Enhancing the Practical Relevance of Research

This article seeks to encourage scholars to conduct research that is more relevant to the decisions faced by managers and policymakers, and addresses why research relevance matters, what relevance means in terms of a journal article, and how scholars can increase the relevance of their research. I define relevant research papers as those whose research questions address problems found (or potentially found) in practice and whose hypotheses connect independent variables within the control of practitioners to outcomes they care about using logic they view as feasible. I provide several suggestions for how scholars can enhance research relevance, including engaging practitioners in on‐campus encounters, at managerial conferences, and at crossover workshops; conducting site visits and practitioner interviews; working as a practitioner; and developing a practitioner advisory team. I describe several ways that scholars can convey relevant research insights into practitioners, including presenting at practitioner conferences, writing for practitioners in traditional crossover journals and in shorter pieces like op‐eds and blogs, and attracting the interest of those who write columns, blogs, and articles about research for practitioners. I conclude by describing a few ways that academic institutions can encourage more relevant research, focusing on journals, professional societies, and doctoral programs.     

“Rigor for What?” Social Studies Teacher Conceptions and Enactments of Instructional Rigor

Taken from a larger qualitative study, this article argues that rather than an encompassing uniform definition, rigor, as understood and enacted by social studies teachers, exists on a complicated spectrum. Teacher placement on this spectrum was influenced by teacher life experience, teacher interpretation of student need, pedagogy employed, how content should be used, and the role of the teacher in the lives of students. How rigor is conceived and enacted by social studies teachers can have a profound impact on the types of citizens schools nurture and develop and the role school can play in the lives of students.     

Missing Michael White: Understanding His Influence in One Person's Life and Work

This is a personal reflection that describes and seeks to understand the significance of Michael White's contribution to my life and work. It offers a personal history of the ways in which these ideas were incorporated over time, and the way in which Michael's teaching made this possible. It looks at how this influence is taken forward and continues to be lived out. It reflects the knowledge and skills, the intentions and the hopes, the purposes and plans held that have been shaped through learning experiences with Michael White and the people and ideas that this introduced me to. The legacy of this learning is a hopefulness for future skill development and teaching, nurtured through these communities of people.     

Today's Studies,Tomorrow's Meta-Analyses: Implications for Evidence Informed Decision–Making in Social Work

ABSTRACT

Meta-analyses play an important role in understanding aspects of human functioning and program effectiveness. Meta-analyses also inform practice and policy decision making in areas of interest to social work. This study examined the degree to which recent quantitative reports in top social work journals are eligible for inclusion in future meta-analytic studies based on method rigor. The results suggest a mixed picture. Articles in top social work journals typically present sufficient information on participant characteristics, p values, and Mean values, yet they often fail to present sufficient information on variance indicators or the precise numbers of participants, which limits the ability to calculate effect sizes. Furthermore, less than 10% of the reports utilized randomized experimental designs or tested for group equivalence. To enhance social work's ability to make evidence-based decisions by producing more meta-analyses, researchers should provide more detail in study reports and use stronger research designs.     

高校全面从严治党“四责协同”运行机制研究

全面从严治党“四责协同”机制是指党委主体责任、纪委监督责任、党委书记第一责任、班子成员“一岗双责”的合力体系。高校全面从严治党“四责协同”机制以全面从严治党“四责协同”机制的“责任共同体”本意为切入点,深入分析高校全面从严治党“四责协同”的现状,构建高校全面从严治党“四责协同”的有效运行机制,从而持续并推动高校事业健康快速发展。     

中国本土管理研究的理论与实践问题:对徐淑英的访谈

如何处理好“管理研究的学术严谨性与实践相关性”问题,是管理学者最大的挑战之一.中国大陆管理学研究应从仅仅追求严谨性转变为既严谨又有着现实或潜在的社会影响.中国管理学者需要真正地进行探索性研究来发展中国管理的新构念和理论,依赖于现有文献的模仿和构建不会带来根本的创新.用中国的文化来理解当代中国的管理实践是构建本土理论的尚佳方法.本土研究既可以促进本地管理知识的发展,又可以通过展示中国的管理,区分与西方管理可能的相似或不同,以提升全球管理知识.没有本土的理论,就不能进行真正的比较研究.     

Disciplining Bioethics: Towards a Standard of Methodological Rigor in Bioethics Research

Contemporary bioethics research is often described as multi- or interdisciplinary. Disciplines are characterized, in part, by their methods. Thus, when bioethics research draws on a variety of methods, it crosses disciplinary boundaries. Yet each discipline has its own standard of rigor-–so when multiple disciplinary perspectives are considered, what constitutes rigor? This question has received inadequate attention, as there is considerable disagreement regarding the disciplinary status of bioethics. This disagreement has presented five challenges to bioethics research. Addressing them requires consideration of the main types of cross-disciplinary research, and consideration of proposals aiming to ensure rigor in bioethics research.     

案例研究方法严谨性测度研究

针对国内案例方法理论研究和实践现状,提出案例研究方法严谨性问题。在引介国外前沿案例研究严谨性方法论的基础上,结合自己的学习型理解和案例研究实践,通过纳入国内案例研究的情境因素,加以消化吸收,以案例研究方法的效度和信度关切为聚焦,初步厘清了案例研究方法严谨性的内涵和指标体系,构建出具有实际操作性的严谨性测度框架,丰富并提高了国内案例研究严谨性方法论,并且选取名刊名家最新案例研究型论文进行实证测度,发现了案例研究方法严谨性领域的国内外较大差距,指明了我们未来的努力方向。     

Determinants of the Rigor of State Protection Policies for Persons With Dementia in Assisted Living

Continued growth in the number of individuals with dementia residing in assisted living (AL) facilities raises concerns about their safety and protection. However, unlike federally regulated nursing facilities, AL facilities are state-regulated and there is a high degree of variation among policies designed to protect persons with dementia. Despite the important role these protection policies have in shaping the quality of life of persons with dementia residing in AL facilities, little is known about their formation. In this research, we examined the adoption of AL protection policies pertaining to staffing, the physical environment, and the use of chemical restraints. For each protection policy type, we modeled policy rigor using an innovative point-in-time approach, incorporating variables associated with state contextual, institutional, political, and external factors. We found that the rate of state AL protection policy adoptions remained steady over the study period, with staffing policies becoming less rigorous over time. Variables reflecting institutional policy making, including legislative professionalism and bureaucratic oversight, were associated with the rigor of state AL dementia protection policies. As we continue to evaluate the mechanisms contributing to the rigor of AL protection policies, it seems that organized advocacy efforts might expand their role in educating state policy makers about the importance of protecting persons with dementia residing in AL facilities and moving to advance appropriate policies.     

Evaluation and Evaluative Rigor in the Nonprofit Sector

Nonprofit organizations are under more pressure than ever to provide “rigorous” evidence of program impact. However, as expectations for rigorous evidence rise, many nonprofits struggle with challenges that inhibit evaluation. Recognizing these trends and tensions, this study identifies catalysts and obstacles to evaluation activity and the correlates of evaluative rigor among US nonprofits based on a national survey of registered public charities (n = 311). Results reveal that the most important catalysts to evaluation include the desire to improve program effectiveness and legitimacy, while the most important obstacles include insufficient time and money. Moreover, regression analysis finds that evaluation appears to be most rigorous when (1) evaluation is a priority, (2) a supportive organizational culture exists, (3) management requires evaluation, (4) evaluation is not primarily motivated by personal interest, and (5) evaluation is likely to reveal success. Overall, intrinsically motivated evaluation appears to be more rigorous than externally mandated evaluation, suggesting that stakeholders should work to help capacitate receptive nonprofits to improve evaluative rigor instead of imposing external requirements.