Academics lament that policy-makers ignore their research, while policy decision-makers argue that academic research is largely irrelevant to their needs. An ISSR project sought to reconcile these two positions by investigating social science research utilisation within public sector agencies.

This project was led by Brian Head, who is now a Professor in the School of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Queensland.

The project used quantitative and qualitative methods to examine factors that facilitate and hinder the policy uptake of academic social research. Researchers analysed factors which are seen to facilitate or hinder research impact to recommend better strategies for increased influence in the policy process. Dissemination of research is not enough. Building research forums and partnerships are essential.  The outcomes of the research aimed to enhance the development and implementation of evidence-based policy, improve social science research collaborations and inform debates about how the non-academic impact of social research can be measured. See a number of outputs from this project below.

Project team

Project detail

Duration: January 2010–January 2013

Partners: Australian Research Council

Funding: ARC Linkage Project

Contact: Professor Brian Head (brian.head@uq.edu.au)


Project content 

Refereed journal articles

Newman, J., Cherney, A. and Head, B.W. (2016) 'Policy capacity and evidence-based policy in the public service', Public Management Review. Published online 29 February, 2016. doi: 10.1080/14719037.2016.1148191.

Head, B.W. (2015) 'Toward more "evidence-informed" policy making?', Public Administration Review, 76(3): 472-484. doi: 10.1111/puar.12475.

Newman, J., Cherney, A. and Head, B.W. (2015) 'Do policy makers use academic research? Reexamining the "Two Communities" theory of research utilization', Public Administration Review, 76(1): 24-32. doi: 10.1111/puar.12464.  

Newman, J. and Head, B. (2015) 'Beyond the two communities: a reply to Mead's "why government often ignores research" ', Policy Sciences, 48(3): 383-393. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11077-015-9226-9

Cherney, A., Head, B.W., Povey, J., Ferguson, M. and Boreham, P. (2015) 'Use of academic social research by public officials: exploring preferences and constraints that impact on research use'Evidence and Policy, 11(2): 169-188. doi:10.1332/174426514X14138926450067

van der Arend, J. (2014) 'Bridging the research/policy gap: policy officials' perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to effective links between academic and policy worlds', Policy Studies, 35(6): 611-630.
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2014.971731

Newman, J. (2014) 'Revisiting the “two communities” metaphor of research utilisation'International Journal of Public Sector Management, 27 (7): 614-627. doi:10.1108/IJPSM-04-2014-0056

Head, B., Ferguson, M., Cherney, A. and Boreham, P. (2014) 'Are policy-makers interested in social research? Exploring the sources and uses of valued information among public servants in Australia', Policy and Society, 33: 89-101. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.polsoc.2014.04.004

Cherney, A., Head, B.W., Boreham, P., Povey, J. and Ferguson, M. (2013) 'The utilisation of social science research - the perspectives of academic researchers in Australia', Journal of Sociology, 51(2): 252-270. doi: 10.1177/1440783313505008.

Cherney, A. (2013) 'Academic-industry collaborations and knowledge co-production in the social sciences', Journal of Sociology, published online 8 July 2013. doi: 10.1177/1440783313492237.

Cherney, A., Head, B.W., Boreham, P., Povey, J. and Ferguson, M. (2013) 'Research utilization in the social sciences: A comparison of five academic disciplines in Australia', Science Communication, 35 (6): 780-809.

Cherney, A., Povey, J., Head, B.W., Boreham, P. and Ferguson, M. (2012) ‘What influences the utilisation of educational research by policy-makers and practitioners? The perspectives of academic educational researchers’, International Journal of Educational Research, 56, 23-34.

Cherney, A., Head, B.W., Boreham, P., Povey, J. and Ferguson, M. (2012) ‘Perspectives of academic social scientists on knowledge transfer and research collaborations: a cross sectional survey of Australian academics’, Evidence & Policy, 8 (4), 433-453.

Cherney, A. and Head, B. (2011) ‘Supporting the knowledge-to-action process: a systems-thinking approach’, Evidence & Policy, 7(4): 471-88.

Cherney, A. and McGee, T. R. (2011) 'Utilization of social science research: Results of a pilot study among Australian sociologists and criminologists', Journal of Sociology. 47(2): 144-162

Cherney, A. and Head, B. (2010) 'Evidence-Based Policy and Practice: key challenges for improvement', Australian Journal of Social Issues, 45(4): 509-526.

Head, B.W. (2010) 'Reconsidering evidence-based policy: Key issues and challenges', Policy and Society, 29(2): 77–94.

Cherney, A. (2009) 'Exploring the Concept of Research Utilisation: Implications for Evidence-Based Crime Prevention', Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal, 11(4): 243-257.

Head, B.W. (2008) 'Three Lenses of Evidence-based Policy', Australian Journal of Public Administration, 67 (1): 1-11.

Head, B.W. and Stanley, F.J. (2007) 'Evidence-based advocacy', International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 19(3): 255-262.

Book chapters

Head, B.W. (2010) 'Evidence-based Policy: Principles and Requirements', in Strengthening Evidence-based Policy in the Australian Federation, Roundtable Proceedings, Canberra: Productivity Commission, pp. 13-26.

Head, B.W. (2010) 'From knowledge to knowledge-sharing? Towards better links between research, policy and practice’, in G.Bammer et al (eds) Knowledge Brokering, Canberra: ANU e-Press. pp. 109-123.

Working papers

Cherney, A., Head, B., Boreham, P., Povey, J. and Ferguson, M. (2012) ‘What influences the utilisation of economics research? – The perspectives of academic researchers’. ARCLinkage project: LP100100380 project working paper, Institute of Social Science Research, University of Queensland.

Conference presentations

Ferguson, M. and Head, B. (2015) 'The use of education research in policy-making: the experiences and perspectives of academic researchers and policy officials', Australian Association for Research in Education Conference.

Bell, J. and van der Arend, J. (2015) 'The significance of credibility in influencing the use of social research in policy making',  Australian Political Studies Association Conference.

Head, B and Ferguson, M. (2015) 'Do public officials believe in evidence-informed policy?', International Research Society for Public Management Conference.

Bell, J. (2014) 'The potential of knowledge brokering intermediary organisations in increasing social science research utilisation:  three case studies from Australia', Australian Political Studies Association Conference.

Van der Arend, J. (2014) 'Bridging the research-policy gap: Policy maker perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to effective links between academic and policy worlds', Public Policy Network Annual Graduate Conference.

Cherney, A. (2013) 'Use of academic social research by public officials: exploring preferences and constraints that impact on research use', Where is the evidence conference 2013: Recognising the value of grey literature.

Head, B. (2013) 'Are policy-makers interested in academic social research? Factors influencing research use and some implications for knowledge transfer', Institute for Social Science Research.

Van der Arend, J. and Bell, J. (2013) 'Bridging the research-policy gap: How better connections between academics and social policy makers can create greater capacity for evidence-based policy making', Australian Social Policy Conference.

Povey, J., Shaw, E., Head, B., Cherney, A., Boreham, P. and Ferguson, M. (2013) 'The functionality of Leximancer software as an analytic tool for semi-structured interview data exploring evidence-based policy in practice from the perspectives of academic social scientists and policymakers', Australian Market & Social Research Society Conference.

Head, B., Cherney, A., Boreham, P. and Ferguson, M. (2013) 'Are policy-makers interested in social research? Exploring the sources of valued information among state and national-level public servants in Australia', International Conference on Public Policy Conference.

Head, B. (2013) 'Are policy-makers interested in academic social research? Exploring the research/policy gap in Australia', International Research Society for Public Management Conference.

Van der Arend, J., Cherney, A., Head, B. and Boreham, P. (2012) ‘Access, influence and academic cultures: what inhibits the transfer and uptake of academic social research?’, The Australian Sociological Association Conference.

Cherney, A., Head, B., Boreham, P. and Povey, J. (2012) ‘Exploring the research/policy gap: are policy-makers interested in academic social research?’, The Australian Sociological Association Conference.

Head, B., Cherney, A. and Boreham, P. (2012) 'Are policy-makers interested in academic social research? Exploring the research/policy gap', Australian Political Studies Association Conference.

Cherney, A., Head, B. and Boreham, P. (2011) 'Perspectives of academic social scientists on the benefits and impact of knowledge co-production: Australian findings', Australia Social Policy Conference.

Head, B., Cherney, A. and Boreham, P. (2011) 'Policy Advice and Research Evidence: Is academic research "lost in translation"?', Australian Political Studies Association Conference.

Symposium 2013

Cherney, A., Head, B., Boreham, P., Ferguson, M. and Povey, J. (2013) 'The Utilisation of Social Science Research in Policy Development and Program Review: Summary Report'. Symposium handout.

Cherney, A., Head, B., Boreham, P., Ferguson, M. and Povey, J. (2013) ‘Evidence-based Policymaking: Can we improve the impact of research?’ Symposium presentation.

Link to interviews (video) and the symposium welcome (slides and audio): https://vimeo.com/showcase/2705948

Reports & Miscellaneous publications

Ferguson, M. (2014) 'The research impact agenda: Defining, demonstrating and defending the value of the social sciences', The Australian Review of Public Affairs, August. Available online at: http://www.australianreview.net/digest/2014/08/ferguson.html

'The Utilisation of Social Science Research in Policy Development and Program Review: Public Service Survey Results 2011-13'. Complete list of variables, frequencies and charts.

Cherney, A., Head, B., Boreham, P., Povey, J. and Ferguson, M. (2011) ‘The Utilisation of Social Science Research in Policy Development and Program Review’. Preliminary report: Phase 1 results.

'The Utilisation of Social Science Research in Policy Development: Academic Survey Results 2010-11'. Complete list of variables, frequencies and charts.

Research theses

Bell, J. (2016) Knowledge Brokering: Bridging the gap between academia and policy making in Australia? PhD Thesis, School of Political Science and International Studies/ Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR), The University of Queensland. doi:10.14264/uql.2016.798

van der Arend, J. (2016) Connecting research and policy: How linkages support the use of research evidence in social policymakingPhD Thesis, School of Political Science and International Studies/ Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR), The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2016.1128

In the media

'Evidence-based policy making: official policy perspectives on creating and sustaining effective links between academic and policy worlds', The Policy Space, The University of Canberra, 8 September, 2014. Available online at: http://www.thepolicyspace.com.au/2015/08/49-evidence-based-policy-making-official-policy-perspectives-on-creating-and-sustaining-effective-links-between-academic-and-policy-worlds

'Australian survey indicates policy-makers still have major reservations about assigning priority to academic research', Impact of Social Sciences, The London School of Economics and Political Science, 13 June, 2014. Available online at: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2014/06/13/are-policy-makers-interested-in-academic-research/

Head, B. ‘Scholarly approach wins little influence’, The Australian, 7 December, 2011. Available online at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/scholarly-approach-wins-little-influence/story-e6frgcjx-1226215502497

‘Five minutes with Peter Shergold: “There needs to be a much great negotiated understanding between academics and policy-makers about what the expectations of research are”, Impact of Social Sciences, The London School of Economics and Political Science, 18 November, 2011. Available online at: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2011/11/18/five-minutes-with-peter-shergold/

Thompson, M. ‘Let’s close the gap between academics and policy makers: Peter Shergold on changing the system’, The Conversation, 8 November, 2011. Available online at:http://theconversation.edu.au/lets-close-the-gap-between-academics-and-policy-makers-peter-shergold-on-changing-the-system-4191