Introduction
Any research has a particular aim in terms of testing a hypothesis or assessing specific factors. Additionally, it affects people by giving evidence and suggestions regarding issues or a foundation for other researches and examinations. It is essential to understand the implications of each work because researches require resources, both financial and human for accomplishing results. This paper aims to examine the importance of research impact, its effects, types and pathways to achieving it.
The Concept of Research Impact
Firstly, it is necessary to define the impact and its implications for the various field of research. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the notion signifies “a powerful effect that something, especially something new, has on a situation or person” (Impact n.d., para. 2). The meaning of impact can be assessed by reviewing the factors that contribute to accomplishing an examination. It can be argued that research impact is any influence that the findings of a study have on the community (What is research impact? n.d.). Therefore, any scholar aiming to carry out research should consider the effect that his work will have on discipline and society.
It is essential to understand that the primary implication of impact is the ability to apply the gained knowledge or new approach in practice. Therefore, one can assess the importance of a particular work by examining stakeholder’s perception of it.
For instance, Moed and Halevi (2015) state that citations in peer-reviewed journals prove that a specific article affected a particular field of science. The nature of impact is another critical component, and it varies depending on the discipline and stakeholders that would benefit from it. For instance, some works can affect the public’s perception of a theory or concept, while others would focus on developing specific strategies for resolving issues.
This information implies that there is a variety of ways in which a particular study can affect the community. The UK Research and Innovation identifies two types of impact – academic and environmental, which includes the influence on society in general (Excellence with impact n.d.). The first category consists of the influence that a particular work has on the scientific community, for instance, a new methodology or a theory that enhances an understanding of phenomena.
The second component can be measured by reviewing the work from a perspective of the benefits that it brings to people. For instance, a novel approach to manufacturing goods or a different economic model can enhance the operations of organisations, thus presenting a significant impact. However, other categories can be distinguished as well, such as political, scientific, training and health (Types of impact n.d.). This provides an understanding of the importance of impact because all researches require funding and efforts for completion. Therefore, assessing the effect of scientific works can help improve the quality of research.
The primary approach that should guide researchers is a consideration regarding the specific actions he or she can take to make a difference in a particular field. UK Research and Innovation states that there are several pathways to impact, including “knowledge exchange, new products and processes, new companies and job creation, skills development, increasing the effectiveness of public services and policy, enhancing quality of life and health, international development” (Pathways to impact n.d., para. 1).
It is crucial to avoid generalised descriptions and practices when considering this component and focus specifically on the issue in question and include a description of stakeholders, previous evidence and context of applying the findings.
Quantifying the impact of research can be done by assessing variables. For instance, quality, input and output value and factors such as review by peers (Moed & Halevi 2015). This is necessary because it allows improving the overall quality of work within the scientific community. Moed and Halevi (2015) suggest other indicators that can be applied to determine the importance of particular articles, for example, social media is often used by scholars to discuss practices. An assessment of mentions that an article receives can provide an understanding of its meaning for the community.
Achieving Impact
The information discussed above provides an understanding of the meaning that research impact has. According to Greenhalgh and Fahy (2015), in the UK the concept of research impact is becoming increasingly important; however, most works reviewed by the authors do not have a clear statement of practical applications. Thus, the plan of achieving an anticipated impact involves considering the implications, stakeholders and implementation of finding before beginning the work on a project.
Research Excellence Framework, created in 2014 aims to improve the quality of research in the UK and has guidelines that can help scholars prepare for analysis (What is the REF n.d.). One should locate evidence from previous works and have a clear understanding of factors that may help achieve the desired outcomes to make sure that impact takes place one. For instance, researchers should consider support that he or she will need during the work.
Conclusion
Overall, research impact is an important concept that should be considered by scholars before beginning work on a project. In general, there are two types of influence – academic and environmental, although some sources distinguish other categories such as scientific, political or health. Pathways include new knowledge or approaches to the existing policies developed by researchers. In the UK, the Research Excellence Framework aims to improve the quality of scientific works by creating frameworks for assessing impact.
Reference List
Excellence with impact n.d. Web.
Greenhalgh, T & Fahy, N 2015, ‘Research impact in the community-based health sciences: an analysis of 162 case studies from the 2014 UK Research Excellence Framework’, BMC Medicine, vol. 13, no. 1, p. 232.
Impact n.d. Web.
Moed, H & Halevi, G 2015, ‘Multidimensional assessment of scholarly research impact’, Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, vol. 66, no. 10, pp. 1988-2002.
Pathways to impact n.d. Web.
Types of impact n.d. Web.
What is the REF n.d. Web.
What is research impact? n.d. Web.