NCJ Number
47188
Date Published
1977
Length
7 pages
Annotation
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE UTILITY OF SOCIAL RESEARCH FINDINGS FOR POLICYMAKERS ARE OFFERED.
Abstract
EVIDENCE OF INCREASING COOPERATION BETWEEN SOCIAL RESEARCHERS AND POLICYMAKING INDICATES THAT THE GAP BETWEEN EVALUATION RESEARCH IS BEING BRIDGED. THEREFORE, EVALUATORS SHOULD BECOME MORE CONCERNED WITH IMPROVING THEIR SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE IN ORDER TO MAKE THEIR FINDINGS RELEVANT TO THE NEEDS OF POLICYMAKERS. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NEEDED ON THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMING APPLIED RESEARCH INTO SOCIAL POLICY. SPECIFICALLY, KNOWLEDGE IS NEEDED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: (1) THE DESIGN, CONDUCT AND OTHER POLICY-RELEVANT ATTRIBURTES OF APPLIED SOCIAL RESEARCH; (2) METHODS OF MEASURING RESEARCH IMPACT ON POLICY PLANNING; (3) METHODS OF ASSESSING NEEDS FOR SPECIFIC POLICY-RELEVANT STUDIES (4) THE ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF POLICYMAKING; AND (5) THE DIFFUSION AND UTILIZATION OF SOCIAL RESEARCH. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)