The Research Excellence Framework (REF): Assessing the Impact of Social Work Research on Society

Parker, Jonathan; Teijlingen, Edwin van

doi:10.1080/09503153.2011.647682

Cited by 32 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…However, we would like to mention, in particular, the discussions around the moral imperative to ensure impact [6]; the potential for enhanced partnerships, co-production or boundary work between practice and academia [7,8,9]; ensuring equitable, socially accountable impacts of knowledge [6,7,8,9]; balancing the cost and gains from impact assessment [10,8,11]; whether it is creating pressures to change the character of knowledge [6,7,12,2]; and, possible threats/gains to academic freedom and intellectual autonomy [7,13,11,9,14]. Further topics of discussion include (but are not limited to) the challenge of attribution of impact [10], also in part stemming from the time lag between publication of research results and implementation through policy or practice [7,12,2] and the different definitions and dynamic nature of impact itself [10,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond Academia – Interrogating Research Impact in the Research Excellence Framework

et al. 2016

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Big changes to the way in which research funding is allocated to UK universities were brought about in the Research Excellence Framework (REF), overseen by the Higher Education Funding Council, England. Replacing the earlier Research Assessment Exercise, the purpose of the REF was to assess the quality and reach of research in UK universities–and allocate funding accordingly. For the first time, this included an assessment of research ‘impact’, accounting for 20% of the funding allocation. In this article we use a text mining technique to investigate the interpretations of impact put forward via impact case studies in the REF process. We find that institutions have developed a diverse interpretation of impact, ranging from commercial applications to public and cultural engagement activities. These interpretations of impact vary from discipline to discipline and between institutions, with more broad-based institutions depicting a greater variety of impacts. Comparing the interpretations with the score given by REF, we found no evidence of one particular interpretation being more highly rewarded than another. Importantly, we also found a positive correlation between impact score and [overall research] quality score, suggesting that impact is not being achieved at the expense of research excellence.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond Academia – Interrogating Research Impact in the Research Excellence Framework

et al. 2016

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“…What this does not address, of course, is a situation that suggests no immediate or obvious impact or beneficial outcome. However, if we focus solely on research that has such we lose sight of the serendipity so important to social benefit and scientific advance (Parker and Teijlingen, 2012).…”

Section: Seldom Heard Voicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Covert research and adult protection and safeguarding: an ethical dilemma?

Parker

Crabtree

2014

The Journal of Adult Protection

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Covert research and adult protection 2 AbstractPurpose This paper considers the contentious issue of covert research in studying the social contexts of vulnerable groups. It explores its potential utility in areas where overt strategies may be problematic or denied; and examines and problematises the issue of participant consent.Design/methodology. Using a literature-based review and selected previous studies, the paper explores the uses and abuses of covert research in relation to ethics review proceedings governing social research, with an especial focus on vulnerability.Findings indicate that although the use of covert research is subject to substantial critique by apparently transgressing the often unquestioned moral legitimacy of informed consent, this carries ethical and practical utility for research related to safeguarding concerns. Arguably covert research enables research access to data likely to reveal abusive and oppressive practices.

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“…A vast range of research evaluation frameworks exist, including the Research Excellence Framework (Parker & van Teijlingen, 2012); STAR METRICS, which aims to "assess and understand the performance of research and researchers, largely for accountability purposes, using data mining and other novel low burden methods" (Guthrie, Wamae, Diepeveen, Wooding, & Grant, 2013, p. 2 Many of the traditional frameworks we explored focused largely on measuring impact through a process of external peer review and frequently emphasized the use of quantifiable bibliometric indicators. A recent trend is toward frameworks incorporating both bibliometric and nonbibliometric indicators.…”

Section: Foundational Topic 1: Exploring Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing a Framework for Research Evaluation in Complex Contexts Such as Action Research

Piggot-Irvine

Zornes

2016

Sage Open

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Early investigation led the Evaluative Study of Action Research (ESAR) team to conclude that the complexity of a global, large scale study (evaluation of more than 100 highly diverse action research [AR] projects) called for an overarching research evaluation framework that differed from traditional frameworks. This article details the flexible, rigorous, Evaluative Action Research (EvAR) framework developed to meet the complex demands of the diverse AR projects and the intent to conduct high engagement research evaluation. The EvAR fulfilled multiple overarching needs to: authentically collaborate, engage, and enhance ownership from the ESAR team and the AR project participants and boundary partners evaluated; be informed in decision making via strong reference support; be responsive and flexible yet meet accountability demands to track, demonstrate, and measure process, outcomes, and impacts of projects; use mixed-method data collection to enhance rigor of findings; and utilize a highly reflective and reflexive approach to the evaluation. Many of the latter needs align with underpinning principles and values in AR itself; that is, it is collaborative, consultative, democratic, reflective, reflexive, dialogical, and improvement oriented. Rationale for the framework is provided alongside full details of phases and implementation elements using the ESAR as an example. Throughout the article, features are highlighted that distinguish this new EvAR framework from others. The advantages of adopting a flexible framework, which aims to enhance engagement of those evaluated, are highly relevant to contexts beyond AR if ownership of evaluation outcomes is a goal.

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The Research Excellence Framework (REF): Assessing the Impact of Social Work Research on Society

Cited by 32 publications

References 13 publications

Beyond Academia – Interrogating Research Impact in the Research Excellence Framework

Beyond Academia – Interrogating Research Impact in the Research Excellence Framework

Covert research and adult protection and safeguarding: an ethical dilemma?

Developing a Framework for Research Evaluation in Complex Contexts Such as Action Research

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