How Does Research Influence Policy?

Citation

Meijer A & Webster W (2025) How Does Research Influence Policy?. Information Polity, 30 (2), pp. 95-95. https://doi.org/10.1177/15701255251356399

Abstract
First paragraph: Academic journals like Information Polity publish contemporary research which can be both empirical and/or theorical. As Editors of the journal, we are often asked about whether the research published in the journal influences public policy, and if so how, and what evidence do we have to show that this is the case? The gap between academia and practice has been narrowing and academics are under increasing pressure to be able to demonstrate that their research has a ‘real world impact’. So, not so much the study of policy, but study for policy. With this in mind, articles published in Information Polity include ‘points for practitioners’ and we now also include a ‘country reports’ or ‘policy review’ section. The question of how research influences policy and practice is an interesting and valid issue for all journals, and a topic we thought we could explore in a little more detail here.

Journal
Information Polity: Volume 30, Issue 2