The purpose of the Overarching Study element of P@R is to help the project achieve its objectives.
It will consist of several interrelated pieces of work:
- Theoretical analyses
- Learning from practice
- Evaluating P@R
- Translation of findings
Theoretical analyses
This involves document analysis, literature review, interviews, and surveys to gather baseline data, alongside systems mapping, process, and gap and needs analyses. Insights from this theoretical analysis will help guide the project’s structure and practices, as well as targeted Capacity Building activities, and contributions to the academic literature.
Learning from practice
This part of the research seeks to investigate how shared understandings and approaches are negotiated (Wagenaar 2011). It considers both the broader contextual influences and the fine-grained interactions and practices involved in enabling policy impact of research, by focusing on the ways in which participants make sense of, and enact, their work in particular contexts. This research will use typical social science research methods, including workshops, focus groups, seminars, field work, observation, surveys, and interviews. It will also draw upon Participatory Action Research (PAR) because it is aiming to be both genuinely collaborative and allows insights from process and method to be incorporated along the way as a project progresses, facilitating ongoing learning
Evaluating P@R
Just as its name suggests, this part of the study will evaluate the project’s own ‘impact’ through the inclusion of monitoring and evaluation needs within the project’s data collection.
Translation of findings
The final component of the overarching study will involve translation of findings and insights into:
- Targeted capability building activities (workshops, seminars, training, etc);
- Production of publications including Discussion Papers, academic journal papers, and potentially an academic book; and
- Guidance materials and processes
