In today’s complex world, decision makers in government and public services are faced with numerous challenges – for example, how to deliver on commitments to deliver a fair transition to a low-carbon economy, how to support health and care services to adapt to increased demands from ageing populations, or how to integrate rapidly advancing technologies such as AI into public services, to name a few.
In all these areas, it is vital that policymakers have access to high-quality, up to date evidence, so that policy is informed by what works in different contexts.
Researchers in different areas of the social sciences – including climate science, health and social care, technology, law and criminal justice, and education – have been working to deliver this evidence in a variety of ways to decision makers for years.
But how much do we know about how this evidence is used in practice? What type of evidence works, and why? Researchers interested in the use of research evidence aim to answer these questions.
The new Use of Research Evidence (URE) Methods Repository is designed to help improve our understanding of evidence-informed decision-making and ensure research has greater social impact. It was developed by Transforming Evidence, a community of researchers who aim to share learning across disciplines and sectors about how research evidence is made, shared and used, in partnership with Overton, and with support from the William T Grant Foundation.
“In research and policy circles, there is a common assumption that to tackle societal issues, we need more evidence. But often, the knowledge already exists. Understanding how this knowledge can be more easily used is critical.”
Kathryn Oliver, co-lead for the URE Repository and Professor of Evidence and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
The Repository is a collaborative platform for the research community, providing a free space to share, discover and refine methods that enhance the use of research evidence in policy and practice. It aims to promote best practice among researchers interested in use of research evidence in a single space, by improving access to published papers, pre-prints, data and analyses, and analysis tools, and by enabling pre-registration of studies. It also helps to improve the quality of research in this field, as researchers can share methods and methodological tools, which helps to avoid duplication and develops learning.
“We want to develop knowledge about the use of research evidence and make use of the collective expertise embodied in protocols, resources, and each other. We also want to include more contributors who are not traditional academic researchers publishing in high-impact journals and make space for those coming from a range of methodological traditions and roles.”
Professor Annette Boaz, co-lead for the URE Repository and Professor of Health and Social Care, King’s College London
When you visit the Repository, you will find:
Each method stored in the repository details the approach taken and provides further information for anyone interested in applying or adapting the method. To take one example, this protocol sets out survey methods used in a national US study exploring how youth justice leaders use evidence from behavioural health research.
As a researcher, there is a simple process to upload your work and share it with others. With journals increasingly encouraging authors to openly share their research materials, the repository provides a space to do this routinely and easily across the research cycle.
By sharing your work, you can increase its academic impact and provide a valuable resource for your peers. The process is easy:
If you are interested in understanding and improving how research evidence is used, you can search our research protocols, literature and practical guidance, contribute your own methods, and connect with a growing community of URE researchers.
If you have questions or need help, email: contact@uremethods.org
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