USC RA Navigator Guide
The CRAFT Formula Guide
Use five simple details to help the USC Research Administration Navigator understand your situation and provide a response you can use.
The Formula at a Glance
Five Details That Improve the Answer
You do not need every detail for every question. Include the elements that help explain your situation and the response you need.
Context
Who you are and the situation you are working through.
Research Activity
Where you are in the sponsored-project lifecycle.
Ask
The explanation, comparison, or action you need.
Format
How the response should be organized.
Target
Who will read or use the response.
Quick start: Describe your role and activity, state what you need, and request a checklist. That is often enough to turn a broad question into useful next steps.
Explore Each Element
Build the Prompt One Detail at a Time
Open an element to see what to include and how it strengthens a research administration question.
Context Start with your situation
Tell the Navigator who you are and what you are working on. Even one sentence can make the answer more relevant.
“How do I submit an NIH proposal?”
“I am a new Principal Investigator preparing my first NIH R01 proposal at USC. How do I begin?”
Research Activity Describe what you are trying to do
Identify where you are in the research lifecycle. The correct next step may depend on whether you are planning, routing, managing, reporting, or closing out.
“What do I need for my NIH proposal?”
“I am preparing an NIH R01 for internal routing and sponsor submission. What should be completed before routing?”
Ask Clearly state what you need
Tell the Navigator what you want it to explain, compare, identify, organize, or draft.
“How do I submit my proposal?”
“Explain the proposal-routing process, identify required reviews, and summarize the next administrative steps.”
Format Choose how the answer should be organized
Request a format that matches the work you need to complete. This can make a response easier to read, share, and apply.
“Explain the proposal-routing process.”
“Present the proposal-routing process as a step-by-step checklist and identify the responsible USC office for each major step.”
Target Identify who will use the response
Identify the intended reader or user. The Navigator can adjust the terminology, explanation, tone, and level of detail.
“Create a checklist for proposal submission.”
“Create a proposal-submission checklist for a new Principal Investigator with limited experience at USC.”
See the Complete Formula
All Five Elements Working Together
The colors below show where each CRAFT element appears in one complete research administration prompt.
Complete CRAFT Prompt
NIH R01 proposal exampleI am a new Principal Investigator preparing my first NIH R01 proposal at USC. My project involves human subjects research, and I am preparing the proposal for internal routing and sponsor submission. Please explain the proposal preparation and routing process, identify required institutional reviews, summarize common issues that delay proposals, and recommend the next administrative steps. Present the response as a step-by-step checklist written for a new Principal Investigator.
Identifies the user, experience level, sponsor, and proposal.
Explains the lifecycle stage and human-subjects consideration.
States the process, reviews, common delays, and next steps needed.
Requests a checklist that can be followed immediately.
Identifies the audience and appropriate level of explanation.
Quick Reference
Before You Submit Your Prompt
Use this short review when you need a stronger answer without overcomplicating the question.