Test Your Research Impact Muscles

Think you have what it takes to ensure your research has impact?

Do you have the skills and tools for impact?

Question 1 of 6

Do you take any of the following actions to build your understanding of impact and how it can be achieved?

(Select all that apply)

Read blogs / books / discussion lists

Participate in training

Attend events

View online materials (videos, slides)

None of these

How 'impact aware' are you?

Question 2 of 6

Thinking about some recently published research with potential for impact, at what stage did you start thinking about how to maximize the impact of this research?

Before the project began

While the project was underway

When I was preparing to disseminate my outputs

After publication

I haven’t yet thought about the impact of this work

How 'impact aware' are you?

Question 3 of 6

Thinking about a current research project, what kind of impact are you seeking to achieve?

(Select all that apply)

Instrumental: changing policy, behaviour or practice

Conceptual: building evidence, knowledge, awareness

Capacity building: building skills, expertise, jobs

None of these

I don't know

How proactive are you in achieving impact?

Question 4 of 6

Thinking about some recently published research with potential for impact, what actions have you taken to increase its dissemination and impact?

(Select all that apply)

Chose formats for sharing information about my work that would help more people find and understand it e.g. videos, infographics

Consulted knowledge users to shape my research around their needs

Worked with the media (or my institution’s press team)

Explained my work and its impact in plain language

Worked with partners (such as museums, science centres, festivals, schools, community organizations)

Wrote and implemented a communications plan

Organized or participated in events (exhibitions, lectures, workshops etc) to engage people with my work

Acted as a consultant to apply my expertise to specific community / commercial / policy challenges

Presented my findings at a conference or workshop

None of these

How proactive are you in achieving impact?

Question 5 of 6

Which of the following communication channels have you used to increase awareness of your work?

(Select all that apply)

Email

Press releases

Project website

Social media e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Weibo

Academic networks e.g. ResearchGate, Mendeley

Identity systems e.g. ORCID, Scopus ID, ResearcherID

Impact services e.g. Kudos

None of these

How important is impact to you?

Question 6 of 6

What kind of evidence have you found to demonstrate the impact of your work?

(Select all that apply)

Instrumental impacts (e.g. relevant policy, guidelines, regulations or legislation have been changed; people affected by my research have told me that their behaviour or circumstances have changed; the process or technology I developed is now in use)

Conceptual impacts (e.g. increase in knowledge, understanding or awareness)

Capacity-building impacts (e.g. my work involved training people, created jobs, or gave organizations new capabilities to respond to future challenges)

Attitudinal or cultural impacts (e.g. changes in attitudes or cultural discourse, for example, evidenced in the media)