Editing Research Assessment Exercise (section)

===Earlier Assessments===
In 1992, 1996 and 2001, the following descriptions were used for each of the ratings.

{| class="wikitable"
! 2001 & 1996 Rating !! 1992 Rating !! Description
|-
| 5* || 5* || Research quality that equates to attainable levels of international excellence in more than half of the research activity submitted and attainable levels of national excellence in the remainders.
|-
| 5 || 5 || Research quality that equates to attainable levels of international excellence in up to half of the research activity submitted and to attainable levels of national excellence in virtually all of the remainder. (Same definition)
|-
| 4 || 4 || Research quality that equates to attainable levels of national excellence in virtually all of the research activity submitted, showing some evidence of international excellence. (Same definition)
|-
| 3a || 3 || Research quality that equates to attainable levels of national excellence in over two-thirds of the research activity submitted, possibly showing evidence of international excellence. (Research quality that equates to attainable levels of national excellence in a majority of the sub-areas of activity, or to international level in some)
|-
| 3b || 3 || Research quality that equates to attainable levels of national excellence in more than half of the research activity submitted. (Research quality that equates to attainable levels of national excellence in a majority of the sub-areas of activity, or to international level in some)
|-
| 2 || 2 || Research quality that equates to attainable levels of national excellence in up to half of the research activity submitted. (Same definition)
|-
| 1 || 1 || Research quality that equates to attainable levels of national excellence in none, or virtually none, of the research activity submitted. (Same definition)
|}

These ratings have been applied to "units of assessment", such as French or Chemistry, which often broadly equate to university departments. Various unofficial league tables have been created of university research capability by aggregating the results from units of assessment.{{Citation needed|date=September 2007}} Compiling league tables of universities based on the RAE is problematic, as volume and quality are both significant factors.