Background: Timely access to relevant and trustworthy research findings is an important facilitator of research use. But the relational aspects of evidence generation, mobilisation and use have been insufficiently explored. Aims and objectives: Our aim is to describe the strategic communicative and relational work of two intermediary organisations…

Ontario's Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMH) program is a provincially sponsored initiative that aims to build school district capacity for developing research-informed school mental health policies. This article reports findings from a mixed-methods study that employs social network theory and analysis tools to explore the centrality of CYMH…

Policy scoping reviews are an effective method for generating evidence-informed policies. However, when applying guiding methodological frameworks to complex policy evidence, numerous, unexpected challenges can emerge. This paper details five challenges experienced and addressed by a policy trainee-led, multi-disciplinary research team, while…

The relationship between policy formation and research is explored. Three theories accounting for the non-utilization of research, ways in which research is utilized by administrators, and situational factors influencing use are covered. Implications for future action within an increasingly political framework are presented. (SW)

Of 833 Canadian government officials surveyed, 12% always/often and 16% never receive relevant university research; 53% of research results have rarely or never influenced decisions. Multivariate regression analyses identified these predictors of research use: users' efforts to find and adapt research, organizational context, and researcher-user…

Articles in this special issue discuss the utilization of social research by governmental commissions. How social science knowledge influences their decision making is examined. (RM)

The French language article analyzes 60 research projects undertaken in an urban Quebec school board in order to describe the research which has actually been incorporated into educational policies. The article demonstrates the importance of the way in which research is produced and adopted to the circumstances at hand. (Author/SB)

An example is provided of an evaluation in which the formulation of explicit decision rules was a central activity. The case for and against the use of decision rules in program evaluation is considered, and the appropriate context identified. Implications for the rights of decision makers are addressed. (Author/CTM)

A study was conducted to examine the literature on literacy and adult basic education and to identify various issues, trends, problems, possible solutions, and basic principles that might guide programs and policies in adult literacy and basic education in Canada. More than 120 documents were examined, raising such issues as what is literacy and…

Supports the theory of language policy formulation in a "conflict" paradigm (involving value, resources, and power) with a case example of the development of Ontario's Native language policy. Research and theory were applied to policy formulation when there was significant consensus regarding both societal and educational goals. (CB)

The educational surveys of which some account is given in this bulletin do not by any means represent all the foreign investigations that have been made; it is believed, however, that they will serve to acquaint American students of education with certain foreign types, and at the same time throw some light on the history of surveys and of…

Data are presented from a Canadian study to show that the cost of laboratory testing is escalating and represents a sizable proportion of hospital costs. Policy interventions will require thorough analysis and will require sophisticated control programs at various levels in the laboratory inquiry system. (Author/MLW)