Event Summary

On October 29, 2021, the Taiwanese Association of Hispanists hosted an online workshop titled "MOST Research Proposal Workshop: Guidance and Experiences for Hispanic Studies Researchers." Moderated by Professor Yang Chiung-ying (NCCU), the event featured Professor Shuli Chang (MOST Foreign Literature Division Coordinator) as a special guest, alongside four veteran scholars who shared practical experiences in securing research grants, aiming to boost research momentum and guide junior faculty in the Hispanic studies community.

Presentation Highlights

1. Guest Remarks and Resources

Speaker: Prof. Shuli Chang (Coordinator, MOST Foreign Literature Division) Highlights:

• Mindset: Encouraged researchers to view grant applications as a drive for academic growth and a process of clarifying research value.
• Academic Resources: Introduced the "Mentorship Program" and "Classic Translation Project" of the MOST Humanities and Social Sciences Center.
• Academic Ethics: Emphasized the importance of rigorous literature reviews and academic integrity.

2. Writing Proposals for Linguistics and Teaching

Speaker: Prof. Hui-Chuan Lu (Felisa Lu) (National Cheng Kung University) Highlights:

• Five Steps of Research: From conception and submission to execution, conference presentation, and journal publication.
• Interdisciplinary Innovation: Shared how to combine syntax and comparative linguistics with technological tools like eye-trackers to enhance research innovation.
• Application Practice: Stressed early preparation, avoiding self-plagiarism, and utilizing charts and images in final reports.

3. Foresight and Continuity in Applied Linguistics

Speaker: Ms. Lo-Hsueh Lu (Associate Professor, Providence University) Highlights:

• Research Continuity: Emphasized that research projects should be coherent and encouraged interdisciplinary studies to add depth.
• Output-Oriented: Advised junior faculty to submit proposals only after thorough preparation and to ensure substantial research output.

4. Humanities Research Trends and Academic Rules

Speaker: Prof. Luisa Chang (National Tsing Hua University) Highlights:

• Unique Perspectives: Argued that research value lies in unique insights rather than the popularity of the topic.
• Academic Rules: Detailed the "regular and irregular variations" of grant applications, emphasizing the importance of publishing in high-quality journals.
• Predatory Journals: Warned scholars against predatory journals that lack credibility and can damage academic reputations.

5. Expansion and Practice in Literary Research

Speaker: Prof. Yang Chiung-ying (National Chengchi University) Highlights:

• Research Evolution: Shared her journey from studying detective fiction to contemporary women's literature and popular culture.
• Writing Details: Provided detailed demonstrations on research methodology, execution schedules, and budget planning.
• Literature Synthesis: Suggested continuous literature reading and summarizing to build a solid foundation for long-term research.

Event Information

• Time: October 29, 2021 (Fri) 20:00-22:00
• Location: Online (Google Meet)
• Moderator: Prof. Yang Chiung-ying (National Chengchi University)