Closing date 28 February 2007

1. Closing date 28 February 2007 Evaluation Evaluation & Rating

2. What is an NRF rating? • Assessment of your recent research track record • Internationalpeer review • Based on the quality of research outputs

3. Why should researchers seek to be rated? • Benchmarking • Access to NRF funding for 5 years

4. Entry points into NRF funding Access point 1 Access point 2 Access point 3 RCD TRACK RECORD & proposal PROPOSAL & track record Institutional and individual support up to PhD-level Peer review Peer review Peer review Max 3 x 2-year cycles support for successful proposal Long-term (up to 5 years) support for successful proposal 3 x 2-year cycles support R A T I N G No rating Rated

5. NRF rating categories

6. How is your application processed? (1) Submission of scholarly achievements Specialist Committee Not accepted Selection of 6 peers (reviewers) Reviewers’ reports Assessor Specialist Committee Joint meeting

7. How is your application processed? (2) Joint meeting Consensus No Consensus A, P recommendation B, C, Y, L* Executive Evaluation Committee Inform Applicant Appeal Appeals Committee

8. Submission of scholarly achievements Specialist Committee Not accepted Selection of 6 peers (reviewers) Reviewers’ reports Assessor Specialist Committee Joint meeting

9. Animal & Veterinary Sciences Anthropology, Development Studies, Geography, Sociology & Social Work Biochemistry Chemistry Communication, Media Studies & Library & Information Science Earth Sciences Economics, Management, Administration & Accounting Education Engineering Health Sciences Historical Studies Law Specialist Committees (1)

10. Literary Studies, Languages & Linguistics Mathematical Sciences Microbiology & Plant Pathology Performing & Creative Arts, & Design Physics Plant Sciences Psychology Politics, Policy Studies & Philosophy Religious Studies & Theology L Committee Specialist Committees (2) Key research areas and types of research outputs http://www.nrf.ac.za/evaluation/Content/Documents/Rating/krab_2006_august.doc

11. Tasks of Specialist Committees • Selecting reviewers • Assessing reviewers’ reports • Recommending a rating for each applicant based on reports by reviewers • Identifying feedback • Rating reports by reviewers • Advising NRF

12. Submission of scholarly achievements Specialist Committee Not accepted Selection of 6 peers/reviewers) Peer/reviewers’ reports Assessor Specialist Committee Joint meeting

13. Peers/Reviewers • Applicants are given the opportunity to nominate their own peers. • They are also given the opportunity to indicate who should not be approached. • A mix of national and international peers is appropriate in most cases. • Ideological differences within disciplines in the social sciences and humanities could confound the selection of suitable peers, however, reports by peers in such instances should be identifiable and treated appropriately by wise panel members.

14. Submission of scholarly achievements Specialist Committee Not accepted Selection of 6 peers (reviewers) Reviewers’ reports Assessor Specialist Committee Joint meeting

15. What are peers/reviewersasked to comment on? • Quality of research outputs over the last seven years • Standing as a researcher, nationally and internationally

16. Submission of scholarly achievements Specialist Committee Not accepted Selection of 6 peers (reviewers) Reviewers’ reports Assessor Specialist Committee Joint meeting

17. Five best recent research outputs (last 7 years) Ten best research outputs before that Description of completed research Self-assessment Postgraduate students Other research-based contributions Ongoing and future research Personal details Career profile Qualifications obtained Assessment panel(s) to consider application Nominated reviewers Application for L category? Relevant biographical sketch Research outputs of last seven years* Information required by NRF from applicant

18. Publications in peer-reviewed journals Books/chapters in books Peer-reviewed published conference proceedings Other significant conference outputs Patents, artefacts and products Technical reports Postgraduate students trained Keynote/Plenary addresses Other recognised research outputs Research outputs of the last 7 years 1 Jan 2000 to 31 Dec 2006

19. Applying online:http://nrfonline.nrf.ac.za/

20. Types of rating applications • New • Re-evaluation by invitation • Re-evaluation • Special re-evaluation

21. Time Frames • Evaluation and rating takes place every 5 years (for successful applicants) • The period under review is the past 7 years e.g. 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006

22. The online application form … …has been accessible from 15 August 2006… …and the call will close on (Wednesday) 28 February 2007 NB Find out what your institution’s internal closing date is!

23. Application in MSWord format (not for submission) http://www.nrf.ac.za/evaluation/Content/Documents/Rating/ratingform_2007.doc Guidelines and instructions for completing the application for evaluation and rating via NRFOnlinehttp://www.nrf.ac.za/evaluation/Content/Documents/Rating/RatingHelp_2007.doc Brochure on the NRF’s evaluation and rating of the research performance of researchers in SA http://www.nrf.ac.za/evaluation/Content/Documents/Rating/eval_brochure_2006_Jul.doc Online applicationform http://nrfonline.nrf.ac.za Sources of information

24. Evaluation Centre Contact Details fax no: 012-481-4010 and website: http://www.nrf.ac.za/evaluation/ Postal address Evaluation Centre, National Research Foundation, PO Box 2600, Pretoria, 0001

25. Thank you You are invited to visit the Evaluation Centre website to view the list of NRF rated researchers. This list can be searched according to names of rated researchers, research specialisations, institutions and rating descriptors. http://www.nrf.ac.za/evaluation/Content/Facts/ratings.aspx