Knowledge to Impact · TCV review checklist
For grant officers reviewing candidates’ tri-agency CV drafts
PROTOTYPE: Reviewing a Tri-Agency CV Draft
Quick reference: formatting rules by agency
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The agencies share one set of TCV instructions but not one set of formatting rules. An individual funding opportunity can add to these; where it differs, follow the opportunity.
| CIHR | NSERC | SSHRC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template | CIHR TCV template (Times New Roman) | NSERC TCV template (Times New Roman) | SSHRC TCV template (Arial) |
| Page limit | 5 pages in English, 6 in French. No limit per section. Required appendix sections don’t count. Pages over the limit are removed without notice. | ||
| Font | At least 12 pt Times New Roman, black. Other fonts only in tables, charts, figures and legends, legible at 100%. No condensed fonts. | 12 pt Times New Roman, black text. Colour images OK. Table and figure text may differ but must be legible. No condensed fonts. | 12 pt Arial, black. Other fonts only in tables, figures and legends, readable at 100%. No condensed fonts. |
| Spacing | At least single; normal character spacing | Single; no condensed text | At least single; normal character spacing |
| Margins | At least 2 cm (0.79″); page numbers only | At least ¾″ (1.87 cm) | At least 2 cm (0.79″) |
| Page size | Letter, white | Letter or A4 | Letter |
| File | Unprotected PDF, up to 30 MB | Unprotected PDF; filename 15 characters or fewer, no accents or special characters | Unprotected PDF, up to 5 MB |
| Hyperlinks | Only for audio/visual creative outputs, where the opportunity allows | None. No hyperlinks or bookmarks. | Only for audio/visual creative outputs, where the opportunity allows |
| Acronyms | Define them (writing guidance) | Required: spell out at first use | Define them (writing guidance) |
| Publications | Any citation style common in the field. Asterisk (*) after each supervised trainee. Bold the lead author when they aren’t listed first. | ||
What review committees are told
From the tri-agency Guidelines for reviewing the tri-agency CV. Read the draft the way the committee will.
1. Prepare
Read the opportunity’s objectives and criteria. Allow extra time for narrative CVs.
2. Quality & impact
Look beyond quantitative indicators. Don’t use journal metrics or h-index. Read the whole CV.
3. Lived experience & careers
Consider lived and living experience. Don’t penalize non-linear careers.
4. Limited training
Where graduate trainees weren’t available, consider formal and informal mentorship.
5. Self-contained
Review without outside sources. Links only for audio/visual creative outputs.
Sources