Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 365–377 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Science and Public Policy |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 31 Dec 2021 |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2022 |
Abstract
The bold idea of random grant allocation is heatedly discussed as an alternative to peer review. The debate centers on advantages and disadvantages of the established measures to control scientific quality, compared to funding by chance. Recently, studies also investigated acceptance of lotteries in the scientific field. However, they provide only inconclusive findings due to their restricted scope. This paper examines scientists' views on current funding conditions and the idea of random grant distribution. An online survey of PhD holders reveals that most participants are against pure randomness, although they would try random elements if such procedures were combined with peer review. Moreover, while fewer established and recognized scientists differ in their assessments of peer review and expectancies on lotteries' impact, they hardly vary in their positions on random elements. Funding organizations therefore should be encouraged to further experiment with, and closely examine, practiced lotteries.
Keywords
- acceptance, lottery, peer review, random grant allocation, scientific field, survey
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences(all)
- Geography, Planning and Development
- Environmental Science(all)
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
- Social Sciences(all)
- Public Administration
Cite this
- Standard
- Harvard
- Apa
- Vancouver
- BibTeX
- RIS
In: Science and Public Policy, Vol. 49, No. 3, 06.2022, p. 365–377.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Research funding randomly allocated? A survey of scientists’ views on peer review and lottery
AU - Philipps, Axel
N1 - German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Grant number: 01PW18004.
PY - 2022/6
Y1 - 2022/6
N2 - The bold idea of random grant allocation is heatedly discussed as an alternative to peer review. The debate centers on advantages and disadvantages of the established measures to control scientific quality, compared to funding by chance. Recently, studies also investigated acceptance of lotteries in the scientific field. However, they provide only inconclusive findings due to their restricted scope. This paper examines scientists' views on current funding conditions and the idea of random grant distribution. An online survey of PhD holders reveals that most participants are against pure randomness, although they would try random elements if such procedures were combined with peer review. Moreover, while fewer established and recognized scientists differ in their assessments of peer review and expectancies on lotteries' impact, they hardly vary in their positions on random elements. Funding organizations therefore should be encouraged to further experiment with, and closely examine, practiced lotteries.
AB - The bold idea of random grant allocation is heatedly discussed as an alternative to peer review. The debate centers on advantages and disadvantages of the established measures to control scientific quality, compared to funding by chance. Recently, studies also investigated acceptance of lotteries in the scientific field. However, they provide only inconclusive findings due to their restricted scope. This paper examines scientists' views on current funding conditions and the idea of random grant distribution. An online survey of PhD holders reveals that most participants are against pure randomness, although they would try random elements if such procedures were combined with peer review. Moreover, while fewer established and recognized scientists differ in their assessments of peer review and expectancies on lotteries' impact, they hardly vary in their positions on random elements. Funding organizations therefore should be encouraged to further experiment with, and closely examine, practiced lotteries.
KW - acceptance
KW - lottery
KW - peer review
KW - random grant allocation
KW - scientific field
KW - survey
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85133506548&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/scipol/scab084
DO - 10.1093/scipol/scab084
M3 - Article
VL - 49
SP - 365
EP - 377
JO - Science and Public Policy
JF - Science and Public Policy
SN - 0302-3427
IS - 3
ER -