ACLS/Mellon Dissertation Completion

[boomer]

Has anyone applied and received the ACLS/Mellon? Any advice?

[JustChill]

I'm gearing up to apply this year. Good luck!

[Secret_Ninja]

I'm also applying! Good luck to all of us and any advice from past applicants would be great.

[Elli389]

I'm wondering if anyone has insight into the essays involved in this application?

 

There is a 5 page proposal essay in which, according to one of the FAQs, you should "discuss the significance of your project within your field." There is also a separate section in the app itself that asks for "the significance of your project for the humaities and related social sciences" (up to 2000 words). It seems difficult to discuss significance to field and significance to humanities separately...any thoughts about this? I don't want to be redundant but they seem to be asking for overlapping information...

[ADDABD]

Well, it's actually 2000 characters, not words, which is significantly less.  So I think it's mostly a sorting device rather than something very substantive. But it is odd that there are essentially four different abstracts of the diss you have to write. I'm struggling as well with how to scale the arguments. Also, it seems from reading the application that they expect you to not have done field research yet--they want a proposed timeline for your research.  Which also seems strange, given that they want a completed chapter. 

[Elli389]

Thank you so much for that. I'm so glad that I misread the instructions - 2000 characters is a whole different thing. Whew!

 

I'm not seeing where it says timeline for research? They do provide funding for additional research, maybe that's what it refers to?

I do see that it says "One-page timeline for the expected completion of dissertation writing and defense."

Since you have to provide them with an already-written chapter, they must expect you to have already done the research...

[ADDABD]

Yeah, the proposal description is pretty vague, but talks some about identifying what stage of research you're in and how you'll complete it.  Speaking of which, how are you (or others) approaching the proposal? I think the chapter is probably more straightforward, but I'm having real trouble trying to figure out how to structure the proposal.  Is the genre straight-ahead grant application? how much lit review/situating the research in our field of study type stuff is necessary, vs a broader outline of what the diss focuses on, the research done, the issues addressed, the categories of data, and so on? I feel like the dual goals of intellectual merit and explanation of the work as a coherent entity (which seems necessary to contextualize a random chapter) do not overlap enough to be accomplished in 5 double-spaced pages.

 

Thoughts or ideas on this?

[Elli389]

It is really tricky! Of course you have seen that on the website they state the evaluation criteria of the application as a whole:

1. The potential of the project to advance the field of study in which it is proposed and make an original and significant contribution to knowledge.
2. The quality of the proposal with regard to its methodology, scope, theoretical framework, and grounding in the relevant scholarly literature.
3. The feasibility of the project and the likelihood that the applicant will execute the work within the proposed timeframe.
4. The scholarly record and career trajectory of the applicant.

I'm thinking that a good part of #3 is covered by the timeline and the institutional letter, and probably letters of reference, and it looks like #4 can really only be addressed by letters, as they don't give you opportunities to mention this on the application.

 

So I'm focusing on  #1 and #2, explaining my project and methodology, and discussing the relationship between my reasearch and existing scholarship.

 

But I'd be happy to hear other thoughts, too!

[ADDABD]

Thanks, this is helpful. I guess at this point that I'm treating it much the same way, as in a combination of lit review, context, and methodology. Still seems a tall order for 5 pages.  Good luck in the homestretch!

[snoopdaoop]

Just sent my app off this afternoon. So much work for such a shot in the dark... here's hoping. I hear the acceptance rate is like 3%

[ADDABD]

Yup, absolutely right.  It seems cruel to solicit so much work for such a small chance. If I were the dictator of ACLS-Mellonia, I would change the eligibility guidelines until I could award a more reasonable percentage, like 15 or 20. You have to think a majority of the submissions probably don't have a great chance anyway based on content, focus, or discipline.

 

But best of luck to everyone anyway. Turning this beast in tonight and heading for the brisker climes of Charlotte Newcombeville.

[snoopdaoop]

Turning this beast in tonight and heading for the brisker climes of Charlotte Newcombeville.

 

I'll see you there

You know it's the damnedest thing... if I wasn't spending so much time applying for Diss Completion Fellowships.... I might actually complete my dissertation

[boomer]

Colleagues who applied to the ACLS in past years: when do they usually make announcements?

 

Thanks.

[boomer]

Any news on this?

[JustChill]

Nah, I think we have at least another month to wait. 

[boomer]

Any news?

[ADDABD]

Nope. Academic Jobs Wiki has a more active thread on this topic.

[billyboy52]

Everything was announced in the last two days. Acceptance, waitlists, and rejections. (3/10/2015)

[boomer]

Yup, got my rejection.

[ADDABD]

Sorry to hear that. I got waitlisted, which I'm guessing is functionally the same thing except with another bout of agonized waiting and compulsive email checking. What fun.

 

Any joy for anyone else?

Edited March 11, 2015 by ADDABD

[ADDABD]

Just curious if anyone else lurking about is in the 'alternate' situation or has been in the past with this grant. There's some info over at academic jobs wiki, but it seems to be a different crowd here so I thought I'd try. Like many of us, I have to make definitive plans for the fall quite soon and am wondering if it's pie in the sky to get a fellowship now, or actually plausible.  Of course I'd prefer the latter, but I could also see it being a consolation prize for the also-rans rather than a functional list with a probability of award. Anyone with any insight into how they rank the list, and how big it is? Are the awards made by area of study or pure ranking?   Probably no one knows but ACLS, but I thought I'd try.