Wallace, A., Croucher, K., Bevan, M. et al. (3 more authors) (2006) Evidence for policy making: Some reflections on the application of systematic reviews to housing research. Housing Studies, 21 (2). pp. 297-314. ISSN 0267-3037
Abstract
The recent turn towards evidence-based or evidence-informed policy making has generated interest in systematic literature review techniques. Systematic reviewing is increasingly being adopted to address questions in complex social policy areas, but the methodological development lags behind. Drawing on the experience of undertaking three systematic reviews of housing related topics, as part of a project designed to empirically test the transfer of systematic review methods to social policy and social care, this paper reflects on the use of the systematic review methods in housing research and considers how our experience accords with recent methodological development of reviewing in other areas. The paper first examines wider methodological developments occurring during the course of the three-year project, before considering changing review practices in housing studies. It then goes on to examine the key methodological challenges that remain unresolved, in particular: searching for literature, quality appraising studies, interpreting old research against shifting contextual factors, and providing an actual synthesis of diverse material. It calls for a more thoughtful approach to the method and more careful consideration of when systematic reviews may be appropriate.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Research Groups (York) > Centre for Housing Policy (York) |
Depositing User: | York RAE Import |
Date Deposited: | 22 May 2009 15:40 |
Last Modified: | 22 May 2009 15:40 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02673030500484935 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/02673030500484935 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:6257 |