Thread by @ARC_Tracker

#DiscoveryProjects peer assessments will land in nervous applicants' inboxes in 3 weeks (18Jun).

You've 2 weeks to submit a rejoinder.

BUT you've just *3 days* to call out #BadReviewers!

#ARC3DayRule appears designed to fail, supporting process over applicants.

Thread 👇

#DiscoveryProjects are a chance for researchers to gain more independence, demonstrate their ideas, & make a difference *their* way.

They are prestigious but extremely competitive. So competitive that just one slightly biased reviewer can scupper a project, even a career.

Imagine you're a female or minority researcher, with all the systemic biases stacked against you. #DiscoveryProjects is your chance to break through. You work for 2 months & nail your proposal.

Now imagine a reviewer calls you a "fraud", "cheat" or just "not worth any money".

How long before you could muster a response?

Before you contact colleagues, & your Research Office, to ask what to do? How long before they respond?

What if you've got other duties, like child care? Maybe you work part time, or it's grading time?

Or there's #pandemic.

Well, you'd better hope it all adds up to less than 3 days.

Introducing the #ARC3DayRule👇
(from )

I know, I know, the ARC's bold font cuts through all those silly barriers, especially the hit to mental health. arc.gov.au/grants/grant-a…

It's easy to see why Assessment Reviews have to be lodged well before the 2-week rejoinder period ends. ARC needs to assess them, respond to RO, RO needs to contact the applicant and, if the ARC said there's no problem, the rejoinder needs to address the reviewer's assessment.

But *3 days*? That's ridiculous!

Seems especially designed to *prevent* anyone raising concerns in time.

It'll hit early-career researchers – more likely female or minority – hardest: they're less likely to know the process & get help to do something about #BadReviewers.

As one DMer put it, ARC seems focussed on "bureaucracy rather than concern over poor peer review practices".

While we're on bureaucracy:
The ARC doesn't even report the number of Assessment Reviews requests it receives. Maybe one for #SenateEstimates, @Louise_Pratt, @SenKimCarr?

First, simple changes, @arc_gov_au:

✅ #ARC3DayRule clear in notification that assessments in RMS

✅ #ARC3DayRule clear in Grant Calendar

✅ Report number of #BadReviewers per uni & year

✅ Investigate & remove #BadReviewers even if request is lodged late

Fix, don't hide.

But really, 3 days is just never going to be enough, @arc_gov_au!

#ARC3DayRule needs to change. It needs to *triple* to at least 9 working days.

Maybe that means the rejoinder period needs to be 3 weeks, not 2. So be it, I reckon.

And Research Offices, some things you can do (if not already):

✅ Scan assessments for defamatory, conflicted, discrim/biased comments

✅ Alert applicants to #ARC3DayRule

✅ Support applicants to report #BadReviewers

✅ Assist affected applicants to counselling services

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