A colleague would like to collaborate with you to test methods of improving cancer screening in your family practice center. You decide to write a small-grant proposal to fund a pilot project. To learn whether NIH has called for a proposal in this topic area using the World Wide Web (www):
1. Open a connection using a Web browser at http://www.nih.gov/grants/
2. A page entitled "National Institutes of Health — Grants and Contracts" appears with a list of highlighted choices. Click the cursor on the highlighted text. "NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts."
3. A new page appears, titled "Gopher Menu" with a list of seven items, two of which have icons shaped like binoculars (searchable items). Click on the words “Search NIH Guide January 92 to the present."
4. The next page is entitled "Gopher Search." Click in the box designated for key words. In this box, type “small grant” “prevention” “1995.” It may take several attempts to think of the proper key words. A list of NIH announcements and request for proposals (RFPs) appears. Scroll down through the list. The program announcement from guide 95.09.22 looks promising. It is entitled :Cancer Prevention and Control Research — Small Grant Program.” Click on the text to see a summary of the program announcement.
5. The summary of the program announcement provides the number of someone to call at the NIH for more information. Make a note of the program announcement number (par-95-091).
6. The "Back" button on your Web browser tool bar allows you to retrace the steps of your search. Click the “Back” button until you are back at the original “Gopher Menu” (step 3 in this example). Click on the next-to-last item on this page “Program Announcements — Full Text.” A listing of program announcements appears. Click on par-95-091. A full text for the cancer prevention small grant program appears, including research objectives and application procedures. You can start writing!
* The WWW is rapidly evolving. It is possible that some of the details listed in these examples may change by the time this article is published. The general principles should remain the same.