Professional reviews (also called editorial and content reviews) are performed by individuals or groups with technical knowledge or background tempered by interdisciplinary expertise in program management, history, and/or education. Such reviews assess the quality of the document content in terms of its readability, communication of information, and suitability for a particular audience without focus on technical content.

Technical reviews are performed by peers having expertise within the technical discipline of the activity or research being documented. Such reviews assess the technical integrity and merit of the activity or research being performed and the results being documented without regard to the effectiveness of the document at communicating the information. See Table 1 for guidance on required reviews.

Data quality reviews or peer reviews (OMB “Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies (February 22, 2002)”) are inherent in technical reviews. NASA accepts and encourages technical and data quality peer review by qualified external reviewers or committees of external reviewers. The Agency also accepts technical review by qualified internal reviewers or committees of internal reviewers who are selected on the basis of technical expertise and who do not have (or have disclosed) prior situations or personal or funding issues that would affect their technical review. Peer reviews must be conducted in an open and rigorous manner. Peer reviews must also ensure that the data are reliable, unbiased, accurate, complete, and have full documentation, and they must ensure that circumstances that could affect data quality are identified and disclosed. For information on NASA’s data quality guidelines, see http://www.sti.nasa.gov, STI-Related Information.

Table 1. NASA STI Report Series/Publication Type

Dissemination Reviews

NASA’s dissemination reviews are handled through the mandatory NF-1676, “NASA Scientific and Technical Information (STI) Document Availability Authorization (DAA)” review. NF-1676 review is NASA’s compliance review for the release of NASA STI by or for NASA through any channel or media. It also applies to the presentation of NASA STI at internal meetings or workshops at which foreign nationals may be present. The NF-1676 review not only encourages technical approval but also requires reviews for restricted access STI, such as national security classified information, export-controlled information, proprietary/sensitive STI, and documents disclosing an invention. A copy of the latest version of NF-1676 can be found at the NASA Electronic Forms site or via your Center’s forms manager or server.

For more information, contact the STI Help Desk at email: help@sti.nasa.gov