Process: prioritizing research

Current interim selection policy and earlier prioritization process

Current interim selection policy (October 2026)

This is our agreed policy, in effect pending any objections at the next management meeting. It applies to about the next 10 papers, until more grant funding comes through.

• A paper can be commissioned for evaluation if two management team members strongly approve it. Strong approval from several field specialists is also taken seriously.

• We announce each approved paper in Slack. Everyone on the team, including field specialists, has one week to raise a strong doubt. If nobody does, we proceed.

• We emphasize research likely to get media or policy attention, especially AI economics and governance, with fast turnaround and strong, interested evaluators.

This interim rule simplifies selection while retaining team input. The fuller process below remains background guidance during this period.

Earlier prioritization process

15 Dec 2023: Our fuller process involves

• Submitted and (internally/externally) suggested research

• Prioritization ratings and discussion by Unjournal field specialists

• Feedback from field specialist area teams

• A final decision by the management team, guided by the above

See this doc (also embedded below) for more details of the proposed process.