Use sector research without overstating the evidence
Check the evidence period, separate findings from interpretation and use research to support a specific local decision.
## Check what period the evidence covers
A report published or reviewed recently may describe an earlier period. Read the evidence period in the listing as well as the publication and review dates. A review date means Leeds Patch checked the material; it does not mean the underlying research was conducted on that date.
## Ask who took part
Look for the population, geography, sample and method. A survey of some organisations can reveal useful experiences without representing every group in Leeds. If the listing does not provide enough detail to judge a claim, treat that as a gap to resolve before using it.
## Separate three kinds of statement
A finding reports what the evidence says. An interpretation explains what it might mean. A recommendation proposes an action. Keep these separate in a funding application or board paper. Do not turn a suggested implication into an established fact.
## Connect the evidence to your own work
Choose a specific decision: changing opening hours, prioritising support, testing a new activity or gathering further information. Explain how the research informs that decision and what your own organisation already knows. A sector-wide trend can provide context, but it does not by itself prove a need among your participants.
## Measure the result you can observe
Set a baseline and decide what you will check after the change. For a website, visits show reach, returning browsers suggest repeat use and booking clicks show an action. None of those proves attendance, grant success or improved wellbeing. Those outcomes need separate follow-up evidence.
## Keep a source and a limitation
In your internal notes, record the original report, the evidence period, the relevant finding and one important limitation. Use a short original summary. This makes it easier to update your reasoning when new evidence appears, and helps another person understand what the claim can support.
What this could mean
Practical steps for a community organisation; choose what fits your circumstances.
What remains uncertain
Original general guidance. It does not guarantee funding, attendance or outcomes. Check the specific provider or fund requirements.
Source: Leeds Patch