Policy briefs are among the most widely used tools in evidence-informed policymaking. They aim to translate complex research into actionable insights for decision-makers. However, despite their popularity, many briefs fail to produce meaningful policy influence. The issue is not poor writing or insufficient data. It is the absence of a solid analytical foundation—the middle layer. … Read more
Comparative research is one of the most widely used analytical approaches in social sciences, policy evaluation, development studies, and global market research. However, researchers frequently overlook one critical element: institutional context. When governance structures, cultural norms, or infrastructure differences remain uncontrolled, the results appear statistically sound but become substantively inaccurate. High-quality comparative research must account … Read more
The research world is full of theories—TAM, TPB, SDT, DOI, Social Learning Theory, and more. They appear across dissertations, journal articles, and conference papers. Yet most theories function as cosmetic citations, not analytical frameworks. Researchers cite them for legitimacy, but rarely apply them rigorously. At Research & Report Consulting, our reviews of 500+ academic manuscripts … Read more
The Reproducibility Crisis Reaches Top Journals Even studies published in prestigious journals confront serious reproducibility issues. A 2016 survey of 1,576 researchers found more than half believed a significant reproducibility crisis exists. WikipediaOne editorial noted that in neuroscience and related fields the inability to access raw data was a primary factor undermining reproducibility. BioMed CentralSystemic … Read more
In the world of research, the marker p < 0.05 has become almost shorthand for “we found something meaningful”. Yet, it is not sufficient on its own. As a professional in research & report consulting, we see many studies relying solely on p-values — ignoring what actually matters: effect sizes, confidence intervals, data quality, and … Read more
Open Access (OA) publishing has accelerated global knowledge-sharing and reduced barriers to scientific dissemination. However, this growth has also led to an alarming rise in predatory journals—deceptive outlets designed to extract revenue from authors while providing little scholarly value. These journals imitate legitimate OA platforms and frequently target early-career researchers who lack training in publication … Read more
Most research failures start long before data analysis. They begin at the design stage, when researchers misidentify the unit of analysis. This single mistake produces misleading results, faulty comparisons, and policy recommendations that collapse when applied in real-world settings. For research, evaluation, and policy studies, choosing the wrong unit of analysis is one of the … Read more
In research and consulting practice, we often observe a common yet critical error: using measurement scales before ensuring the concept is fully defined. At Research & Report Consulting, we witness it time and time again — and the consequences are serious: data that misleads, reports that misinform, and decisions that rest on sand. Why It … Read more
Many researchers still treat Journal Impact Factor (IF) as the ultimate indicator of journal quality. However, relying solely on this metric leads to misinformed decisions, wasted submission cycles, and a disconnect between research goals and journal expectations. Modern publishing ecosystems demand a more strategic and evidence-driven evaluation method. This article explains why IF is no … Read more
Why Context Defines Research Quality In academic and applied research, data is often treated as objective truth. Yet, every dataset is shaped by the context in which it is produced—culture, geography, politics, and time. Ignoring context doesn’t just weaken results; it distorts reality. When researchers transfer models from the Global North to the Global South … Read more
