Merit Review Orientation

Some helpful hints for reviewing proposals, which are outlined in the video above, include:

• Read the merit review criteria before you read the proposal(s). Decide how you will apply the criteria and stick to them.
• Do not shift your criteria as you go from evaluating one proposal to the next, and do not include extraneous data or criteria.
• Take notes when reading the proposal.
• Do not include a lengthy summary of the proposal in your review!
• Be constructive in your feedback; is this the type of review you would like to receive?
• List strengths and weaknesses with respect to the review criteria.
• In the summary section of your review, tell us whether or not you believe the proposal is competitive and why.
• Include concrete examples from the proposal in support of the points in your review.
• Look for signs of the impact of cognitive biases in what you write and strive to mitigate these.
• If you are reviewing multiple proposals, are your reviews consistent and objective?
• Think of alternative views and consider whether they are justified based on facts.
• Play a devil's advocate to your own assessment.
• Review your notes.
• Take time, pause and reflect on your recommendation.
• Critically read each review after you have written it; ask yourself whether each judgment is clearly justified in the text of the review.
• Be accountable to yourself and imagine justifying your decision to others.