Links:

The following links are useful sites that will support people who wish to be engaged in reviewing and assessing research:

This link takes you to a page that explains how the public can contribute to reviewing for the NIHR:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/patients-carers-and-the-public/i-want-to-help-with-research/become-a-reviewer.htm

This link acts a a sort of dating agency between people who make themselves available to researchers and researchers who wish to have contact from people willing to help:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/patients-carers-and-the-public/i-want-to-help-with-research/become-a-reviewer.htm

This link is similar to above but run by a different organisation:

https://voice-global.org/

This link is a glossary of terms that could be useful in reviewing:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/about-us/glossary.htm

This link provides further guidance about reviewing research applications:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/documents/guidance-for-public-reviewers-of-research-funding-applications/12245

This link is an interactive course for new and experienced patient/public reviewers of health and social care research:

https://www.learningforinvolvement.org.uk/an-interactive-course-for-new-and-experienced-patient-public-reviewers-of-health-and-social-care-research/

This link is a method of recording the amount of time people spend reviewing:

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/marie-curie-research-centre/patient-and-public-involvement/public-involvement-in-research-impact-toolkit-pirit

This link is an online course as an introduction to public involvement in research:

https://healthandcareresearchwales.org/training/introduction-public-involvement-research

This link is a jargon buster to help explain technical terms;

https://cambridgebrc.nihr.ac.uk/public/jargon-buster/

This link is a guide to getting involved in health research:

https://cambridgebrc.nihr.ac.uk/ppi-guide-for-the-public/

This link is a guide to how studies should manage participants withdrawing from a trial:

https://persevereprinciples.org

This link is NIHR guidance on payment for members of the public who are involved in research.

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/documents/payment-guidance-for-members-of-the-public-considering-involvement-in-research/27372#benefits-advice-serviceAcknowledgements:

This link is to the Health Data Research Gateway. This is a valuable resource for anyone wishing to access data for a study, and headings include, Datasets and Biosamples, Cohort Discovery, Data Uses / Research Projects,  Analysis Scripts & Software, Data Custodian Networks, Collections, Phenotypes, Courses and Publications.

https://healthdatagateway.org/en

Acknowledgements

I first wish to acknowledge the support and encouragement of Jacqueline Romero of PPIRes (Public and Patient Involvement in Research) the first person who gave me the courage to do what I do.

During my time reviewing I was recruited by Tracey Johns of the Research Design Service, through which I have learned so much.

I also wish to acknowledge the friendship, support and encouragement of Abi Dennington, whose insights in PPIE I trust and respect more than any of my contemporaries.

I am grateful to the considerable number of friends and colleagues in the research community who have done me the kindness of reviewing this reviewers guide, encouraging me and giving me the support they are.

I also wish to acknowledge that I have used resources to contribute to this site, too numerous to list, but such sources have been used to underpin the accuracy of the advice given.

COOKIE POLICY

There isn't one.  I haven't the slightest interest in cookies unless they are dunked in tea or coffee.  I don't want to store or access data on your device, nor have interest in personalised advertising, I'm totally ambivalent about geolocation data, there's no way I'm ever going to scan your device for your characteristics, I have no special purposes other than to live to see tomorrow, my features are not especially appealing except to a very few, and I have no third party providers. 

Some people will find it difficult to access and read this website.  To that end below are links to podcast versions of the text. People who are visually impaired or whose vision is compromised by various disabilities are just as important in reviewing research as anyone. But if they don't know how to review then they are disadvantaged. These podcasts aim to address that imbalance.

Episode 1

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-1-the-research-reviewers-guide--59242321

Episode 2

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-2-the-research-reviewers-guide--59242329

Episode 3

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-3-the-research-reviewers-guide--59242353

Episode 4

To follow when I've worked out why the software has crashed!

Episode 5

Episode 6