Internationally, non-academic research impact is assessed by governments as part of evaluating the quality of publicly funded research. A case study method was used to investigate the non-academic impact of Australian social work research. Interviews were conducted with fifteen leading researchers about outputs (research products, such as publications and reports), engagement (interaction between researchers and end-users outside academia to transfer knowledge, methods or resources) and impact (social or economic contributions of research). Twelve case studies were prepared using a standardised template. Content analysis highlighted examples of impact, and theoretical and in vivo coding uncovered processes of engagement and impact. Different types of engagements with research end-users influenced impact in three areas: legislation and policy; practices and service delivery; and quality of life of community members. Engagement and impact were intertwined as research altered policy discourses and illuminated hidden social issues, preparing ground for subsequent, more direct impact. Likewise, academic and non-academic impacts were intertwined as research rigour and academic credibility were perceived to leverage influence. There was no evidence of achieving impact simply through the trickle-down effect of scholarly publication. The findings broaden understandings of how research influences policy and practice and iterative and indirect relationships between engagement and impact.

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚社会工作研究：参与和影响的实证研究

在国际上，政府评估非学术研究的影响是评估公共资助研究质量的一部分。案例研究方法用于调查澳大利亚社会工作研究的非学术影响。与15名主要研究人员进行了访谈，涉及产出（研究产品，例如出版物和报告），参与度（研究人员与学术界以外的最终用户之间的相互作用，以转移知识，方法或资源）和影响（研究的社会或经济贡献）。使用标准化模板准备了十二个案例研究。内容分析突出了影响的例子，以及理论上和体内的对未参与和参与的过程进行编码。与研究最终用户的不同类型的接触影响了三个领域的影响：立法和政策；惯例和服务提供；和社区成员的生活质量。随着研究改变了政策论述并阐明了隐藏的社会问题，参与和影响交织在一起，为随后的更直接的影响做准备。同样，学术和非学术影响也交织在一起，因为研究的严谨性和学术信誉被认为可以发挥影响力。没有证据表明仅仅通过学术出版物的the滴效应就能取得影响。这些发现拓宽了人们对研究如何影响政策和实践以及参与与影响之间反复和间接关系的理解。