If scientists want to influence policymaking, they need to understand it

Turning scientific evidence into policy exposes a gulf between how scientists think and how policymakers work. Here's what scientists need to know

Last week, a major new report on The Science of Using Science: Researching the Use of Research Evidence in Decision-Making suggested that there is very limited evidence of "what works" to turn scientific evidence into policy. There are many publications out there on how to influence policy, but few are proven to work.

This is because scientists think about how to produce the best possible evidence rather than how policymakers use evidence in complex policymaking systems. (The report describes how policymakers' "capability, motivation, and opportunity" to use evidence varies). Scientists identify a cultural gap between them and policymakers, suggesting that we need to overcome differences in the languages used to communicate findings, the timescales to produce recommendations, and the incentives to engage.