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Knowledge Resource

Research Summary: Funding the runners-up beats a golden ticket

Original authors
Attribution requires verification
Original source
arXiv — Computers and Society
Summary & Analysis prepared by
Aziz Shuaib Ausi
Resource type
Research Summary / Knowledge Resource
Resource published on AZIZ OS
18 September 2026
Reading time
1 min
Publication type
Knowledge Resource
Availability
Open access
About this Summary & Analysis

AZIZ OS provides independently prepared summaries and analytical interpretations of externally published research and knowledge sources. The underlying works remain attributable to their original authors and rights holders. This resource is intended to improve accessibility and understanding and does not replace the original publication.

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Research analyzing 10,625 rejected computer science conference submissions found that a traditional panel-mean ranking method for allocating funding spots significantly outperformed a 'minority-support ranking' system, often referred to as a 'golden ticket' approach. The study concluded that funding decisions based on consensus scores led to higher-impact selections as measured by subsequent citation percentiles.

Why it matters

This research provides empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of different proposal selection mechanisms, which is critical for organizations that fund research, development, or strategic initiatives. Optimizing funding allocation processes can significantly improve the quality and impact of chosen projects, directly influencing an institution's long-term strategic outcomes and resource efficiency.

Key insights

  • The study assessed the effectiveness of 'golden ticket' (minority-support ranking) versus traditional panel-mean ranking in funding allocation.
  • Data from 10,625 rejected computer science conference submissions between 2017 and 2024 was used, with later citation percentiles serving as the outcome measure.
  • Minority-support ranking allowed one reviewer to advance a proposal that the majority of a panel would reject.
  • At a budget equivalent to 10% of the year's accepted submissions, panel-mean ranking selected submissions with a mean citation percentile 7.75 points higher than minority-support ranking.
  • The difference in performance between the two ranking methods was even more pronounced when considering other comparison methods not fully detailed in the abstract.

Source

arXiv — Computers and Society — https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.19552

Citation

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Verification ID
ASA-EXE-2026-00729
Version
v1.0 · r0
Issued
18 September 2026
Resource prepared by
Aziz Shuaib Ausi
Resource status
Research Summary / Knowledge Resource
Underlying work
Funding the runners-up beats a golden ticket
Original authors
Attribution requires verification
Original source
arXiv — Computers and Society
Provenance status
Attribution requires verification
Rights
Underlying publication rights remain with the respective copyright holder(s). Refer to the original source for authoritative publication and licensing information.

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