A mock review is a pre-submission grant review.
The goal of the mock review (and reviewers) is to provide comments on a proposal. This means we will want to schedule the review with enough time for you and your team to consider the comments and make changes before the submission date.
When identifying a date for a mock review, we prioritize the individual schedules of the potential reviewers. Applicants should be prepared with the draft materials at least 2 weeks before the date of the review. Once you submit a request, we will contact you with a proposed timeline.
The actual review is a 1 hour session. A TraCS representative will run the review. You may invite members of your team to the review to listen with you and help you brainstorm strategies to address reviewer concerns. The session begins with each reviewer presenting their review as they would in an actual study section. The remainder of the hour is open for you to ask questions and discuss comments with the reviewers. Sometimes reviews end early; however, we will not go beyond 1 hour.
Reviewers are not asked to commit to any further review of the proposal after the mock review. During the mock review discussion, they may offer to review revised documents, but that will be on an individual basis and may require quick turnaround from you.
You will receive a written review from each reviewer on a review template appropriate for the grant mechanism. For non-NIH proposals, we will do our best to learn the review criteria; however, if they are not available, the default will be the NIH review criteria.
Materials to submit
Submission form coming soon.
Confidentiality
All reviewers and mock review attendees are reminded that the materials under review are confidential and should not be shared with anyone outside of the mock review.
Mock review guest attendees
Mock reviews do more than refine a proposal. They are an important learning experience. We may ask you if you are willing to allow a guest attendee to be present during your mock review. This would be an individual who is earlier on in the grant writing process and wants to learn what a mock review entails. You are also welcome to request attendance at upcoming mock reviews.
Questions regarding mock reviews can be directed to Susan Pusek at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..