Here, some general aspects related to English language and scientific writing skills are presented.

• Before you write proposal, read some … and lean from others!
• Follow the donor’s recommended structure and format
• Follow a logical order (see chapter 3)
• Be clear, concise and complete
• Strive for accuracy (don’t write ”a large area” but rather “3.5 million ha”)
• Get to the point quickly ….. and stick to it!
• Cite only references that are relevant and absolutely necessary (a proposal is not the literature review of a thesis. You are expected you to know your references)
• Include only graphical elements that are necessary (i..e. tables of statistics required to support key statements or maps of the study area)
• Use standard units and abbreviations, and be consistent (in doubt, refer to the SI tables that are usually provided in scientific journals)
• Use a spel-tcheker! Spell Checker (there is nothing more annoying for a reviewer to get side-tracked by typographical errors when trying to assess the quality and relevance of a research proposal).