Advice: how to write a successful NSF preliminary proposal

The NSF branch that funds ecology & evolution now requires preliminary proposals, and the deadline is fast approaching. Here is some very good advice, from an experienced NSF panelist, on how to write a good preliminary proposal.

Even if you’re not writing an NSF preliminary proposal you should read the linked advice, because it includes some very interesting discussion of where good research ideas come from (protip: read a lot, and read very broadly).

HT: David Inouye at Ecolog-L