Webinar“How to write a better
Gakushin(学振) proposal”
Lui Yoshida
The University of Tokyo

April 17, 2022

Self-introduction - Lui Yoshida• Associate professor, Graduate School ofEngineering, the University of Tokyo (Lab HP)• Research area: Educational Technology (EdTech, Active

Learning, Online Learning, Faculty Development)• Background: Computer science, Biomedical engineering• Research Fellowships for

Young Scientists (DC1),
2012-20141

Self-introduction - Rintro Chujo• Senior year student, Faculty of Letter, theUniversity of Tokyo• Human-computer interaction• Experience Design, Design of Learning Environment,

Emotional Communication• Won UTokyo President's Grand Award forStudents 2021

• Winner of the world's largest international competitionin the field of EdTech as the development andevaluation of LearnWiz One, an educational platformborn from the experience of supporting online
education at the University of Tokyo.

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GESAwards
R&D Track
WinnerUTokyoPresident’sGrand Award

https://one.learnwiz.jp/
β-version available- Share and collect opinions- Students can learn fromeach others- A good opinion naturally
comes up

Use it for Q&A3

Notes• This meeting is being streamed on YouTube,and a recording will be made available.

• Zoom participants are requested to turn off theirmicrophones and cameras.

• The meeting, including screen shots andcomments by participants, may be published asarticles or educational materials on websites,etc.

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Today's Goals and Table of Contents• Goal• Understand how to prepare a better application for

JSPS Research Fellowships for Young Scientists(DC1/DC2) by understanding the tips on how toprepare the application form required.

• Table of contents• Learn about JSPS Research Fellowships for YoungScientists• Write a proposal• Q&A5

Learn about JSPS ResearchFellowships for Young
Scientists

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JSPS Research Fellowships for Young Scientists (DC)• Programs to support young researchers• 200,000 yen per month• Up to 1.5 million yen per year for research expenses• 87.7% of those selected for a fellow (DC) position

will be in a "full-time research position" within 10years• Source: FY2020 Survey on Employment Status of

Postdoctoral Fellows-DC https://www.jsps.go.jp/jpd/data/pd_syusyoku/r2_dcgaiyou.pdf 2022 (Accessed onApril 1.)• (Yoshida's impression) Writing the application itself

is valuable.

• It is important for researchers to communicate theirresearch in a way that is easy to understand7

Know reviewers: Review Set• The review categories are presented as review

sets• https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-pd/pd_sinsa-set.html• Almost zero chance that all the reviewers areexperts in the same field• Need to write in a way that smart experts in otherfields can understand (no inadvertent use of jargon)

Write in an easy-tounderstand manner!
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Review process

Source: https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-pd/data/pd_nagare.pdf (Accessed on April 1, 2022)

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Review process• 1st step

• Grade on a 5-point scale (absolute evaluation)• 1. Conception and originality of research plan
• 2. Qualities as a researcher• Based on the above, overall evaluation grade in 5levels (relative evaluation)• 2nd step

• Grading on a 4-point scale with reference to theevaluations and opinions of others

10Write a proposal

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Important Points• Write exactly as directed in the application form.
• For example, in the positioning of your research, thefollowing items must be written!
• Background on the field and issues in the field.
• How did you come up with the idea for this researchplan?

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Structure Example (just for reference)• 研究計画: Research plan•
研究の位置づけ: Positioning of research• 当該分野の状況や課題等の背景: Background on the field and issues in the field• 本研究計画の着想に至った経緯: Background leading to the ideation of this research plan•
研究目的・内容等: Research purpose / contents• 研究目的: Research purpose• 研究方法・研究内容（何を、どこまで明らかにしようとするのか）: Research method / contents(What, and to what extent, are you willing to reveal?)• 研究の特色・独創的な点（先行研究等との比較）: Characteristics and originality of the research(comparison with previous studies, etc.)• 本研究の完成時に予想されるインパクト、将来の見通し: Anticipated impact of this researchupon completion; future prospects• 概念図: Conceptual diagram• 人権の保護及び法令等の遵守への対応: Protection of human rights and compliance with laws

and regulations• 研究遂行力の自己分析: Self-assessment of research performance•
研究に関する自身の強み（根拠も含めて提示）: Your own strengths regarding research (providerationale, including rationale)•
今後研究者として更なる発展のため必要と考えている要素: Elements that you consider necessary foryour further development as a researcher in the future• 目指す研究者像等: Image of a researcher, etc. to which you aspire•
目指す研究者像: Image of a researcher to which you aspire•
上記の「目指す研究者像」に向けて、特別研究員の採用期間中に行う研究活動の位置づけ: Positioning ofresearch activities to be conducted during the period of the fellowship toward the above "imageof a researcher to which you aspire

Note: It’s not official but Yoshida’s translation. Use it just as a reference

13Points “would” be good to write• Again, just an opinion for reference only! (It's importantto think in your own way and create your own story)• 研究の位置づけ: Positioning of research• 当該分野の状況や課題等の背景: Background on the field and issues
in the field• Describe social and academic issues in an easy-to-understandmanner

• Social issues: Issues that are socially problematic and meaningful tosolve• Academic issues: Areas or issues that have not yet been approached byprevious research• 本研究計画の着想に至った経緯: Background leading to the ideationof this research plan
• Describe the story that led to the conception of the proposed
research in a logical and concrete manner, based on the issues

14Points “would” be good to write• 研究目的・内容等: Research purpose / contents• 研究目的: Research purpose• Describe purpose that encompass all aspects of the research• 研究方法・研究内容（何を、どこまで明らかにしようとするのか）: Researchmethod / contents (What, and to what extent, are you willing to reveal?)• Use methods consistent with the purpose• In addition to the specifics of what you will do, include why you will do.
• Describe why you are using the proposed method rather than othermethods (simply using this method is less convincing).
• 研究の特色・独創的な点（先行研究等との比較）: Characteristics and originalityof the research (comparison with previous studies, etc.)• Distinctive features: Describe features that are used in other studies but
not generally used.
• Originality: Describe the originality of your research that has not been
done in other studies.
• 本研究の完成時に予想されるインパクト、将来の見通し: Anticipated impact of
this research upon completion; future prospects• Describe the specific social and academic impact of the research when it isactually done well
• 概念図: Conceptual diagram• Create a conceptual diagram of the core of the research plan, experiments,etc.

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Points “would” be good to write• 研究遂行力の自己分析: Self-assessment of research performance• 研究に関する自身の強み（根拠も含めて提示）: Your own strengths regarding
research (provide rationale, including rationale)• In addition to the strengths, describe specific episodes in which thestrengths were demonstrated, tying them to research results.
• 今後研究者として更なる発展のため必要と考えている要素: Elements that you
consider necessary for your further development as a researcher in thefuture• In relation to the image of the researcher you aspire to be, list specificelements that are necessary for you and describe how you will acquire
those elements.
• 目指す研究者像等: Image of a researcher, etc. to which you aspire• 目指す研究者像: Image of a researcher to which you aspire• Describe in detail the kind of researcher you want to become• 上記の「目指す研究者像」に向けて、特別研究員の採用期間中に行う研究活動の位置づけ: Positioning of research activities to be conducted during theperiod of the fellowship toward the above "image of a researcher to which
you aspire• Describe how this research activity will contribute to the image of theresearcher you are aiming for, and how you will embody (evenpartially) the image of the researcher you are aiming for through thisresearch activity (it would be good if it is consistent with the previoustwo paragraphs).
16Other tips
• Match content with headings• Create a headline• Include visual emphasis• Include a figure

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Q&A

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Closing

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Thank you for the participation• We hope you will create a great proposal!
• Event schedule• I’m sorry that most of them are in Japanese20