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Table 2 Frequency organisations experience problems with specific aspects of peer review and perceived change over time

From: Surveys of current status in biomedical science grant review: funding organisations' and grant reviewers' perspectives

 

Frequency of problem, n (%)

Perceived change, n (%)

 

Never

Occasionally

Frequently

Very frequently

Not applicable

Better situation now than 5 years ago

No change

Worse situation now than 5 years ago

Not applicable

Reviewers declining to review

0 (0)

9 (31)

14 (48)

2 (7)

1 (3)

2 (7)

9 (31)

13 (45)

3 (10)

Difficulty finding new reviewers for your database system

3 (10)

15 (52)

4 (14)

0 (0)

4 (14)

4 (14)

10 (35)

5 (17)

8 (28)

Difficulty retaining good reviewers

4 (14)

17 (59)

1 (3)

0 (0)

3 (10)

3 (10)

14 (48)

4 (14)

5 (17)

Having an inadequate number of reviewers' reports available at time of assessment

2 (7)

23 (79)

0 (0)

0 (0)

1 (3)

4 (14)

15 (52)

3 (10)

5 (17)

Receiving poor quality reviews

1 (3)

22 (76)

3 (10)

0 (0)

0 (0)

5 (17)

19 (66)

0 (0)

3 (10)

Receiving late reviewers' reports

0 (0)

16 (55)

10 (35)

0 (0)

0 (0)

4 (14)

19 (66)

2 (7)

3 (10)

Reviewers not following guidelines appropriately

2 (7)

20 (69)

4 (14)

0 (0)

0 (0)

5 (17)

20 (69)

0 (0)

3 (10)

Reviewers not declaring their conflicts of interest

9 (31)

16 (55)

0 (0)

0 (0)

1 (3)

7 (24)

16 (55)

0 (0)

3 (10)

Reviewers breaking confidentiality

9 (31)

12 (41)

0 (0)

0 (0)

5 (17)

1 (3)

16 (55)

0 (0)

8 (28)

Applicants questioning the conflicts of interest of reviewers

11 (38)

13 (45)

1 (3)

0 (0)

1 (3)

2 (7)

18 (62)

1 (3)

5 (17)

Applicants questioning the funder's choice of reviewers

4 (14)

18 (62)

1 (3)

1 (3)

2 (7)

2 (7)

20 (69)

0 (0)

5 (17)

Applicants recommending inappropriate reviewers

3 (10)

11 (38)

4 (14)

0 (0)

7 (24)

18 (62)

0 (0)

0 (0)

9 (31)

Difficulty in recruiting younger reviewers

9 (31)

8 (28)

2 (7)

1 (3)

6 (21)

6 (21)

11 (38)

2 (7)

6 (21)

Difficulty in recruiting female reviewers

7 (24)

9 (31)

2 (7)

1 (3)

7 (24)

5 (17)

12 (41)

1 (3)

6 (21)

Too many grant applications in the system

6 (21)

12 (41)

4 (14)

1 (3)

3 (10)

2 (7)

9 (31)

12 (41)

5 (17)

Administrative burden of dealing with peer review process

2 (7)

15 (52)

5 (17)

2 (7)

2 (7)

1 (3)

13 (45)

11 (38)

3 (10)