8 Comments
The use of hypertext (e.g. hyperlinks and URLS) in NIH applications is restricted due to concerns including reviewer confidentiality, “overstuffing” applications, review consistency, and malware.
There is no change in the NIH policy on the use of hyperlinks. The policy, documented in the NIH SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and a recent reminder Guide Notice, reads:
- Hyperlinks and URLs are only allowed when specifically noted in funding opportunity announcement (FOA) and form field instructions. The use of hyperlinks is typically limited to citing relevant publications in biosketches and publication lists. It is highly unusual for a FOA to allow links in Specific Aims, Research Strategy and other page-limited attachments.
- Hyperlinks and URLs may not be used to provide information necessary to application review.
- Reviewers are instructed against viewing linked sites and are cautioned that they should not directly access a website (unless the link to the site was specifically requested in application instructions) as it could compromise their anonymity and allow for malware to be downloaded onto their computers.
- When allowed, you must hyperlink the actual URL text so it appears on the page rather than hiding the URL behind a specific word or phrase. Example:
- NIH (http://www.nih.gov/)
Applications that do not follow these instructions, and include unallowable hyperlinks, may be withdrawn from review and funding consideration.
I often see hyperlinks in Facilities and Resources sections. The sections include all of the information necessary for the review, but a hyperlink might be added for a particular shared resource’s website. For example, a core facility or cancer center. Is that okay? It isn’t mentioned in the funding opportunity, but it isn’t a page-limited section and the application stands on its own without the linked page.
I have the same exact question, please let me know if you got the answer to this questions.
I want to know who benefits from this policy. Only CSR.
N-O-B-O-D-Y E-L-S-E!
We are in a virtual world, people! We are all generating more and more online information, journals are mostly online, we (and NIH more than anybody else!!) produce training videos accessible online for massive distribution…….we talk about being inclusive and facilitating dissemination, bla, bla, bla…. Is that all just for show?
Please get real! This policy is simply idiotical, and needs to be seriously reconsidered.
My *upset* 2 cents.
This policy is not only outdated and ridiculous, but also totally unclear: “hypertext (e.g. hyperlinks and URLS)” — hypertext and URL’s are *NOT THE SAME THING.* Hypertext and hyperlinks are functional — you can click on it — and banning them would address the security and anonymity concerns (although honestly, how many psychopath NIH applicants are out there spending their abundant spare time trying to unmask their grant reviewers by setting up phishing attacks?). On the other hand typing out a URL like http://www.my-institute.edu/resource.html is pretty meaningless these days when it’s faster to google search “my institute resource.”
Does the term “publication list attachments” include progress report publication lists AND references cited/bibliography lists in grant applications?
I am working with a PI on a submission and would like to confirm if hyperlinks are allowed to be included in a Bibliography. The guidance from NIH notes:
“Hyperlinks and URLs are only allowed when specifically noted in funding opportunity announcement (FOA) and form field instructions. The use of hyperlinks is typically limited to citing relevant publications in biosketches and publication lists. It is highly unusual for a FOA to allow links in Specific Aims, Research Strategy and other page-limited attachments.”
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/format-and-write/format-attachments.htm#hyperlinksandurls
It says we are allowed to include in biosketches and publications lists. Does publication list mean Bibliography or is it referring to the Progress Report Publication List that we can use for Competing Renewals?
We want to provide our PIs with the best guidance so that we do not risk their applications being withdrawn.
Thanks so much!
I’m looking for clear and specific guidance on whether NIH allows email addresses to be included in letters of support in grant applications. An email address is not a URL, and it is not obvious that is even a hyperlink if it doesn’t automatically link to anywhere. Email addresses do not seem to carry any of the risks that NIH says are the problems being addressed by the policy, and individual letterheads essentially universally have the person’s email address listed. I have seen no written guidance from NIH about this and hope you can clarify for me.
Can URLs, e.g. “www.msn.com” i.e. the address of a web site that must be typed into a browser NOT hyperlinks i.e. a link, which when clicked on takes you to a URL be used in a grant bibliography?.