office for research rejoinder workshop responding to assessor feedback nicky church: manager,...
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Office for Research
Rejoinder WorkshopResponding to Assessor Feedback
Nicky Church: Manager, Research Grants
Rebecca Marshallsay: Research Grants Officer
Office for Research
Rejoinder Workshops
Responding to assessor comments is the next important part of the application process for both ARC and NHMRC. These workshops will provide insights which could help your grant ‘across the line’.Wednesday 29 May 10.00am -12.30pm
Logan campus –Professor Elizabeth Kendall & Associate Professor Jago DodsonThis workshop is hosted by Griffith Social & Behavioural Research College
Monday 3 June 10.00 - 11.30am
Gold Coast campus – G06_3.18
Professor Suzanne Chambers & Dr Thomas Haselhorst
Tuesday 4 June 10.00 – 11.30am
Nathan campus – N54_2.02
Professor Zhihong Xu & Professor Jason Sharman
Office for Research
Key Dates: ARC Discovery Projects
Future Fellowships Rejoinders to OR by Thursday 30 May
Submitted externally on Tuesday 4 June
Discovery Projects expect early June
DECRA expect mid June
You will have approx 10 days to respond
Check ARC Important Dates for updates
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Key Dates: NHMRC Project Grants
Applicant Response Tuesday 11 June – Friday 21 June
Periods (allocated) Tuesday 2 July – Friday 12 July
5 days from date of End of day deadline for submission to
rebuttal letter OR (submit in MS Word to [email protected])
10 days* from date of 5.00 pm deadline for submission to
rebuttal letter NHMRC by applicant via RGMS
* including weekends, not 7 business days
Office for Research
The Office for Research will read all responses
We will make sure all language used is appropriate• Even if your assessment is highly critical it is important to respond calmly.
Keep in mind that you are not replying to the assessor but you are demonstrating to the panel that you can address the concerns raised
Where time permits we will check for typos and to ensure that the important points have been addressed
We submit the rejoinders to the ARC (NHMRC are submitted by the applicant in RGMS)
Our role
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The importance of your response
The assessor comments that you receive do not come from panel members, but from external reviewers
Only the members of the assessment panel receive your responses (NHMRC: one reviewer is on the panel)
The opinion of the panel members carries far more weight than the opinion of the external assessors
Your response could make the difference between being in the top 10% of unsuccessful applicants and being awarded the grant
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Assume that you are close to the cut-off score and that this response might get you over the line
• Critical assessments don’t always correlate with unsuccessful applications
Respond positively to all the major points raised, particularly concerns about your approach/methods
• Consider the assessment criteria
Never criticise the assessors – even if you think they deserve it!
Tips for Writing - General
Office for Research
Have someone else read over or edit your response• OR does not have the capacity to conduct extensive structural or
grammatical editing.
Use simple, active tense over wordy passive sentences.• ‘This method will’ over ‘The intention of this method is to…’
Familiarise yourself with the formatting requirements of your scheme.
Tips for Writing - General
Tips for Writing – Structure and Format
You need to manage the space available to you. Efficient use of space is key!
Organise your rejoinder so that it is clear which questions/comments you are addressing. Some people choose to have a section for each assessor or a section for each feedback criteria (ie. Scientific quality, Budget etc). This will largely depend on your personal preference or the content of the feedback.
Reference the question you are addressing clearly BUT do not waste space quoting large sections of assessor comment. Abbreviate, title, or paraphrase succinctly.
Make it easy to read. The Panel will have done a lot of reading by the time they get to your response.
Office for Research
Tips for Writing – Critical Feedback
The assessor has noted a mistake or omission in the application…Acknowledge the oversight and provide the correct reference, missing information or reassure the panel of your actual intention
It’s all bad!! I don’t have space to address all of the feedback…Often it’s not as bad as it seems – we see a lot of assessor responses and hear from researchers who are concerned that they have ‘been slammed’ in the review. Very often these are relatively moderate responses.
You need to prioritise and address the queries that are ‘deal breakers.’ Address critical issues such as feasibility or scientific quality before smaller issues such minor budget concerns.
Office for Research
Tips for Writing – Critical feedback
They have asked for information that is already in the application….Address the query/comment briefly and reference the section of the application in which it is covered
Two of my assessors have given great feedback and the other one is very critical…Generally you should assume that if 1 in 3 assessors has raised a concern then potentially 1 in 3 panel members may have the same concern – so you should address or rebut itDo not just rely on the good feedback of other assessors but you can certainly utilise it.
For example;
Feasibility Assessor 3 has questioned A element of the project’s feasibility due to the risk of B. We will be employing X, Y, Z strategies to ensure that Y is minimised. Assessor 1 has noted that our experience and success in X and Y are world class.
Office for Research
Tips for Writing – Good feedback
Should I thank the reviewers?This is personal preference. Many people lead with a line thanking the reviewers for their feedback as a courtesy (regardless of whether the feedback is good or bad) … BUT… make sure it is brief.
Should I reiterate good feedback to make sure the Panel sees it?Avoid quoting large paragraphs of assessor comments back. Your space could be better used to address concerns.Find smart ways to incorporate positive comments back into your rejoinder.
All the feedback is positive…CongratulationsUtilise the opportunity to address any small issues or concerns
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Tips for Writing
It is never appropriate or advisable to;Be sarcastic, caustic or aggressive towards the assessorsTo suggest that the assessors are incompetent, ignorant or worseTo express your hope that the panel has ‘better sense’ than the external reviewer/s or similarTo suggest that the reviewers have ‘clearly not read’ your application properly
We have seen all of the above and worse.
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Office for Research
Based on feedback from successful grant recipients and panel reviewers.
Submit a rejoinder – non submission is poorly regarded
Rejoinders really can make a difference
Keep it clear, simple and respectful
The final word
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Office for Research Contacts
RMS Info 373 57784 [email protected]
RGMS Info 1800 500 983 [email protected]
NHMRC – Rebecca Marshallsay 555 29106 [email protected]
ARC Future Fellowships – Kath Murrie-Jones
ARC Discovery - Rhiannon Campbell
ARC DECRANicky Church
555 29107
373 54100
373 58029