SciComm Optimizer for Policy Engagement (SCOPE)
Continuous quality improvement to experimentally test strategies for increasing policymakers’ electronic engagement with research.
SciComm Optimizer for Policy Engagement (SCOPE)
Continuous quality improvement to experimentally test strategies for increasing policymakers’ electronic engagement with research.
Evidence Of Impact
The SCOPE model has produced scientific data about practices for researcher-legislative engagement as well as demonstrated its potential for supporting state legislators’ use of research evidence. An experiment found that state legislators who received fact sheets from researchers in this model posted 24% more social media posts containing evidence language about the COVID-19 pandemic. Observing how state legislators use research evidence language in public spaces demonstrates the value of the model for increasing access and interactions with research evidence.
Model
The SciComm Optimizer for Policy Engagement (aka SCOPE) is a model designed to connect lawmakers directly with researchers regarding relevant and timely policy issues. The implementation process is circular to reflect a continuous cycle of responding to policymaking partners’ interests, facilitating researcher-policymaker connections, and incorporating legislators input in future iterations. Infrastructure to deploy this model requires a robust data backbone to interpret how messages are providing value to legislators and to inform continuous quality improvement over time.
Policymaker Interactions
Starting with policymakers’ interests and goals supports their evidence needs better than a one-sided “push” of research information.
Relevant Research Synthesis
Researchers develop fact sheets that align with opportunity windows and current policy priorities.
Identify Appropriate Officials for the Dissemination
We harness data about legislative activity and committee assignments to identify prospective issue-area champions.
Continuous Quality Improvement
Rapid-cycle field experiments test ways to enhance the value of research translation as observed by researcher-policymaker engagement, reach and access of research content.
Dissemination Connects Policymakers Directly with Researchers
Fact sheets are disseminated via email from researchers who authored them, enabling them to have a direct point of contact on the subject matter.
Further Researcher-policymaker Interactions
Officials are able to directly communicate with researchers. Interactions inform future fact sheet topic areas, content development, and dissemination.