Policy Hub
Use this section for a range of practical tools and resources to help you access and use UK evidence.
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| Research methods |
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| Other databases and resources |
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The British Household Panel Study (BHPS)
CESSDA (Council of European Social Science Data Archives) Integrated Data Catalogue - integrated data catalogue for mainly European social science archives. It has been produced by CESSDA (Council of European Social Science Data Archives) CESSDA promotes the acquisition, archiving and distribution of electronic data for social science teaching and research in Europe.
CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy) Statistics - 'a wealth of information on local authority services stretching back over many years. These data can be invaluable in policy research.'
Market Research on the Web - a free gateway to approximately 1,000 evaluated web sites, containing statistics, business information and market data, including trade associations and other industry sources. Each link contains a short evaluation of the site. Mainly from UK and pan-European sources but more international sites are gradually being added.
Qualidata, Qualitative Data Service - Qualidata, Qualitative Data Service provides a national service for the acquisition, dissemination and re-use of social sciences qualitative research data.
Social Statistics Research Unit, City University (SSRU)
Statbase ® - The National Statistics Encyclopaedia contains data, and information about those data, from government statistical units across the United Kingdom.
United Kingdom Data Archive - The United Kingdom Data Archive is a resource centre that acquires, disseminates, preserves, and promotes the largest collection of digital data in the social sciences and humanities in the United Kingdom.
British Library Public Catalogue - The British Library Public Catalogue is web interface to the main British Library catalogues, describing over ten million items
Directory of Open Access Journals - covers free, full text, quality controlled scientific and scholarly journals. Aims to cover all subjects including agriculture and food sciences, health sciences, social sciences, and languages. 1767 journals in the directory, with 440 journals searchable at article level; 77,763 articles are included in the DOAJ service ( (20 September 2005).
ESRC Society Today - from ESRC, replaces both Regard and former ESRC corporate website. Incorporates the information on completed research (formerly on the Regard website) and additional content from major resources and investments, plain English summaries, overview fact sheets, and ESRC publications and new funding opportunities. Also included are high quality materials from the broader social sciences community. Offers advanced searching, alerting and personalisation functionalities to disseminate the results of social science research.
House of Commons Library Research Papers - The House of Commons Library Research Papers provide analyses and background information on topics of current parliamentary interest compiled for Members of Parliament by the staff of the House of Commons Library.
Inforoute - Inforoute provides direct access to the Government's Information Asset Register of unpublished resources and links to databases covering United Kingdom Official Publications published by The Stationery Office Limited (formerly Her Majesty's Stationery Office [HMSO]), Government departments and other commercial publishers.
The Policy Press - specialist publisher in the UK of social and public policy books, reports, journals and guides aimed at academics, students, researchers, practitioners and policy makers.
Precis is a joint initiative between Sense Worldwide and the Tomorrow Project which aims to produce six mini social reports of about 4 pages each year, each on a single topic on factors affecting Britain's present and future.
Regard - see Society Today
Society Today - from ESRC, replaces both Regard and former ESRC corporate website. Incorporates the information on completed research (formerly on the Regard website) and additional content from major resources and investments, plain English summaries, overview fact sheets, and ESRC publications and new funding opportunities. Also included are high quality materials from the broader social sciences community. Offers advanced searching, alerting and personalisation functionalities to disseminate the results of social science research.
Bill Trochim's Center for Social Research Methods is aimed at people involved in applied social research and evaluation. It includes links to a wide variety of resources and tools covering all aspects of research methodology. The website has been assembled by Professor Trochim of the Department of Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University.
Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) Networking Project - The Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) Networking Project aims to provide practical support, training and information in the use of a range of software programs which have been designed to assist qualitative data analysis.
Evidence and Policy - UK journal dedicated to the comprehensive and critical treatment of the relationship between research evidence and the concerns of policy makers and practitioners. Published in association with the ESRC UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice
An introduction to Qualitative Research is a guide written by John F Schostak, research professor in the Education and Social Research Institute of the Institute of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University. It comprises nine chapters covering, amongst other topics, the differences between qualitative and quantitative research, researching action and change and guidance on how to carry out an evaluation.
Keeping Track: a guide to Longitudinal Resources is a website developed jointly by the Institute of Economic and Social Research and the UK's Office for National Statistics which aims to to provide an up-to-date guide to major longitudinal sources of data. Covers data sets collected by governmental, academic, private social research, medical and private industrial sources.
The Question Bank: Social Surveys Online - The Question Bank: Social Surveys Online holds questionnaires for large scale social surveys which have a nationally representative sample.
Research Methods in the Social Sciences: an Internet Resource List. Produced and maintained by the Otto G. Richter Library, University of Miami, this list of online resources is divided into six sections: general resources, tests & measures, survey methods, quantitative, qualitative, research & writing, and software
Resources for Methods in Evaluations and Social Research is a web-site that lists free resources for methods in evaluation and social research. The focus is on 'how-to' do evaluation research and the methods used: surveys, focus groups, sampling, interviews, and other methods.
Social Research Update - Social Research Update is produced quarterly to help social researchers keep up with latest developments in methods of doing social research.
Other databases and resources
Current Educational Research in the UK (CERUK) - free database, sponsored by National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), DfES and the EPPI Centre (The Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre), that seeks to include all recently completed and ongoing research in the United Kingdom, from large sponsored programmes to individual projects. Information is gathered from universities, colleges, research organisations and consultancies, other specialised institutes and government agencies.
Intute: Social Sciences - reborn version of SOSIG - the Social Science Information Gateway. FREE guide to the best of the web for social science
Market Research on the Web - a free gateway to approximately 1,000 evaluated web sites, containing statistics, business information and market data, including trade associations and other industry sources. Each link contains a short evaluation of the site. Mainly from UK and pan-European sources but more international sites are gradually being added.
MORI Polls Archive - summaries (press releases and main findings) of research from MORI and from other organisations. Includes a searchable index.
Mr Web - Mr Web is an on-line resource for market research companies and professionals around the world.
National Centre for Social Research (NATCEN)
Policy Brief - includes a database of events, research and announcements from many of the UK think tanks. In the future it will allow users to pay for think tank reports over the internet.
Research in practice, part of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) Partnership, hosts a database, Evidencebank, which holds details of important reviews and summaries of research relating to children in need. ebank provides a digest of research reviews, details of where to find the full review and online links to the full text and related texts, where available.
The Research Informed Practice Site (trIPS) - offers easy access to essential research findings for teachers, governors, parents and all those who support them in the education of school age students. The aim is to help ensure that practice and policy in schools, and at a regional and national level, are informed by good and up-to-date evidence. Grouped under themes such as Assessment and Gender, this site provides accessible digests of research.
Resource Guide for the Social Sciences - The Resource Guide for the Social Sciences is a guide to a range of resources set up specifically to meet the needs of those working and studying in the social sciences.
Social Science Information Gateway (SOSIG) - see Intute - The Social Science Information Gateway aims to provide a trusted source of selected, high quality Internet information for researchers and practitioners in the social sciences, business and law. It is part of the UK Resource Discovery Network.
Social Science Information Gateway (SOSIG) Experts Choice - The Social Science Information Gateway (SOSIG) Experts Choice is a place where members of the United Kingdom social science community recommend a favourite Web site in their subject area.
The SRM (Social Research Methodology) Documentation Centre is a database which offers information and provides access to electronic information resources on social science research methodology, statistics and computer software. The database is provided by the SRM-Documentation Centre at the Netherlands Institute for Scientific Information Services (NIWI).
UK Public Libraries on the Web - aims to present the most complete and up to date picture of public library internet activity in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom academic sites - United Kingdom academic sites is a clickable map showing all recognised Universities, University Colleges and Higher Education Colleges in the United Kingdom
Virtual Learning Arcade (VLA) - The Virtual Learning Arcade (VLA) provides interactive online models and simulations for economics and business teachers, lecturers and students.
Although the Web is a useful source for a wide range of information it has its limitations and may not necessarily provide what you are looking for. There are many other sources to consider - your organisation's library/information service will be able to advise you. If you don't have access to an in-house service you will find the advice and sources collated by the ESRC UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice, available on their Evidence Gateway very helpful.
Click here for advice on how to decide whether a piece of evidence is useful.