How to Submit a Proposal

Every researcher at a university or research institute in the Netherlands or elsewhere can submit a proposal throughout the year. We strive to integrate different academic disciplines: besides proposals from economics and the social sciences, we welcome proposals from the medical and biomedical sciences and the behavioral sciences.

  

Proposals:

• Can be submitted by email to Annette Scherpenzeel, project manager of MESS
• Must be written in English

• Are typically between two and five pages long

• Must contain name, address, affiliation and short CV with main publications of the researcher(s)

• Must be specific about requested sample size, sample composition, desired timing of the field work, repeated measurement (where applicable), etc.

• Must contain research questions and a scientific motivation

• Must specify the content of the questions
• Must contain a preliminary version of the complete set of proposed survey questions
• Must be checked for overlap in topics and questions with the existing LISS data (see LISS website)
• Must estimate the length of interview time which should in principle, for the LISS panel, not exceed 20 minutes (including any repeated measurements). For the immigrant panel the length should not exceed 15 minutes. Please count a maximum of 25 question items/10 minutes for very simple ('yes/no') . questions. Please note that longer or more complicated questions require more time.
• Will be evaluated on the criteria given below

Evaluation criteria

 

Scientific quality and relevance:

• Scientific motivation of the research question
• Appropriateness of the proposed research methodology
• Sound analytical framework and empirical design
• Potential for scientific breakthrough
• Quality of the researcher or research group
• A plus, though not a requirement, is an international dimension

Suitability for the LISS panel:

• Added value of using an Internet survey should be clarified
• Exploiting longitudinal nature of LISS
• Exploiting multi-disciplinary nature of LISS
• Exploiting the core variables (asked each year) in LISS

Feasibility:

• Questions must be comprehensible to all respondents
• Questions should not be offensive or culturally inappropriate to any group
• Questions should not disrespect respondents' privacy
• A plus is attractiveness of the questions for respondents

Target group:

• Proposals must clearly indicate whether the questions are intended for the entire LISS panel, a random sub-sample, or a specific target group
• Using a random sub-sample of the total panel is a plus

Questionnaire length and overlap:

• For the LISS panel there is no prerequisite or absolute limit regarding the length of the questionnaire. However, the shorter the questionnaire, the easier it can be fit into the fieldwork planning. Longer questionnaires (over 20 minutes) necessitate a long-term planning of at least four months
• For the special immigrant panel, there is an absolute limit of 15 minutes questionnaire length
• Repeated measurement can increase scientific value, but also increases respondent burden
• Overlap of the questionnaire with the core study must be avoided. Researchers are encouraged to use the core questions in their analyses, but these questions should not be asked again. Survey questions that are very similar to existing questions in the core study or other experimental modules are generally also to be avoided