Collaboration Guidelines

Getting Started

If you are interested in Alliance support, the first step is to complete our online request from. One of our members will then contact you to arrange an in-person meeting to discuss your project. The meeting is an opportunity for you to provide information on the background and goals of the project, so that an appropriate plan can be developed to achieve the goals. The attending Alliance member should attain enough information at the meeting to estimate the type and amount of support needed. He or she will then work with you individually to provide the necessary support.

When to Request Support

Ideally, a biostatistician should be contacted and involved during the planning stages of your project. The timing of such involvement will vary from project to project, but good rules-of-thumb to follow are:

  1. Small Grant (R21) - one month prior to submission
  2. Medium Grant (R01) - two months prior
  3. Large Grant (P01, U01) - three months prior
  4. Analysis of Existing Data - one month prior to project deadline
  5. Manuscript Preparation - two weeks prior to submission

Earlier involvement of a biostatistician will result in more thorough and effective input on the project, thus increasing the likelihood of success.

Grant Effort

Grants needing substantial and sustained biostatistical support should include a biostatistician as a co-investigator for a percent effort, with the level and amount of involvement discussed during the grant development stage. Percent effort is more commonly included on R01-equivalent or larger grants, and should match the actual level of involvement. Grant preparation is covered either through hourly billing or Alliance partner support of members.

Authorship

Alliance members should be included as co-authors on publications to which they have made scientific and/or intellectual contributions. Listings in acknowledgement sections of publications are not deemed to be appropriate recognitions of such contributions. Project investigators and involved Alliance members should discuss the subject and come to a clear understanding about authorship during the initial phases of the project.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors recommends the following criteria for authorship:

  • 1. Substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data,
  • 2. Drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content, and
  • 3. Final approval of the version to be published.

Since our members have expertise and experience in the statistical analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data, they often qualify for co-authorship.