Successfully Successfully Crafting Research Grant Crafting Research Grant Applications: Applications: peer reviewpeer review

Professor Stephen WilkinsonProfessor Stephen Wilkinson

Research Institute for Social SciencesResearch Institute for Social Sciences

Keele UniversityKeele University

OverviewOverview

Writing for peer reviewersWriting for peer reviewers

Pre-submission review: informal &/or Pre-submission review: informal &/or internalinternal

‘‘Right to Reply’ / ‘PI Response’Right to Reply’ / ‘PI Response’

Questions and CommentsQuestions and Comments

Disciplinary DifferencesDisciplinary Differences

Some points more generalisable than Some points more generalisable than othersothers

AHRC, Wellcome Trust (Biomedical AHRC, Wellcome Trust (Biomedical Ethics & Medical Humanities), some Ethics & Medical Humanities), some ESRC, various internallyESRC, various internally

Who are the your reviewers?Who are the your reviewers?

Find out what you can about themFind out what you can about them

May not be specialists in your sub-May not be specialists in your sub-fieldfield

Busy and short of timeBusy and short of time

Faults stand out more than virtues, Faults stand out more than virtues, especially to sceptical readersespecially to sceptical readers

Writing for Peer Reviewers 1Writing for Peer Reviewers 1 Make the content: (a) (in part) accessible Make the content: (a) (in part) accessible

to non-specialists, (b) clearly laid out, (c) to non-specialists, (b) clearly laid out, (c) plain language at least for summariesplain language at least for summaries

““Easy writing makes hard reading”Easy writing makes hard reading”

Sometimes “less is more”Sometimes “less is more”

The importance of x may be obvious to The importance of x may be obvious to people working on x but not to anyone people working on x but not to anyone else – so spell it outelse – so spell it out

Writing for Peer Reviewers 2Writing for Peer Reviewers 2

Answer the question, follow the Answer the question, follow the instructions (e.g. on forms).instructions (e.g. on forms).

For example, make sure that your For example, make sure that your research questions are research research questions are research questionsquestions and that lay summaries and that lay summaries are are laylay summaries summaries

Writing for Peer Reviewers 3Writing for Peer Reviewers 3

Remain focussed, minimise loose ends and Remain focussed, minimise loose ends and things that could antagonise (e.g. spelling things that could antagonise (e.g. spelling mistakes, excessive repetition, inconsistency)mistakes, excessive repetition, inconsistency)

Remember that your aim is to answer a set of Remember that your aim is to answer a set of questions not (e.g.) to write a bookquestions not (e.g.) to write a book

Give specific examples of and evidence for Give specific examples of and evidence for your own excellence rather than baldly your own excellence rather than baldly asserting itasserting it

Pre-submission reviewPre-submission review

Internal peer review (formal, informal) Internal peer review (formal, informal) &/or trusted contacts outside Keele&/or trusted contacts outside Keele

Vitally important for improving quality and Vitally important for improving quality and hence your chances of successhence your chances of success

Encourage people to be criticalEncourage people to be critical

Easier to take advantage of for schemes Easier to take advantage of for schemes with no deadline (or multiple deadlines)with no deadline (or multiple deadlines)

Right to Reply / PI Response 1Right to Reply / PI Response 1

Allow yourself a ‘cooling off’ periodAllow yourself a ‘cooling off’ period

Produce a list of criticisms, consolidate Produce a list of criticisms, consolidate similar points from different reviewerssimilar points from different reviewers

Respond to each in turn, in order of Respond to each in turn, in order of importance (refer to specific points in importance (refer to specific points in the reviews)the reviews)

Right to Reply / PI Response 2Right to Reply / PI Response 2

If up against a word limit don’t be afraid to If up against a word limit don’t be afraid to ignore minor criticisms that aren’t ‘deal ignore minor criticisms that aren’t ‘deal breakers’breakers’

““Less is more” again – make sure it’s Less is more” again – make sure it’s readablereadable

Don’t waste time restating virtues and be Don’t waste time restating virtues and be cautious about playing one reviewer off cautious about playing one reviewer off against another (although a bit of this is OK).against another (although a bit of this is OK).

Right to Reply / PI Response 3Right to Reply / PI Response 3

Keep the tone calm and matter of fact; Keep the tone calm and matter of fact; sounding outraged may reduce your sounding outraged may reduce your credibility and annoy (or amuse!) panellistscredibility and annoy (or amuse!) panellists

Be cautious about direct attacks on reviewers Be cautious about direct attacks on reviewers (“C obviously knows nothing about X”)(“C obviously knows nothing about X”)

More subtle attacks may work: e.g. More subtle attacks may work: e.g. suggesting that someone has overlooked part suggesting that someone has overlooked part of the application, or of the relevant literatureof the application, or of the relevant literature

Any Questions or Any Questions or Comments?Comments?