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National School of Government

Related Links

• Magenta Book
• Assessing quality of qualitative research
• How evidence contributes to policy making
• Research and evaluation evidence
• Evaluation guidance
• Researching Social Policy
• Training in evaluation
• ERA Demonstration Project
• Government Pilots Review
• Further Resources
• GSRU Publications

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Evaluating Policy

The Government Social Research Unit (part of the Cabinet Office) was set up in October 2002 (as Government Chief Social Researcher's Office) to provide strategic leadership to social research across government. A key element of the GSRU work programme is to encourage excellence in government policy research and evaluation. This area of the hub provides information on:

• what research and evaluation evidence is and examples of how it can contribute to the policy process
• guidance on evaluation methods
• professional development opportunities in analytical skills and evidence based policy
• projects on policy design, piloting and evaluation, including an employment policy demonstration project and review of government pilots.

Details of papers emanating from various projects co-ordinated by the GSRU can be found in the links below:

• The Magenta Book: Several chapters of the Magenta Book have now been published. These include explanations of the various types of policy evaluation and describe and explain the main principles of systematic review.
• Assessing the quality of qualitative research: A framework for assessing research evidence developed by the Cabinet Office and National Centre for Social Research.
• How research and evaluation evidence contributes to policy making: Types of evidence used in evidence-based policy making, implementation and delivery
• Research and evaluation evidence: Definitions of what constitutes research and evaluation evidence and links to key sources about evidence and its role in policy and practice
• Evaluation guidance: Guidance on evaluation methods including the Magenta Book
• Researching Social Policy: Article (first featured in Local Government News, July/August 2002) looking at the social policy role of qualitative research
• Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) Demonstration Project: Information about the design phase of 'The ERA Demonstration Project'
• Government Pilots Review: Background note on a review of UK government policy pilots
• Further Resources: Useful additional sources on what is evidence
• GCSRO Publications