Public Policy at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy | University of Toronto

How good is the evidence used in evidence-based decision-making?

Evidence-based decision-making relies on verifiable evidence, often from published research. The success of such an approach depends on the quality of the data collected and the appropriateness of the analyses and interpretation researchers provide. However, specific research areas are often complex and fraught with contradictory findings. The purpose of this session is to familiarize participants with criteria for assessing the quality of evidence provided in quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methodology research studies. The conceptual basis for standards/criteria that are used to evaluate the quality of research will be discussed. Participants will also get hands-on experience in applying these criteria to judge the quality of published research studies and reports.