Background: We are witnessing increasing demand from governments and society for all sciences to have relevant social impact and to show the returns they provide to society. Aims and objectives: This paper reports strategies that promote social impact by Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) research projects. Methods: An in-depth analysis of six…

This paper reflects on the emergence of an impact agenda and its incorporation as a feature of the academic contract in UK universities. It focuses on the depositions of senior academic managers across a range of social science research centres, as they critically reflect upon their organizational strategy for capturing and communicating the…

Wider dissemination of population geography literature is proposed. (DE)

The social scientist has certain responsibilities in reporting the results and implications of research. S/he must consider: 1) the importance of the audience and the decisions they might make; 2) the complexity of the social findings; 3) the likelihood of practical impact of research findings; and 4) the possibility of harm to a distinct group in…

Describes experiences of the Neighborhood Participation Project (Nashville, Tennessee), which studied citizen participation in using research data for neighborhood improvement. Suggests that creating partnerships between social scientists and citizens can improve social science research, enhance research utilization, and help communities to help…

Based on information gathered from over 100 Administration on Aging-supported research, this report documents some of the products and uses of research sponsored by the Administration on Aging and supported with funds provided under Title IV-B of the Older Americans Act. Following an introductory sketch of its products, uses and users, statistics…

The perspectives of this scholar-activist are focused on interactions between evaluation studies and policy research, and reflect a strong commitment to improving people's lives through the conduct of better research, targeted directly on policy-making processes. Journal availability: see TM 503 798. (Author/CP)

Discusses legal, ethical, and pragmatic issues concerning psychologists' willingness or unwillingness to share data from Federally sponsored research projects with other researchers and the public. Presents a proposal to mandate data sharing, and discusses technical and ethical costs and benefits of such a proposal. (Author/MJL)

This annotated bibliography, an outcome of the international colloquium on 'Research and Practice in Education: How to Strengthen Links between Research and Practice in Order to Strengthen General Education' organized by UNESCO in 1980, covers such areas as research policies, national trends, dissemination, training, and impact. Index is provided.…

This paper presents a critical review of recent empirical and theoretical literature on information dissemination and utilization, incorporating key concepts from that body of literature into a model of effective knowledge transfer in gerontology. It assumes that the urgency and complexity of rapidly growing age-linked problems demand informed…

Explores concerns about the functions of research and uses of research findings, examines the institutional context of research and some of the problems faced by social sciences, and identifies some possible approaches and changes in institutional structure which would strengthen the role and effectiveness of social scientists and rural…

Results of a study to determine the impact of social policy research upon organizational decisions are reported. Studies of 120 projects in the Netherlands were drawn from three areas of social policy making: industrial and labor relations, regional and urban planning, and social welfare and public health. Three functions of social policy research…

There is inadequate utilization of social science research in policymaking in India. This is due to the time gap between research and publication, mismatch between need and supply, and the inadequacies of the research. Better performance within the academic system, as well as better communication, can ensure better utilization. (CS)

The relationship between the social structure of knowledge systems and knowledge syntheses is explored in order to define the social and cultural requirements for effective linkage. Following an introduction (section 1), analysis is divided into 5 additional sections. Section 2 discusses tools for conceptualizing knowledge systems, including…

The effectiveness with which research findings are disseminated to policy makers in education, particularly at the state level, is explored in the four chapters of this report. In chapter 1, Linda J. Nelson reviews the literature and determines that policy makers do make important, but indirect, use of research. She suggests that research…