Ode to Research for All
NCCPE Co-director, Sophie Duncan, tells all that she loves about the journal she co-edits, Research for All. And shares how you could be a part of it.
Why you should make a date with this journal….
It’s open for contributions for all those involved in engaged research – including researchers, community members, public contributors, academics, students, business leaders to name just a few.
It offers opportunities to reflect on all aspects of engagement with research – from the experiences of those involved; the methodologies used; the challenges faced; the culture changes enacted; and the value achieved through the engagement.
It involves a wonderful team of associate editors – who offer their expertise and experience to help guide papers through the editorial process, helping find peer reviewers, responding to the peer reviews, providing oversight of the changes made.
It is making a difference – in January 2025 the journal hit 500k downloads of papers, receiving over 1,200 citations, a significant milestone, and an indication of how people are engaging with its content.
It recognises the value of engagement processes as a core part of ethical, impactful and inclusive research – and provides insights as to how people are making sense of this helping us to collectively learn and improve our practices.
It encourages a diversity of contributions – celebrating, sharing and reflecting on the quality of engagement work happening across the world.
It’s open access, free to publish, free to read – better enabling anyone who wants to contribute and to access the papers.
It offers key learning points – a short snapshot of what the paper is trying to share enabling people to work out whether the paper is relevant and useful to them
It’s reimagining the publishing model - where we find new approaches to peer review, using ethical and inclusive ways to support those unable to do this work as part of a current paid role
It’s exploring new approaches for the future –including creating an editorial board, supporting a greater diversity of people to oversee, contribute and provide editorial oversight for the journal.
So make a date for the journal and consider:
- Dipping into the wealth of content from engagement partnerships across the world: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Latin America
- Signing up to publication alerts and to receive news about the latest publiction
- Contributing content and encouraging others to do the same
- Volunteering to act as a peer reviewer by getting in touch with us
- Expressing interest in becoming an associate editor.
We’d love to hear from you.
Research for All highlights the collaborative nature of research and its societal impact. It publishes articles that explore how research is co-produced with non-academic partners, including community groups, policymakers, and practitioners. By emphasising the practical applications of research and its benefits to society, Research for All bridges the gap between academia and the wider community. This journal is particularly valuable for researchers who aim to make a tangible impact through their work, as it provides a platform for sharing insights and best practices in community-engaged research.
