INTERNATIONAL PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY SOCIETY (IPOS) REQUEST FOR RESEARCH STUDY PEER REVIEW

    What is the purpose of IPOS peer review?

    The purpose of peer review is to provide a constructive critique of a research proposal. There are two reasons for which you might you request this. First, to seek support of IPOS (e.g. the Research Committee, Federation of National Societies, IPOS HQ) in advertising and recruiting for your research. Second, you may find this beneficial in advance of submission for external funding to:

  • Enhance the scientific rigour of research undertaken by IPOS members
  • Gain support for your research team as a provider of high quality research
  • Avoid duplication (i.e. the process of peer review attempts to identify is a similar study is already being conducted)
  • Connect research teams together who are researching the same subject
  • Can I request an IPOS peer review?

    You can request an IPOS peer review if two or more members of your proposed research team are current IPOS members.

    Priority will be given to international studies. These are defined as studies which either: (i) involve a collaborative team of researchers from more than one country, or (ii) aims to recruit participants from more than one country.

    We do not review PhD study proposals. 

    How do I apply for an IPOS peer review?

    Please request IPOS peer review by emailing the Chair of the IPOS research committee.  At the current time, this is Dr Jo Shaw. Please use the subject heading: IPOS Peer Review. In this email please provide the following information: 

  • Name, organisation and country of PI and research team
  • Provide names and addresses of the research team who are members of IPOS
  • Name the country(s) where the research study will be delivered
  • Name of potential funding and deadline for submission
  • State what you want:
    1. Peer review without a letter of support
    2. Peer review with a letter of support.  If you wish IPOS to provide a letter of support to append to your funding application then we will need to see the final proposal in advance of forwarding this letter.
    3. Support of the research committee to access IPOS resources for advertising the study / recruiting participants.
    4. Support from the research committee to identify potential additional collaborators.

    You will be notified within five (5) working days if you are eligible for peer review.  While we will do our best to provide timely review, please note that the peer review process is organised and conducted voluntarily by members of IPOS.  Hence, we may not be able to guarantee a peer review in time for your application. To increase the chances of a peer review, then please request it at least four (4) weeks before the funding submission deadline.

    What happens during the IPOS peer review?


  1.  If the decision is to proceed, then peer reviewer(s) will be identified by the Chair of the IPOS Research Committee and formally agreed. The identified reviewers will be IPOS members and have relevant substantive and methodological expertise. The number of peer reviewers will be commensurate with the size of the grant and funder and availability. Peer review is un-blinded.
  2. Peer reviewers will use the the following form for providing feedback on the proposal. These will be collated by the Chair of the Research Committee and returned to the individual who requested the Peer Review.
  3.  If you are requesting a letter of support, a revised version of the proposal should be submitted to the Chair of the Research Committee so that we can check that the peer-review feedback has been adequately considered.
  4. Where the input of the Research Committee (through this peer review process) results in substantial contribution to the study design, the input of the Committee should be acknowledged in any grant submissions and resulting publications.

    Where you are seeking review so that you can then use other IPOS resources to advertise / recruit the study, please note that our review will not guarantee access to these mechanisms. Separate permissions will need to be sought, but your case may be strengthened by engaging with the peer review process.

    Members seeking IPOS Research Committee Peer Review are assured of confidentiality through the review process: proposals will not be discussed outside of the peer-review process. We may report on uptake and success of the scheme, however, we will not name individual researchers in such reports to maintain anonymity. 

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