Research information needs of public policy oriented researchers at a regional university: issues emerging from a pilot study.

The creation of social research to inform the development of public policy is a topical issue for academic social scientists. (1) The issue has gained momentum through the evidence-based policy movement originating in the United Kingdom. (2) In Australia, the role of academic research in advancing public policy development at international, national and regional levels remains very significant, as indicated by new Federal Government initiatives, such as the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA), by discussion on the potential of open governance at the 2020 Summit in early 2008 and by the increase in funding for academic research to inform government policy making.

As a result of these initiatives there appears to be an increased need to develop and support academics so that they can demonstrate the quality and impact of their research projects in both academic and non-academic contexts. Discussion on the issue also draws attention to an apparent divide between the academic research and public policy contexts, and to research that focuses on efforts to overcome this problem. (3) The discussion suggests that there may be challenges for academic social scientists conducting policy research in demonstrating the impact of their work in the public policy context.

One key factor, identified throughout the literature as increasing the impact of research on policy, is the availability of research that identifies and addresses a research problem of relevance to policy development. (4) Discussion also highlights the importance of research information services and sources, both inside and outside universities, to support policy researchers in their work. (5) Studies conducted at Charles Sturt University (CSU) on academics' views on research (6) and information-seeking behaviour of academics (7) point to a demand for better access to research information through improved research information services, research support and organisational development that meet the actual needs of academic researchers based in regional university.

The rationale behind this study is that academic researchers should be studied in their natural context, and not viewed according to beliefs held by information professionals or other research support workers about how researchers behave or should behave. It is suggested, therefore, that there is a need to develop empathy for the real research experiences of academics. For example, those working in research information support roles would perhaps benefit from experiencing life as a researcher so that they can begin to empathise with those for whom they provide support. They may need to step into the shoes of those they serve to develop the emotional intelligence to provide a service that is responsive to researchers' affective as well as cognitive needs. Time pressures, combined with feelings of information overload, can create strong affective needs for the academic researcher, and emotional support may be required. (8)

In light of the current research development strategy for improving research quality and productivity at CSU, it seems worthwhile to explore this issue from the information-seeking perspectives of social scientists involved in policy- relevant research. An in-depth focus on the crucial phase of formulating a policy-relevant research problem and development of a research proposal may lead to a deeper understanding of the information needs, behaviour and source preferences of social science researchers in a regional university and of how they might be supported in demonstrating the impact of their projects in the public policy context.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Based on the assumption that literature on this specific issue would be sparse and fragmented, a broad search was conducted of both Australian and overseas literature, with no date or other limitations. The interdisciplinary nature of the topic meant that relevant literature was likely to be found in disciplines such as library and information science, information systems, public policy and public administration, social policy, higher education (research) and social sciences (education, management, health, social work, psychology, sociology, politics, economics and regional studies).