Mapping the field : Use of research evidence in policy and practice

The use of research evidence (URE) in policy and practice is relevant to many academic disciplines; and indeed many policy and practice domains. Different methods and approaches to measuring, evaluating, promoting and describing the various ways in which evidence and policy/practice interact have sprung up, reflecting the broad and diverse areas where this is a concern. There has also been an explosion of research into how evidence is produced and used, with dedicated journals and increased funding for URE work emerging over last 15 years. Yet at the same time, those engaged in the scholarship and practice of URE face challenges advancing the field in terms of both accumulation of knowledge over time and across disciplines and intervention and improvement in evidence use. Our shared interest in advancing URE and its efforts, in collaboration with the William T. Grant Foundation, brought us together to “map the field”, with the objective of provoking a conversation about where we are and what we need to move forward.