What is the benefit of peer review?

Some funding schemes require the names of reviewers or referees to be included, others will use the reviewers in their Peer Review College. Often the final decisions on funding will not be made by experts in your field so the funding panel will base decisions on the reviewer comments. It is ALWAYS useful to get comments from colleagues either from within the Faculty or within your field, BEFORE the application is submitted. Some colleagues may be able to comment on the value of the project, while others may be able to comment on the suitability of the project for the particular funder and funding scheme. Research support staff (Research Centre Administrators, the Faculty Research Facilitators and Divisional Research Facilitators) will generally only be able to comment on the match between the proposal and the funder’s priorities.

More information for logged in Law Faculty Staff and Students

Research Support Staff can advise on members of the Faculty who have experience of each research funder, whether as an applicant, an awardholder, a reviewer or a panel member. They may be prepared to comment on applications if given enough notice. It is suggested that you should allow one week for peer review plus the time needed for amendments based on the comments.

Contact Karen Eveleigh for a list of members from the Law faculty of the Research Council Peer Review Colleges.