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Frequently Asked Questions about Quick Reviews

What types of studies are eligible for a quick review?

To be eligible, a study must examine the effectiveness of an education intervention—program, product, practice, or policy—that is intended to improve student outcomes. Quick reviews focus on studies of school-based programs that aim to improve either academic or non-academic student outcomes, as well as community-based programs that aim to improve academic outcomes. Interventions serving students in pre-kindergarten through post-secondary settings will be considered for quick reviews.

How does a study get identified?

A study can be subject to a quick review if its public release is reported in a major national news source or IES officials have requested a review.

Quick reviews are currently limited to studies that are identified by one of the two avenues listed above.

Each study is examined by two certified WWC reviewers. Their reviews are combined into a master review which is subject to, and incorporates the comments of, IES peer review.

Quick reviews rate research evidence based on the same WWC Evidence Standards used to review studies for intervention reports.

Parallel to the standards for studies reviewed for intervention reports, a study that is the subject of a quick review can receive one of three ratings: consistent with WWC evidence standards, consistent with WWC evidence standards with reservations, and not consistent with WWC evidence standards. Because the ratings and research summaries included in quick reviews are based only on publicly-available information, and not supplemented by communications with authors or subject to statistical corrections as intervention report reviews are, the ratings reflect whether a study is consistent with WWC evidence standards rather than whether it meets them.