Journal Club

Research Impact Canada produces a journal club series to make evidence on knowledge mobilization (KMb) more accessible to knowledge brokers and to create online discussion about research on knowledge mobilization. It is designed for knowledge brokers and other knowledge mobilization stakeholders.

What Universities Can Learn from Networked Knowledge Mobilization – Reflections by Samantha Shewchuk

This month’s KMb Journal Club post is from Samantha Shewchuk, and it reviews an article by RIC’s own David Phipps and Steve MacGregor. Samantha posted: “What Universities Can Learn from Networked Knowledge Mobilization” – Reflections by Samantha Shewchuk on LinkedIn on April 14, 2025. I’m so excited to see this important piece by my colleagues Stephen MacGregor and David Phipps […]

Evaluative study of a MOOC on knowledge translation in five French-speaking countries

Villemin R., Dagenais C., and Ridde V. (2024) Evaluative study of a MOOC on knowledge translation in five French-speaking countries. PLoS ONE 19(4): e0299923. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299923 Abstract Over the past few years, the RENARD research team has observed a sharp increase in the need for knowledge translation (KT) training. Given the high demand, it has been […]

Assessing the societal influence of academic research with ChatGPT: Impact case study evaluations

Kayvan Kousha, K. and Thelwall, M. (2024) Assessing the societal influence of academic research with ChatGPT: Impact case study evaluations. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2410.19948 Abstract Academics and departments are sometimes judged by how their research has benefitted society. For example, the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) assesses Impact Case Studies (ICS), which are five-page, evidence-based claims of societal […]

The Mis‐conceptualisation of Societal Impact: Why the Swiss Approach to Societal Impact is Productive and not Inexistent

Ochsner, M. (2024). The Mis‐conceptualisation of Societal Impact: Why the Swiss Approach to Societal Impact is Productive and not Inexistent. Swiss Political Science Review. 10.1111/spsr.12618. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/spsr.12618 Abstract Societal impact as a buzz word is high on the agenda of policy-makers around the world. Often, the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) is cited as the initiator […]

Overcoming Common Anxieties in Knowledge Translation: Advice for Scholarly Issue Advocates

Thank you for another year of reading knowledge mobilization Journal Club posts. We take a break in December so please come back to this space at the end of January for the next Journal Club, which will be on a Swiss approach to research impact. But until then, read on to find out more about […]

Information relations for social change: exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact work

Joann Cattlin, J. and Given, L.M. (2024) Information relations for social change: exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact work. Information Research. pp 230-245. https://doi.org/10.47989/ir292824 Abstract Introduction. This paper examines academics’ information behaviour in undertaking research for societal impact. It explores how researcher-stakeholder relationships provide sites of information exchange where academics develop skills and […]

The characteristics and career pathways of third-space research professionals in universities: Reflections from practice

Grant, J. and Kennie, T. (2024) The characteristics and career pathways of third-space research professionals in universities: Reflections from practice. https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2024/08/08/the-characteristics-and-career-pathways-of-third-space-research-professionals-in-universities-reflections-from-practice/. Executive Summary This report examines the role of ‘third space research professionals’ in universities, and particularly the career pathways open to such individuals. The term ‘third space professional’ was originally coined by Dr Celia […]

What is a high-quality research environment? Evidence from the UK’s research excellence framework

Inglis, M. Gadd and Stokoe, E. (2024) What is a high-quality research environment? Evidence from the UK’s research excellence framework. Research Evaluation, 00:1-16. https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvae010 Abstract As part of the UK university sector’s performance-related research funding model, the ‘REF’ (Research Excellence Framework), each discipline-derived ‘Unit of Assessment’ must submit a statement to provide information about their […]

The conflict of impact for early career researchers planning for a future in the academy

Wróblewska, M.N., Balaban, C., Derrick, G., Benneworth, P. (2023) The conflict of impact for early career researchers planning for a future in the academy, Research Evaluation, rvad024, https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvad024 Abstract It has been argued that due to the growing importance attributed to research impact and forms of its evaluation, an academic ‘culture of impact’ is emerging. […]