Merritt D H, Eaves G N
Fed Proc. 1975 Feb;34(2):131-6.
The review of applications to the National Institutes of Health for individual research projects and complex programs of research may involve a visit to the applicant institution. The site visit is a review technique that is used only when information necessary for the scientific and technical review cannot be obtained satisfactorily by other means. The agenda for the visit must be carefully planned, particularly in the case of large research programs, since adequate time must be allowed for the presentation and discussion of the more complex components of the proposed research. All of the participating investigators associated with the proposal should get together for a thorough and critical rehearsal a few days before the visit. The impressions conveyed to the site visitors are transmitted to the initial review group usually through a site-visit report. The final recommendation of the visitors, which is based on the scientific merit of the proposed research, the competence of the investigators, and the suitability of the institutional setting, results from a thorough discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed program. The initial review group, in turn, uses the information obtained at the site visit in arriving at their recommendation to the appropriate National Advisory Council.
对向美国国立卫生研究院提交的单个研究项目及复杂研究计划申请进行评审时，可能会对申请机构进行实地考察。实地考察是一种评审手段，只有在通过其他方式无法令人满意地获取科学技术评审所需信息时才会使用。考察议程必须精心规划，对于大型研究计划而言尤其如此，因为必须留出足够时间来展示和讨论拟议研究中较为复杂的部分。与该申请相关的所有参与研究人员应在考察前几天聚在一起进行全面且严格的预演。向实地考察人员传达的印象通常会通过实地考察报告传递给初步评审小组。实地考察人员的最终建议基于拟议研究的科学价值、研究人员的能力以及机构环境的适宜性，是对拟议计划的优缺点进行充分讨论后得出的。反过来，初步评审小组会利用实地考察获得的信息，向相应的国家咨询委员会提出建议。
