Policy recommendations for promoting evidence based research

Following on from the discussion yesterday about ways of promoting evidence based research, the discussion group talked about the ideas further and picked out which ones they felt most strongly about putting forward for recommendation.

After deciding which themes were the most prominent, the group decided on the following four policy areas:

• create common standards
• develop a media agreement
• promote learning
• promote ‘citizen science’

After identifying the four areas above, the group started working to develop ideas for what these recommendations would involve and how they would like to see their ideas be implemented. Below is a list of the main points they discussed.

Create common standards

• European label (kitemark for evidence-based-resarch goods e.g. claims about priobiotic yoghurt)
• Science peer review
• Science education standards
• Academic career progression should include science communication

Develop a media agreement

• Media who sign an agreement get extra funding/accreditation
• Project finance: media + researcher + teacher + communicator
• Include the European Associations of Scientific Journalist

Promote learning

• Teacher training in enquiry-based learning
• Problem based approach
• Promote scientific controversy/curiosity/debate

Promote ‘citizen science’

• Science shops (place where citizens can be involved in research)
• Involvement of citizens in research projects (contribution)
• Involvement of citizens in research projets, topics important for society/everyday life