Peer review network
The Peer Review Network (PRN) operates across the Politics Discipline Area to offer support to all members of staff, post-doctoral fellows and PhD students in matters relating to research. We aim to utilise the collective experience and resources of the group to assist each other at every stage of the research process - including grant applications, book proposals, journal submissions, and more general matters of research strategy.
Objectives
- To support all members of the group in achieving their research goals.
- To facilitate and improve both the rate of grant submission and the success-rate of grant applications of all kinds.
- To facilitate the publication of research in journal articles and books.
- To draw upon the collective experience and resources of the discipline area with a view to achieving the research objectives of the Manchester 2015 agenda.
The Peer Review Network supplements the work of the School of Social Sciences Research Office.The PRN focusses on academic support and advice while the Research Support Office concentrates on publicising available sources of funding, assisting the formal application process, managing grants post-award, and in organising conferences.
The Peer Review Network is coordinated by
who undertakes to act as a clearing house; while he may be able to offer appropriate advice himself in some cases, he will generally seek to put colleagues in contact with appropriate sources of advice across the discipline area.
PRN services
The principal service offered by the PRN is to undertake a provide advice and constructive criticism on draft journal submissions, book proposals or grant proposals. PRN can also offer some more specialist services on request, such as:
- offering advice on organisational aspects of a grant application or on research methods issues;
- offering advice on publication strategy generally;
- offering advice on particular technical issues, e.g. quantitative methods, normative analysis;
- offering advice on “what to do next” after adverse referees’ reports from a journal.
PRN may also, from time to time, organise group events - for example offering relatively new members of staff general advice on funding applications or research strategy.
PRN 'rules'
1. Use of the Peer Review Network is voluntary!
2. Peer review will not be anonymous on either side, as this is impractical within the Discipline Area.
3. The peer review process is dependent on the cooperation of colleagues in offering timely support and advice when asked. Our aim is for a maximum 3-4 week turnaround.
4. The Peer Review Network offers guidance to postgraduate students in collaboration with the Politics Graduate Team.Normally the supervisor/s of a postgraduate student should be the first port-of-call for offering advice, the PRN should be seen as supplementing the supervisory process.