How research data deliver non-academic impacts: A secondary analysis of UK Research Excellence Framework impact case studies
Date
2022
Authors
Jensen, Eric A.
Wong, Paul
Reed, Mark S
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Public Library of Science
Abstract
This study investigates how research data contributes to non-academic impacts using a
secondary analysis of high-scoring impact case studies from the UK’s Research Excellence
Framework (REF). A content analysis was conducted to identify patterns, linking research
data and impact. The most prevalent type of research data-driven impact related to “practice” (45%), which included changing how professionals operate, changing organizational
culture and improving workplace productivity or outcomes. The second most common category was “government impacts”, including reducing government service costs and enhancing government effectiveness or efficiency. Impacts from research data were developed
most frequently through “improved institutional processes or methods” (40%) and developing impact via pre-analyzed or curated information in reports (32%), followed by “analytic
software or methods” (26%). The analysis found that research data on their own rarely generate impacts. Instead they require analysis, curation, product development or other forms
of significant intervention to leverage broader non-academic impacts.
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PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science)
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Journal article
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Open Access
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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
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