A Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) is a tool for getting on top of the available research evidence on a policy issue, as comprehensively as possible, within the constraints of a given timetable.
The Toolkit has been designed as a web-based resource to enable Government Social Researchers to carry out or commission REAs. It contains detailed guidance on each stage of an REA from deciding on whether it is the right method to use to communicating the findings. There are a range of templates and sources in the Toolkit that will support the successful completion of an REA.
The Toolkit is not meant to be read from beginning to end in one sitting but can be can be dipped in and out of as the REA progresses. Below are the three main sections of the toolkit and a sitemap of the whole toolkit.
What is an REA? - There are a number of different methods for reviewing existing evidence. This section discusses six main types of review to help you decide which one is most appropriate for your research needs.
Planning an REA - What are the key elements of an REA, how long do they take and what resources are needed?
REA toolkit: how to do an REA - The guidance and tools needed to carry out an REA including information on contracting them out.
The Toolkit was developed and written by GSR members and the EPPI Centre.
- GSR Members: Nathanael Bevan (Editor), Mark Connelly, Jane Francis, Sally Marshall, Kim Williams and Deborah Wilson.
- EPPI Centre: James Thomas, Mark Newman, David Gough, drawing on EPPI-Centre methods at the Institute of Education.