Biblio of a research proposal

[biblio]

It is my first time applying for a postdoc and I have a very basic question. Do I only include the literature I cited in the text of my proposal, or do I include a comprehensive bibliography?

Thank you and please be patient with m cluelessness.

[sharp]

I'd say only the research you cited (which, if your proposal is thorough, *will* be comprehensive).

[biblio]

Thanks, Sharp. I am still trying to 'master' the art of writing proposals. I am finding it difficult to sharply and concisely put it all in a few pages.

[oy]

Alright I'm going to go ahead and embarrass myself here.

I've applied several times to postdocs and (thus far) have never included references (or a reference list) in any of my research proposals. Tell me if I've completely missed the boat here (and yes, you can be honest), but while I haven't actually landed a post-doc, I have been a finalist for two fairly prestigious ones, so if this is definitely the wrong approach to take, well, it doesn't seem like it's hurt me that much. Then again, maybe THAT's the reason I didn't get either of those positions!!??.

Anyhow, unless, I'm completely blind to what's going on around me, my general sense is that post-doc committees are often filled with people who aren't experts in your exact research area. Thus, my sense is that the primary goal of a research proposal isn't to try to showcase (by including lots of references) your comprehensive knowledge of a specific literature but that you are able to clearly and succinctly articulate a research question that will be compelling for whomever is reading your application materials and will convince them that your's is an important project (something you ought to be able to do without references, or am I wrong?).

Curious to hear others' thoughts on this (and you all can be as blunt as you'd like.

Thanks.

[postdoc]

I have a postdoc now, and my research statement for the position did not include any references. I was also a finalist for several other postdocs, without including references. All of these were pretty prestigious postdoc positions. Oy, I think you are correct that your research statements/proposals should be more general. However, there may be postdocs out there (particularly when you are applying to a postdoc that is funded by an independent agency where you choose the site--like the Spencer postdoc, or the NIH postdocs that are funded directly) that do require references. So the OP may not be incorrect in his/her approach either. It really depends on the venue.

[biblio]

OP here. Thanks, Oy and Postdoc for chiming in. I am really clueless on how to go about this as this is my first time. I am relying mostly on advice that I get on the internet about how to go about this, including Przeworski's that mentioned that the biblio is telling of the 'seriousness' of the proposal. Although I am only applying to a postdoc in a research center of a university.

Now I am more confused.