce the more favourable overall score. For example, if a new scholar
receives a higher score on the program of research than on the record
of research achievement, 60 per cent of the overall score will derive
from the score on the program of research, and 40 per cent from the score
on the record of research achievement.
The Evaluation Criteria section of the
Standard
Research Grants
program description includes additional information
about the new scholar category.
Collaborator: a scholar or researcher
who may play various roles in a research project or program of research,
including participating in setting its intellectual direction. Collaborators
do not need to be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution.
SSHRC does not cover expenses that research collaborators incur in the
conduct of research or research-related activity. However, the Financial
Administration sections of the
SSHRC
Grant Holder’s Guide
specify certain travel and subsistence
costs that may be claimed.
In the case of
Major Collaborative
Research Initiatives
(MCRI),
Community-University
Research Alliances
(CURA),
Strategic
Grants
and
Joint Initiative
programs, collaborators on unpaid leave from their home institutions may
be brought to the research site as visiting scholars for up to a total
of three months over the period of the grant.
Conference: a special event
that (a) focuses on one or more distinct themes in the social sciences
or humanities and that (b) is open to Canadian and international researchers
as well as students, both graduate and, where appropriate, undergraduate.
Congress: a formal, periodic meeting
of an international scholarly association, which includes both a business
and scholarly component.
Occasional conference: a special event,
with a clearly defined theme, which takes place on an ad hoc basis.
Other assistants and support staff:
individuals employed to assist the research team to conduct its research
who are neither students nor members of the research team. Research assistants
must be citizens or permanent residents of Canada unless it can be shown
that qualified candidates are not available in Canada or that the proposed
research requires the hiring of assistants abroad. Assistants hired in
Canada who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents must
have valid Canadian employment visas or work permits issued by the federal
government. As the employer, the university or eligible administering
organization is responsible for ensuring this condition is met.
Partnership: any agreement between a
Canadian postsecondary institution and an organization not affiliated
with a postsecondary institution. Selected programs allow organizations
not affiliated with a postsecondary institution to lead research proposals.
Refer to individual program descriptions for eligibility requirements.
Partners are organizations, not individuals. Both types of research
partners are expected to contribute intellectually and to participate
in the research and may appoint an individual to the research team to
act as a collaborator. In addition, for administrative purposes, both
types of research partners are required to identify an individual who
will act as contact person.
Postsecondary institution: a public
or private not-for-profit degree- or diploma-level university, university
college or college established in accordance with appropriate provincial
or territorial legislation.
Program of research: a sustained research
enterprise that includes one or more projects or other components, and
which is shaped by broad objectives for the advancement of knowledge.
It might be undertaken primarily by one investigator and encompassed within
a single research career, or it could mobilize a team of researchers during
a specific period. In pursuit of the overall objectives, specific approaches
and methods are advanced, adopted and modified as the research proceeds
and as findings are made and reported. SSHRC supports new and ongoing
programs of research through three-year grants, based on peer-review judgement
of the probable significance of the contribution to knowledge in the social
sciences and humanities.
Program of research/creation: (specific
to the pilot program in fine arts): a sustained research enterprise that
includes one or more projects or other components, and which is shaped
by broad objectives for the advancement of knowledge in the fine arts,
through the development or renewal of the field of artistic endeavour
concerned. It might be undertaken primarily by one investigator and encompassed
within a single research career, or it could mobilize a team of researchers
during a specific period. In pursuit of the overall objectives, specific
approaches and methods are advanced, adopted and modified as the research
proceeds and as findings are made and reported. SSHRC will support new
and ongoing programs of research/creation through grants of up to three
years of duration, based on peer-review judgment of the probable significance
of the contribution to knowledge in the relevant disciplines.
Record of research achievement: includes
any identifiable contributions made by applicants to the advancement,
development and transmission of knowledge related to the disciplines supported
by SSHRC.
Regular scholar (where specified in
particular programs): a regular scholar is someone who has established
or who, since the completion of his or her highest degree, has had the
opportunity to establish, a record of
research achievement
Research/creation (specific to the
Research/Creation Grants in Fine Arts program): any research activity
or approach to research that forms an essential part of a creative process
or artistic discipline and that directly fosters the creation of literary/artistic
works. The research must address clear research questions, offer theoretical
contextualization within the relevant field or fields of literary/artistic
inquiry, and present a well considered methodological approach. Both the
research and the resulting literary/artistic works must meet peer standards
of excellence and be suitable for publication, public performance or viewing.
Research team: includes an
applicant
(principal investigator/project director) and/or one or more
co-applicants
(co-investigators) or
collaborators
.
Workshop: a small, invitational event,
of 30 or fewer participants, the object of which is to (a) develop a particular
research agenda or delineate specific research questions and needs and
(b) to produce a concrete deliverable (book, policy position paper, etc.).
Workshop participant: A workshop participant is defined as someone who is actively involved in the event, such as: a presenter, a discussant or a panelist.