Langfeldt L " The decision-making constraints and processes of grant peer review,and their effects on the review outcome" SOCIAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE 31 (6): 820-841 DEC 2001

[Eugene Garfield]

Liv Langfeldt : liv.langfeldt at nifu.no

TITLE The decision-making constraints and processes of grant peer review,
        and their effects on the review outcome
AUTHOR Langfeldt L
JOURNAL SOCIAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE 31 (6): 820-841 DEC 2001

Document type: Article
Language: English
Cited References: 24
Times Cited: 0


Abstract:
When distributing grants, research councils use peer expertise as a
guarantee for supporting the best projects. However, there are no clear
norms for assessments, and there may be a large variation in what criteria
reviewers emphasize - and how they are emphasized. The determinants of peer
review may therefore be accidental, in the sense that who reviews what
research and how reviews are organized may determine outcomes.

This paper deals with how the review process affects the outcome of grant
review. The case study considers the procedures of
The Research Council of Norway, which practises several different
grant-review models, and consequently is especially suited
for explorations of the implications of different models. Data sources are
direct observation of panel meetings, interviews with panel members and
study of applications and review documents.

A central finding is that rating scales and budget restrictions are more
important than review guidelines for the kind of criteria
applied by the reviewers. The decision-making methods applied by the review
panels when ranking proposals are found to have
substantial effects on the outcome. Some ranking methods tend to support
uncontroversial and safe projects, whereas other
methods give better chances for scholarly pluralism and controversial
research.

Author Keywords:
criteria, grant review practices, Norway, policy objectives, research
councils

KeyWords Plus:
STANDS TODAY, SCIENCE, SCIENTIST, JOURNALS

Addresses:
Langfeldt L, NIFU, Norwegian Inst Studies Res & High Educ, Sci Policy
Studies Sect, Hegdenhaugsveien 31, N-0352 Oslo,
Norway
NIFU, Norwegian Inst Studies Res & High Educ, Sci Policy Studies Sect,
N-0352 Oslo, Norway

Publisher:
SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD, LONDON

IDS Number:
509KT

ISSN:
0306-3127

 Cited Author            Cited Work                Volume      Page
Year

 *NIH                  EP COMM RAT GRANT AP                            1996
 ABRAMS PA             SOC STUD SCI                  21       111      1991
 CAMPANARIO JM         SCI COMMUN                    19       181      1998
 CAMPANARIO JM         SCI COMMUN                    19       277      1998
 CAMPANARIO JM         SOC STUD SCI                  23       342      1993
 CHASE JM              AM SOCIOL                      5       262      1970
 CHUBIN DE             PEERLESS SCI                                    1990
 CICCHETTI DV          BEHAV BRAIN SCI               14       119      1991
 COLE S                SCIENCE                      214       885      1981
 DANIEL HD             GUARDIANS SCI FAIRNE                            1993
 DIRK L                SOC STUD SCI                  29       765      1999
 GULBRANDSEN M         997 NORW I STUD RES                             1997
 HARNAD S              SCI TECHNOL                   10        55      1985
 HEMLIN S              SCIENTOMETRICS                27         3      1993
 LANGFELDT L           1298 NOW I STUD RES                             1998
 LUUKKONEN T           RES EVALUAT                    1        21      1991
 MAHONEY MJ            COGNITIVE THERAPY RE           1       161      1977
 MCLEAN I              PUBLIC CHOICE                                   1987
 NISSANI M             SOC STUD SCI                  25       165      1995
 RAVETZ JR             SCI KNOWLEDGE ITS SO                   274      1971
 RIP A                 HIGH EDUC                     28        16      1994
 TRAVIS GDL            SCI TECHNOL                   16       322      1991
 WENNERAS C            NATURE                       387       341      1997
 WOOD FQ               54 AUSTR RES COUNC N                            1997


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Eugene Garfield, Ph.D. E-mail: mailto:garfield at codex.cis.upenn.edu Web site:
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