Studying the Use of Research Evidence in Policy and Practice

In this essay, Vivian Tseng and William T. Grant Foundation senior program team colleagues describe the Foundation’s interest in generating studies that focus on understanding the use of research evidence in policy and practice affecting youth and how to improve its use. The authors begin by defining what the Foundation means by research evidence and use of research evidence, acknowledging that research evidence is only one of several forms of evidence important to policymakers and practitioners. Tseng and colleagues then discuss reasons for studying the use of research evidence, and offer some early thoughts about fertile ground for future studies.