Impact is commonly defined as ‘to come into forcible contact with another object’, or to have a strong effect on someone or something. Too often research is conducted with little consideration of its intended end users, or its potential impact.
Research impact is defined by Research Councils UK as ‘the demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society and the economy’. It is explicit that the impact of research must be demonstrable, not simply considered as activities or outputs.
In social care and health impactful high quality research is likely to be of relevance to, and engage with, a wide range of stakeholders. Often it relates to real issues experienced by those requiring support or services. To have an impact it must be possible for research to be applied to policy decisions and developments, to the delivery of support and services, or to those purchasing or commissioning care.
The impact of research in social care and health has the potential to be much wider and more relevant than simply influencing policy or high level service decisions. We have assembled a taxonomy of impact, developed from a broad consideration of what constitutes impact in a variety of public and private sector contexts. Click below to access high level definitions of impact in each element of this framework. Considering this wider context will help you to conceptualise the potential wide ranging impact of your own research activity.
The key message here is that impact must be considered more broadly than simply producing traditional academic outputs such as a Conference, a Poster, or a Journal Article. Requirements such as the Research Excellence Framework, call for academics and researchers to consider a broader definition of impact from the minute they start planning their research and throughout the research process. This site includes information about integrating impact and research at different stages of the research process, a number of tools to support the planning and management of impact activity, and a range of tools and methods to inspire you to consider how to create impact as you conduct your research.
