Internet Assisted Review (IAR)
What is the purpose?
The Internet Assisted
Review (IAR) module is a Web-based system used in conjunction with the Peer
Review module to help expedite
the scientific review of grant applications by providing
a standard process for reviewers to submit their critiques,
preliminary scores and final scores and view grant applications and
related meeting materials via the eRA Commons. The IAR module is thus
used during the pre-award phase of the grant application process.
What are the features?
- Allows reviewers to submit critiques and preliminary scores for their assigned applications
- Allows reviewers to read other reviewer’s critiques on the same applications (if not in conflict)
- Allows reviewers, at the review administrator’s discretion, to submit updated critiques or critiques for unassigned applications (score submission is not permitted for unassigned reviewers)
In addition, IAR allows review administrators and their assistants to:
- manage meetings and enable reviewers’ IAR access through the Control Center
- initiate eRA Commons registration for reviewers
- set and modify deadlines for critique submission
- provide reviewers access to meeting-specific materials via electronic files or links to other web sites
- distribute grant applications, prior summary statements, and appendices electronically to reviewers (if not in conflict)
- submit and/or modify critique/priority score
- facilitate streamline voting
- block specific reviewers from reading critiques from other reviewers until they submit their own
- set meeting-wide options for allowing reviewers to submit unassigned critiques and for displaying reviewer names on the pre-summary statement bodies
- generate a preliminary report of upper and lower scores
- download preliminary summary statements generated from critiques
What are the benefits?
IAR allows reviewers to:
- electronically submit their critiques (Microsoft Word (*.doc) or plain text (*.txt) format) and preliminary scores for applications prior to scheduled meetings
- review the critiques submitted by others online, except when there is a conflict of interest
- modify critiques after the scheduled meeting based on comments at the meeting
- maintain their personal information (single point of ownership)
- submit final scores at the meeting (if allowed by their review administrator)
Who can use the IAR module?
The review administrator of a scientific review group and its members (or reviewers), and designated review assistants.
Who has access to this module?
The IAR module is accessed by NIH staff through the Commons or through the Peer Review banner screen (IAR System log in). An IMPAC II Username and password are needed to log in.
In order to access IAR, reviewers must:
- Register with eRA Commons and have an active account
- Be listed on the official Meeting Roster (the reviewer must be a real person with person_id, no placeholders)
- Have an email address on their profile mailing address (MLG)
