Research Grants
Apply for a Research Grant
Michigan Language Assessment supports two research grant programs annually. Project reports may be published in the Michigan Language Assessment Working Papers.
Proposals related to one or more Michigan Language Assessment tests are invited from faculty, graduate students, and other language assessment professionals.
The Mary Spaan Research Grant
This research grant program was established to recognize Mary Spaan’s contributions to the field of language assessment through her more than three decades of work at the University of Michigan. The grants support research projects related to second or foreign language learning, assessment, and evaluation.
This year, we are particularly interested in receiving proposals to investigate:
- The use and impact of MET, particularly in higher education and healthcare high-stakes contexts
- The use of the Michigan English Placement Test in North American contexts
- Learners’ language growth over time
- The relationship between learning and assessment
- The impact of automated item generation
The Barbara Dobson Latin America Research Grant
The Barbara Dobson Latin America Research Grant (formerly Latin American Research Grant program) has been established to support research on language learning, assessment, and evaluation in Latin America.
This year, we are particularly interested in receiving proposals related to:
- The use of MET among teachers and in other public sector contexts
- The impact of MET and/or MET Go! on academic programs, curricula, and learning outcomes
- The relationship of MET and/or MET Go! to national and regional standards, frameworks, and curricula
- Other investigations in applied linguistics, learning, and assessment set in the Latin American context and using MET or MET Go! as a measure are also welcome.
Important Dates
Wednesday, March 6, 2024 | Call for Proposals |
Sunday, April 28, 2024 | Deadline for Applications |
Friday, May 31, 2024 | Notification of Results |
Monday, July 1, 2024 | Project Start Date |
Monday, June 30, 2025 | Deadline for Project Report |
Grant Proposal Application
Applications will be judged according to alignment with Michigan Language Assessment’s areas of interest, quality and clarity of the proposal, likelihood the project will be completed in the stated time frame, significance of the project within current scholarship in the field, and likelihood that the project will result in a publishable paper.
Applications must include:
- Applicant(s) name(s) and contact information
- Which program submission is for
- Research project details
- Curriculum vitae for each researcher named on the application form
- For student applications, contact information for two academic references
- For collaborative research, role in study and expertise of Michigan Language Assessment staff needed
Learn More About the Grant Programs
Selected projects from both programs will each receive up to $5,000 USD. Funding is for twelve months, although projects on a different time frame will be considered where necessary and justified.
Successful applicants must sign a research agreement before receiving funding. The research agreement confirms funding arrangements, the security of data and materials, and the terms and conditions governing publication of the research results. Grant recipients also must prepare a final report of their project by the stipulated deadline for inclusion in the Michigan Language Assessment Working Papers.
The research grant projects may be done independently or in collaboration with Michigan Language Assessment staff where appropriate.
Applications are judged according to alignment with Michigan Language Assessment’s areas of interest, the proposal’s quality and clarity, the likelihood that the project will be completed in the stated time frame, the project’s significance within current scholarship in the field, and the probability that the project will result in a publishable paper.
Applications must be received by Sunday, April 28, 2024. Applications are submitted using the online application form.